Police: Man arrested after boat-stealing spree

A Huntington Beach man accused of stealing one boat in San Diego and nabbing another in Oceanside was arrested by Orange County Sheriff’s Harbor Patrol last week after his 34-foot powerboat had some trouble in Newport Harbor.

Jeffrey C. Edens, 37, was arrested Oct. 28 on suspicion of possession of stolen property and taken to Orange County Jail, authorities said.

Harbor Patrol deputies were initially just trying to help out with a disabled boat, Sgt. Bill Snaith said. But as they were making contact with Edens to bring his boat into the harbor, they got a fax from Oceanside authorities notifying them that the vessel was stolen, he added.

“I really would like to give them credit for immediately notifying other harbor patrols,” Snaith said.

The 34-foot “cigarette”-style powerboat was the second vessel Eden stole in just a few days, Snaith said. After taking a sailboat from San Diego and sailing it to Oceanside, the suspect parked it in a slip Tuesday and took the second boat, authorities said.

— Michael Alexander