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A Kayak, abandoned after a beach hut burglary, prompted an extensive search costing the Coastguard thousands of pounds.
Sandown Independent Lifeboat crew raised the alarm after a Green Kayak was found abandoned outside their base at 9.30am on Sunday morning (4th March).
Because no Kayaks had been reported as missing they were instructed by the Coastguard to launch a search from Sandown up to Luccombe then back along the shore to Culver cliff.
The Bembridge and Ventnor Coastguard teams were also tasked and the Coastguard Helicopter to do shore line searches from Culver to Luccombe.
It was later found that a beach hut had been broken into and the kayak
thrown into the sea, the paddle was found in Fort Street Sandown, there was also a trail of vandalism according to Sandown Inshore crew.
Nigel Guyll from Solent Coastguard says the operation while they don't cost each incident it would have been well in to the thousands of pounds. "In this case it was two coastguard teams totally about 22 persons, a helicopter, the police were involved and a lifeboat was involved.
"In addition to the monetary cost, all those people searching the shoreline at night are putting themselves at risk and if the worst had happened to one of them, the people who had vandalised that Kayak would be feeling pretty sick now."
Police have confirmed they are investigating a report of a burglary at a beach hut in Sandown.
Anyone with information about people acting suspiciously near beach huts in Sandown over the weekend is asked to phone police on 101.
Mini-com users can call phone 01962 875000. Information can be given anonymously by the phoning the independent Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.
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