A man allegedly stole a real-life Baywatch lifeguard rescue boat moored in Santa Monica Bay before brazenly leading police on a high-seas chase into the Pacific last week.
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the thief made off with the lifeguard vessel on January 26 while it was moored in Malibu. The suspect was soon apprehended by members of the LASD Marina del Rey Boat Operations team and the boat—named “Baywatch Malibu”—was recovered with no major damage.
Lifeguards, the Coast Guard, and the LASD’s Air 5 helicopter also took part in the chase, which ended somewhere out in the Pacific.
“We don’t make it a habit of making felony stops of Los Angeles County Lifeguards boats,” LASD said. “But that isn’t a lifeguard with his hands in the air. Yesterday, our boat crew responded offshore to locate and arrest a male who wanted to play lifeguard and steal ‘Baywatch Malibu’ from its mooring.”
The sheriff’s department did not share further details about the suspect or precisely where the chase ended, but the little adventure did supply gripping entertainment to locals listening to air traffic control communications.
“Just heard a helicopter pilot on the Santa Monica Airport Tower frequency say he was heading out over the water to chase a stolen lifeguard boat. Never a dull moment in LA,” wrote one Twitter user.
Just heard a helicopter pilot on the Santa Monica Airport Tower frequency say he was heading out over the water to chase a stolen lifeguard boat. Never a dull moment in LA.
— Mike Doose (@theDoose) January 26, 2021
Another noted, “It certainly was humorous to listen to the coordination between Baywatch Del Rey, LASD Air 5 & LASD MDR’s boat crew! The world keeps getting crazier by the day!”
It certainly was humorous to listen to the coordination between Baywatch Del Rey, LASD Air 5 & LASD MDR's boat crew! The world keeps getting crazier by the day!
— Curtis E. Flush (@ImA1032) January 27, 2021
Meanwhile, it’s not necessary to become a felon just to get one’s David Hasselhoff on. In January, the TV legend put his own replica of the K.I.T.T. Trans Am from Knight Rider up for auction, even promising to deliver it to the winning bidder in person. The iconic Pontiac Firebird reportedly sold for $300,000 last week, despite the fact that that Hasselhoff’s version doesn’t speak and never actually appeared on the show.
RELATED: A Pasadena Hearse Heist Ended in a Crash on the 110 Freeway
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