Multi-modal joyriders end up in jail

Blaine police weren’t sure at first if the theft of a car from a downtown Blaine residence and of a large yacht from the Blaine marina Monday, August 15 were related, but when three of the juveniles involved were apprehended the following day they admitted to both charges. “As we follow this up we’re still looking for a fourth and possible a fifth juvenile,” said Blaine police chief Mike Haslip said at the time.

A 1985 purple Ford Escort was stolen late Monday night from a residence in the 900 block of Third Street. Police said that the keys had been left in ignition. As the car was being driven off the driver collided with at least two nearby houses while driving across lawns and through flower beds.

The scraped up car was later discovered abandoned in the Point Roberts Press parking lot near the marina office, where it was thoroughly tested for fingerprints and other evidence by Blaine police detective Dan Sartain on Tuesday before being returned to the owner.

At about 3 a.m. Tuesday morning the Zazoo, a five-year-old 40-foot Bayliner yacht belonging to Rick Seimears of Ferndale, was stolen out of the Blaine Marina, near where the stolen Escort was found abandoned. It was discovered by the Coast Guard at 6 a.m. Tuesday morning beached on a sand bar just west of Lily Point at Point Roberts. The boat appeared relatively free of damage as it was driven on to a part of the beach that was free of the large boulders that cover the part of Lily Point at low tide. Later examination showed approximately $25,000 of damage had been inflicted. The yacht was valued at around $200,000.

The yacht was re-floated on the Tuesday evening tide and returned to Blaine. Seimears took the boat to the Semiahmoo Marina to be hauled out and damage assessed.

Officers continued investigating the incidents and apprehended three juveniles when they returned to the Blaine Marina Tuesday evening. “The suspects admitted to having taken the vehicle, having collided with the houses while joyriding, and then to stealing the boat from the harbor,” Haslip said.

Officers determined that at least one other vessel, the Alley Cat, a 40 foot Bayliner similar to the stolen Zazoo and moored at slip K-26, had seven bottles of liquor stolen from it sometime on Monday. Keys and flotation equipment from the Alley Cat were found in the stolen car.
Timothy Berry, 18, Timothy Merrifield, 18, and Jacob Ross, 18, were booked into the Whatcom County Jail.

Berry was released but the other two remain in custody. Two other boys, age 17 and 16, were booked into juvenile detention and the younger one has been released. Blaine police said that in addition to these arrests, the prosecutor is considering charges against a 15-year-old juvenile female.