Florida Authorities: Russian Citizen Apprehended for Luxury Yacht Theft

Police in Florida have arrested a Russian national for allegedly attempting to steal a luxury yacht and flee to the Bahamas.

Nikolai Vilkov, a 29-year-old Russian citizen, was arrested in Hobe Sound, Florida, while aboard a 68-foot luxury yacht after police pursued him on the Indian River for over an hour. Local sheriffs said that he likely stole more than one boat to get to his destination. Per the Maritime Executive:

At about 0100 hours Monday morning, Vilkov arrived at a restaurant parking lot in Jupiter, Florida, and was captured on surveillance camera walking down to a marina. At about 0200 hours, a TowBoat US response boat at that marina started up without authorization, and its GPS tracker showed it moving north. It then ran aground on a sandbar, and the unauthorized operator abandoned it. The thief was not immediately identified.

At 0300 hours, police for the town of Jupiter found Vilkov, who was on foot and walking down a highway near the site of the grounding. They had no evidence to connect him to the missing TowBoat US vessel, so he was allowed to go.

At about 1200-1300 hours, Vilkov arrived at a different marina, located about three hours to the north, police said. Bystanders spotted him aboard a 68-foot luxury yacht, preparing to get under way. At about 1555 hours, the dockmaster for the marina called police to report that the yacht had been stolen.

Police were able to push the yacht into the mangrove thicket near Hobe Sound Bridge and arrested Vilkov shortly afterward. Authorities speculate that he was likely heading for the Bahamas. He has been charged with grand theft, aggravated fleeing, and resisting arrest.