Police officials confirmed on Monday that the Department of Homeland Security was aiding a police investigation after a Russian national stole a $2.5 million yacht in Florida.
In a Monday statement on Facebook, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office announced that it had “identified the individual who stole a 66-foot luxury yacht from a Tequesta marina as Nikolai Vilka, a Russian national.”
The Martin County Sheriff’s Office explained that the Department of Homeland Security was “en route” to the sheriff’s office with a Russian interpreter to help with the investigation since the Russian national claimed that he was not able to speak English.
“Earlier this evening, Vilka stole the yacht from Blowing Rocks Marina and attempted to flee from deputies through the Intracoastal Waterway,” the Martin County Sheriff’s Office said. “The dockmaster reported the vessel stolen, prompting a swift and coordinated response. Ground units, marine units, and MCSO Air One assisted in the pursuit.”
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Martin County Sheriff John Budensiek explained that police officials were notified at roughly 4 p.m. on Monday that a 68-foot yacht had been stolen.
“This is a first for me and a first for the Sheriff’s Office that I’m aware of where we had a situation like this,” Budensiek told WPBF 25 News. “Because it’s such an unbelievable story, we started reaching out and trying to find out if this is a repo deal or if there was somebody allowed to use this vessel.”
After confirming that the yacht was likely stolen, sheriff’s deputies were dispatched in multiple ships to chase the stolen yacht. Budensiek told WPBF 25 News that the chase was difficult because the sheriff’s deputies had much smaller boats.
“They’re lower. They’re looking up. They can’t tell what they’re looking at,” Budensiek stated. “And had he had the firepower, he could have caused problems for our deputies.”
WPBF 25 News reported that Budensiek said the Russian national did not have a weapon and that no shots were fired during the chase. Budensiek explained that the deputies were eventually able to catch up with the stolen vessel.
“They were bowing to the side of that vessel and just shoved him as he was trying to get forward momentum. They just shoved him up into the mangroves,” Budensiek said. “They grounded him to where he could not move forward anymore.”
“We’re investigating the fact that it’s part of a larger organization,” the sheriff added. “You know, a Russian coming into South Martin County and stealing a 68-foot, $2,500,000 yacht is just not something that you see.”
