Crabbuglars caught red handed.

They are stealing way more than crab.
Think about the drive time, gas, bait, park and launch fees that go into setting that trap.
They are also stealing the fun of seeing that trap full of crab, of sharing YOUR bounty with family and friends.
I just recently had an incident where someone was going to cost me $3200 in repair bills.
One visit to his house and I ended up paying ZERO provided I never come by his house again.
There is a lot to be said for direct action. Just make sure you are morally correct.

They should be publicly beaten.

When I axed earlier "WTH is wrong with people stealing crab...." I meant to write "WTH is wrong with people?!  Stealing crab...  "  I think the absence of correct punctuation implied that I felt stealing crab was not wrong, which it clearly is.  sorry about that!

When I axed earlier "WTH is wrong with people stealing crab...." I meant to write "WTH is wrong with people?!  Stealing crab...  "  I think the absence of correct punctuation implied that I felt stealing crab was not wrong, which it clearly is.  sorry about that!

playin both sides of the coin huh?
If it was intentional you have a future as a politician 

Too bad there is not a way to paint ball the boat so every time it is seen, some unforseen thing like flat trailer tires, general graffiti, piss in the bilge etc happens. 

"WTH is wrong with people stealing crab?

lol, lawyer....................figures! 


Punctuation is everything my friend 

i don't advocate bad things to happen to people.  I think you guys are over the top wanting harm to come to these pour souls.  I'd hate to see any of the following:

-Names, photographs, and hometowns of the men borrowing the crab made public
-Photographs of the boat, truck and trailer used by the borrowers
-Immediate reports of sightings in this thread
-Physical confrontation
-Graffiti something along the lines of "THIEF" on the side of the vehicle and/or boat in red spraypaint.  Especially not on the windshields with glass etching acid. 
-Petcocks and/or drain plug on the boat removed, coated with loctite/epoxy/etc. and replaced
-Urine in the truck's heater air intake topped with dog feces, followed with 2 week old crab butter that has been siting outside in a plastic bag
-Home address of the boat owner posted on craigslist as hosting a gay orgy on new year's eve
-Sugar in the gas tank, but that is a bit pedestrian, no?

I'm sure others can join in with these things that would just be terrible to see happen to these guys.  Just terrible.

Its a good thing you don't advocate bad things....items 5, 7 and 8 are pure evil.   

It IS illegal to remove crabs from someone else's traps w/out their permission. There was a loophole up until 2005/2006 when the issue was brought to DFG's attention. Here's the initial proposal to change the crab-pot regs w/reasons: www.fgc.ca.gov/regulations/2006/29_80aisor.pdf And here's the finalized wording of the amended reg: www.fgc.ca.gov/regulations/2011/29_80regs.pdf The updated reg (29.80) is on pg 54 of the 2011-2012 Ocean Regs booklet.

I'd like to imagine the DFG w/b interested in pursuing these blatant offenders. I mean, they've got enough credible info to act on. (except I think the CF #s posted are missing some numbers/letters) You've practically served it to them on a silver platter though. I really hope to see justice served here!

the law says(if i remember correctly) is that once you leave your gear in the water, it is anyones to retrieve if they wish to. No law broken= you left your crab rings out there in the middle of the ocean.

you'd have to be talking a HE-yuge pile of pinchers to justify the cost.  And I can't thinking of a single prosecutor who would bring a case like this to trial, even if the perp were photographed with both hands in the Dali Lama's trap.  So it looks like victims may be stuck with self-help, and that reflects a sad deficiency in the state of the law.

I think the online and physical posting of the information will resolve the issue. 

Makes we wonder if the thieves had a similar commercial interest.

Tote you bada$$! A bald guy with wild eyes, in an old post office jeep, would make me pay to.have you leave! Man, a thief is something I cant abide, not one damn bit. Who is game for a premiere of "to catch a poacher". We set traps and wait. When they get there film it and post it on youtube.

We need a device for our pots that activates with pressure. If its not deactivated within 3 min of returning to atmospheric pressure it explodes covering the area with permanent purple dye.

And here's the finalized wording of the amended reg: www.fgc.ca.gov/regulations/2011/29_80regs.pdf The updated reg (29.80) is on pg 54 of the 2011-2012 Ocean Regs booklet.

(3) It is unlawful to disturb, move, or damage any trap; or remove any saltwater crustacean
from a trap, that belongs to another person without written permission in possession from the
owner of the trap.

Thanks for pointing that out. With such blatant displays, the perps seem to think they're within legal bounds.