Jet skis stolen in Barrie tracked over the border

Police are investigating two stolen jet skis in Barrie that were reportedly taken from the waterfront and tracked to New York State.

• Download the CTV News app to get local alerts on your device
• Get the latest local updates sent to your email inbox

The jet skis belong to Paul Spenceley and his Flyboard Barrie rental business, which operates on a dock off the Tiffin Boat launch.

Despite the jet skis being anchored in the middle of open water on Kempenfelt Bay overnight on August 6, someone still managed to allegedly steal them.

"I didn't think it was true," admitted Spenceley. "To pull it off, you would need another vessel to be able to tow the equipment back to whatever launch you want to, [then] load it on trailers or however they would've done it."

The two jet skis represent more than $30,000 in total value and a quarter of Flyboard Barrie's eight jet skis rental fleet.

"We have GPS trackers on all the equipment, so I looked at my GPS and then I saw they were in Brampton, and that's when it really hit me," added Spenceley. "I was like, oh, they're actually gone."

In a Facebook post, Spenceley said that the GPS trackers on his jet skis were cut off by whoever took them, which was believed to have happened in New York State.

Spenceley and Barrie police confirmed the equipment was indeed tracked outside the country.

"I think it just shows people that there are individuals out there that are looking, (and) seizing opportunities where and when they can," said Peter Leon, corporate communications coordinator with Barrie police. "They're not afraid to go to whatever extreme or length they have to in order to perpetrate and carry out their crime."

Watercraft thefts remain a rare crime, however. The Boating Ontario Association reported five across the province so far this year, which it says is typical for any given summer.

"We always encourage the industry and, of course, consumers to safeguard your product, lock things up," said Rick Layzell, the Boating Ontario Association's CEO. "Because we all work pretty darn hard to have the ability to enjoy these things."

The police investigation remains ongoing.

Spenceley said his jet skis are not insured for theft, and that he will have to operate a fleet of six for the rest of the summer if his stolen watercraft are not recovered.