Mounties are investigating after a search and rescue boat was stolen late Friday night in the Fraser Valley.

The eight-metre boat, dubbed The Spirit of Harrison, was in a locked search and rescue compound in Agassiz when thieves broke in and stole it at around 10 p.m.

Fortunately, the rescue vessel turned up before noon the next day – but it will need expensive repairs.

"It was plugged in and on charge, but they drove away with the wires attached," said Neil Brewer of Kent Harrison Search and Rescue.

The culprits also left the mast up, and it appears to have hit powerlines and briefly knocked out electricity in the Agassiz area as they were fleeing.

"It's a foldable mast but obviously they didn't have time to drop it down, so that got broken off fairly quickly," Brewer said.

A search and rescue member ended up spotting the mast on the side of the road Friday night without realizing it belonged to their boat.

It's the third time in recent years that Kent Harrison Search and Rescue has been targeted by thieves, but Brewer said the scale of the most recent incident is still surprising.

"To actually steal a five-tonne, eight-metre boat from a locked compound … I must admit that shocked me," he said.

The Spirit of Harrison has been used in hundreds of rescues, according to Brewer, but was recently taken out of service. Crews had intended for it to be used by another search and rescue organization.

Before then, there is an estimated $1,500 in damage that will need to be repaired.

It's unclear why the boat was stolen and then discarded. The RCMP is hoping fingerprint evidence will help lead them to whoever is responsible.

With files from CTV Vancouver's Michele Brunoro