Three would-be boat thieves were nabbed in the act.
Holmes Beach police arrested Arkansas residents Kyle Brumbelow, 31, Gregory McCarrell Jr., 37, and Christopher Wilt, 30, Nov. 3 on third-degree felonies for burglary to an unoccupied conveyance.
McCarrell and Wilt also face charges of third-degree felonies for possession of burglary tools.
Holmes Beach officers responded around 6:15 p.m. to reports of three men who boarded a vessel that had run aground near shore south of the 700 block of Manatee Avenue.
The officer found the vessel and spoke with the trio, who identified themselves as Brumbelow, McCarrell and Wilt.
They said the vessel was not theirs and that McCarrell and Wilt were hoping to take possession of it and live inside temporarily, according to a police report.
They said one of them climbed through an unlocked hatch, then they used tools to pry a padlock off of the vessel’s rear door, causing some minor damage.
The officer contacted the vessel’s owner, who wanted to pursue charges against the trio and provided a complaint affidavit.
HBPD arrested Brumbelow, McCarrell and Wilt and transported them to the Manatee County jail. They remained in custody as of Nov. 11, with a $1,500 bond for Brumbelow and a $3,000 bond for McCarrell and Wilt.
If convicted, punishment for a third-degree felony includes up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $5,000.
An arraignment for the trio will be at 9 a.m. Friday, Nov. 18, at the Manatee County Judicial Center, 1051 Manatee Ave. W., Bradenton.