A REDLANDS couple has been left devastated by the theft of their boat and new outboard motor.
Wayne and Chrissy Stanley's pride and joy, Tangles, was taken from their backyard in Plover Drive, Thornlands, on Friday.
The couple had left the house to go to Tingalpa and then Manly. In the four hours they were gone, thieves struck, in the middle of the day.
They cut through the anti-theft lock on the Cruise Craft 550 Explorer and towed it away.
The boat had a new 150 Mercury outboard motor installed just weeks ago.
Fishing rods, snorkeling equipment and crab pots were inside the boat when it was stolen.
Mrs Stanley said the theft had left her in shock.
"I'm absolutely gutted," she said.
"I loved that boat so much. We'd been to hell and back with it."
The thieves towed the boat from the backyard of the Stanleys' house and down the long driveway into the street.
"We live on a half acre block, and the boat was right down the back," Mrs Stanley said.
"It's about 50 metres."
Neighbours reported seeing a silver Commodore sedan towing the boat.
Mrs Stanley said she saw two men across the road on the morning of the theft, who might have been watching the premises.
The previous owners of the boat were in Moura, in central Queensland, when the Stanleys bought it from them in April.
Disaster struck during the 1200km round trip, when the engine on the Stanleys' truck blew up.
"We had to have friends come and pick us up, and come back towing boats and cars," Mrs Stanley said.
In a further blow for the couple, the security cameras around their property had been taken out because the couple was renovating.
"I'm wondering if the boat has had rotten luck," Mrs Stanley said.
She urged people to consider their own security arrangements to stop determined thieves.
"The boat had a thick anti-theft lock on it," Mrs Stanley said.
"They would have needed a portable grinder to grind it off."
Senior Constable Luke Taylor, from Cleveland Police Station, said detectives were pursuing a number of leads to identify the thieves.
He urged anyone with information to call Crimestoppers on 1800-333-000.
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