Boat builder wants stolen vessel back

SEATTLE — Surveillance video captured images of people taking a boat, a trailer it was on and a semi used to haul it from a warehouse on Sunday. The video has been turned into Seattle police.

The builder told KIRO 7 Eyewitness News reporter Chris Legeros that he was proud of the boat and he wants it back.

“I’m a third-generation hydroplane builder,” said Ron Jones. “My grandfather was Ted Jones, and my father is Ron Jones Sr.”

The boat was 41 feet long, built out of high-tech composite materials and worth $250,000. Twin diesels could push it to speeds up to 65 mph.

“It wasn’t a race boat. It was built as a fast attack patrol craft,” said Jones.

Jones turned the surveillance video into Seattle police.

“Eight guys showed up in a minivan and some other cars, and forced their way in and hooked it all up and drove off,” said Jones.

Jones said the U.S. Navy decided not to buy his boat, but he was still interested in trying to sell it, perhaps even to some other country.

“I’ve been racking my brain for two days, and I can’t think who would do something like this,”

The only guess Jones had is that someone familiar with the boat followed it or Jones back to the storage yard.

Jones described the semi used to haul the boat as a 1987 Freightliner painted bright red, yellow and blue.

KIRO