On Feb. 26, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Police posted a boat-napping on its Facebook page.

“WDFW Sgt. Brian Alexander was patrolling in Westport when he heard a radio call for a vehicle theft in progress … (it was) an $8 million, 80-foot commercial fishing vessel, the Jamie Marie. A subject had boarded the vessel, woke the crew and advised them they needed to get underway.

“The newer crew did not know the captain, but didn’t argue, thinking he was an alternate operator, or someone sent by the real captain. He surely acted the part, as he knew how to start and operate the large vessel.”

Eventually, the crew smelled a rat. “The subject driving the boat was talking about meeting the ‘Chinese Mothership’ and was not making sense. He certainly was not describing fishing activity.”

At that point, a crew member called the real captain, who made it clear the “captain” aboard had no business being there. Happily, the imposter, in due time, brought the vessel and crew back into port intact, where he was promptly taken into custody. As it turned out, he had $4,000 in cash and a “large quantity of individually weighed and packaged marijuana” with him.

“ … It was learned the same subject boarded another large vessel in the early morning hours,” the post added, “and managed to start the main engines, and was attempting to rally the crew for a trip to sea. They ran him off the boat, but did not report the activity until the current theft was playing out, and the information was circling Westport.” (Photo: Vesseljoin)