A luxury sailboat stolen from Jersey City on August 22 was recovered in Newport, Rhode Island, on August 26, culminating in a shootout that left the suspect dead and a Newport police officer wounded during an early morning police confrontation near Storer Park.
The Liberty Harbor Marina Theft and Coast-to-Coast Search
The sequence began late on Saturday, August 22, when a 40-foot 1968 Hinckley Bermuda was taken from the Liberty Harbor Marina in Jersey City. Marina operators and local workers noted that the vessel was widely regarded as one of the most admired boats docked at the facility, often described by boating enthusiasts as the Rolls Royce of sailing craft. Surveillance footage captured the unidentified suspect undocking the luxury vessel before sailing away.
New Jersey State Police released video footage of the theft as authorities launched an intensive search, issuing alerts up and down the East Coast to the United States Coast Guard and regional harbormasters. Tracking data showed the sailboat moving south until it reached the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge, where investigators report the suspect apparently disabled its tracking device, causing authorities to lose sight of the vessel.
Ahead of the theft, staff at a nearby business reported unusual interactions with the individual. According to the owner of Jersey Jet Ski, the suspect walked into the shop on Saturday and exhibited signs of unusual behavior just hours before the boat vanished from its slip.
The Violent Confrontation at Elm Street Pier in Newport
Four days after it vanished from New Jersey, the missing sailboat resurfaced anchored in Rhode Island waters. On Wednesday morning, August 26, at approximately 9 a.m., Newport police officers and harbormaster personnel went to investigate a vessel matching the stolen description anchored near Storer Park and the Elm Street Pier.
According to Newport Police Chief Ryan Duffy, officers came alongside the boat and encountered a man on the bow who immediately fled below deck. The suspect ignored repeated commands from law enforcement, armed himself with a firearm, and initiated a gunfight.
During the exchange of gunfire, the unidentified suspect was killed, and a Newport police officer sustained a gunshot wound to the lower extremity.
Emergency responders transported the wounded officer to Newport Hospital, where officials confirmed the officer was in stable condition later that day.
The Point neighborhood surrounding the pier experienced heavy police blockades and traffic detours as yellow police tape secured the waterfront area. Chief Duffy informed reporters that the investigation would keep the neighborhood cordoned off for the remainder of the day. Standard protocol for officer-involved shootings in the state brought the Rhode Island State Police and the Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office to the scene to lead the independent inquiry.
Relief and Grief for the Boat’s Owner
For boat owner Jim Bonomo, the recovery of the vessel brought a deeply emotional end to a stressful multi-day ordeal. Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Bonomo fought back tears while expressing gratitude to the maritime community and law enforcement agencies that spread alerts along the coast.
Bonomo emphasized the personal toll the theft took on him after a decade of painstaking maintenance and restoration work. So when we saw someone stole it, it was pretty upsetting,
he said.
The owner also praised the collective vigilance of fellow mariners who kept watch for the distinctive vessel following the initial Jersey City alerts. So everybody was looking for and I guess we have a great outcome, as long as that police officer is OK,
Bonomo added.
Unresolved Questions in the Ongoing State Investigation
As state investigators examine the chronology of the crossing from New York Harbor to Narragansett Bay, significant details remain unreleased. Authorities have not yet publicly identified the deceased suspect, and officials have not disclosed how the individual navigated the multi-state waterway after disabling the transponder near the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge.
The Rhode Island Attorney General’s Office and the state police continue to review forensic evidence from the Elm Street Pier confrontation as the injured Newport officer recovers at Newport Hospital.
Keep reading