SECHELT, B.C. - The Mounties have recovered two boats stolen from the U.S. Navy and docked in B.C.
Sgt. Stuart Falebrinza of the Sunshine Coast RCMP said the investigation resulted in the recovery of a 14-metre sailboat, named NSY Lively, and a 10-metre Boston Whaler.
The sailboat was located at the government dock in Sechelt, while the Boston Whaler was recovered after a warrant was executed on a summer home.
Falebrinza said the vessels were only a small part of the property recovered after a major U.S. investigation.
"They had planes, they had dump trucks, they had well over a million dollars, probably closer to two million dollars worth of items that were all recovered in the United States," he said.
"The only items that had been taken out of the States were these."
All of the suspects involved are currently facing charges south of the border.
Falebrinza said the owner of the summer home is a dual resident.
He said the items were fraudulently removed from the navy inventory and given to family and friends.
"The NSY Lively, they actually sailed it down and through false documentation were able to bring it through Canadian customs claiming it as a legitimate purchase which it was not," Falebrinza said.
Investigators were led to B.C. after a resident of the summer home confessed to the location of the items.
Falebrinza said the U.S. Naval Criminal Investigative Service was very appreciative of the RCMP's work.
"The NSY Lively, I know that they were very much interested in getting that back. It's got a fairly great history with the U.S. Navy," he said.
"It had been used in a few races, and for training purposes, and it wasn't something that they were just willing to let go."
The navy is currently in the process of moving the boats back into U.S. waters.
