Man Arrested for Stealing a Boat & Taking his Buddies Out for a Ride
SAN RAFAEL — Four friends set out for a memorable nighttime ride in a stolen boat. As a result of their escapades, one man was arrested, but his three joyriding buddies were merely questioned and released.
Their misguided adventure was interrupted by a witness who reported seeing a man steal a boat. This amateur pirate was spotted rowing the 15-foot boat away from a dock on the 500 block of Canal Street.
A police dispatcher received a report about the stolen watercraft on August 22 at 12:27 a.m. Responding officers subsequently launched a small police boat. Two officers began searching Canal District waterways.
Less than 45 minutes later, officers piloting the police boat boarded the stolen vessel and detained the four men.
They determined one of the suspects, Hector Gramajo-Diaz, a 28-year-old San Rafael resident, was responsible. He was taken into custody at 1:10 a.m. without further incident.
As a result of their escapades, Gramajo-Diaz spent a week in Marin County Jail awaiting a bail hearing on August 29. Bond for his release was set at $25,000.
The suspected boat thief told officers that he took the boat and later picked up his friends. His story was corroborated by his three boating buddies, who were questioned and released.
Gramajo-Diaz is charged with taking a vehicle without the owner’s consent and receiving stolen property. His friends got off with a reprimand for their part in this ill-advised boating adventure.
The stolen boat was towed back to shore and returned undamaged to its rightful owner.
