Man arrested for stealing boat

A man from Davie, Florida was arrested Sunday evening after he stole a boat from Islamorada.

A witness called the  Sheriff’s Office just before 7 p.m. to report seeing someone steal his neighbor’s boat, a 16 foot Sea Rayder on a trailer. The boat was parked at Founder’s Park at the time it was stolen. The witness said the man who stole the boat was driving a silver two door BMW with tinted windows and distinctive rims on the tires.

Deputy Christopher Kilmurray, who was in the area of Dove Road and U.S. One north of the theft location, heard the notice to be on the lookout for the vehicle and began watching for it. He spotted it as it passed him and stopped the vehicle at the 95 mile marker of the highway.

The driver was identified as 39 year old Eduardo Tapenas of Davie, Florida. The passenger was a 17 year old female.

Upon questioning, Tapenas claimed he’d been texting the owner of the vessel trying to purchase it from him. He said they had an agreement and he was taking the boat to test it with the victim’s permission. Investigations revealed the story to be false. The victim had been corresponding with Tapenas, but had not given him permission to take the boat.

Tapenas was arrested. He was charged with grand theft, and use of a two way communications device to facilitate a felony crime. The 17 year old girl who was with him said they were friends and had come to the Keys to “look around”. Her mother was notified of her mother, who responded to pick her up.