Police arrest 2 men suspected of stealing, selling boat motors

Police arrest 2 men suspected of stealing, selling boat motors

Newport Beach Police are looking for boat owners who have had their outboard motors stolen from Newport Harbor after two Costa Mesa men were arrested Tuesday on suspicion of having 13 stolen motors, Lt. Bill Hartford said.

Costa Mesa residents Salah Adel Hijazi, 40, and Ahmad Adel Hijazi, 29, were being held on $20,000 bail Tuesday night after an undercover operation led police to their home in the 3000 block of Yukon Avenue, Hartford said.

The pair, who are related, are suspected of stealing the motors from boats in the harbor, removing the serial numbers and selling the motors online, Hartford said.

During the last three months Newport burglary detectives noticed an increase in outboard motor thefts from boats docked in Newport Harbor. After an employee of one victim told police he saw a similar motor for sale on eBay, the undercover sting, which Hartford would not elaborate on, led them to the arrest around 3:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Hartford said police have only been able to identify the owners of four of the motors because of the absence of serial numbers and the lack of reports. Police are urging anyone who has had their motor stolen to call them at (949) 644-3672.