Houston High-Speed Chase Highlights Texas' Rank as Third in Nation for Boat and Gear Thefts

As Texans gear up to celebrate festivities on the water, the risk of boat and gear theft has emerged as a significant concern. Texas ranks third in the nation for the number of boats and gear stolen. With 354 incidents last year, only Florida and California reported higher numbers, the National Insurance Crime Bureau reported. Among the popular targets for thieves are smaller boats, jet skis, and vessels under 30 feet. "It's easier for them to just load up that trailer and take off.  What we’re primarily seeing is smaller boats, jet skis, and any type of boat under 30 feet," Texas Parks and Wildlife Department Captain Jennifer Weaver explained, according to Fox 26 Houston. 

Houston drivers were treated to a peculiar spectacle this Independence Day—a high-speed chase unfolding on the city's freeways with a fishing boat in tow. Harris County Constable Precinct 4, Sugar Land police, and Montgomery County Sheriff's Office deputies were to chase down a truck hauling a stolen fishing boat at speeds upward of 120 mph. The pursuit, which spanned roughly 50 miles, ended with spike strips disabling the stolen vehicle in Kingwood, as reported by Chron.com. One suspect was caught, but another is still on the run.

The high-speed incident was not an isolated one, painting a picture of a larger issue in the Texas. Aside from outright theft, the problem includes boat squatting, where individuals take up residence in boats they don't own. While more common in states like California and Florida, Texas has so far seen relatively few such cases, Captain Weaver told Fox 26 Houston.

To confront the issue, the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department has taken action, seizing $100,000 worth of suspected stolen boats and gear earlier this year. They advise boat owners to increase vigilance, recommending steps like installing security cameras, using steel cables to secure boats to docks, and removing expensive equipment when unattended. In cases where squatters claim residence on someone else's vessel, "Access to the boat should be as easy as proving title to it. But as far as removing the individual, they're likely going to have to go through the civil process," Attorney Ernie Garcia explained in a statement obtained by Fox 26 Houston.