The Dutch Caribbean Coast Guard received a report early Saturday morning, September 26, about suspicious activity in the area of the refinery in Aruba. At the time, a Metal Shark unit was conducting a patrol at sea.
Personnel from the Coast Guard’s Maritime Operations Center instructed the Metal Shark crew to head toward the refinery. At the same time, one of the Coast Guard’s aircraft was asked to provide assistance.
The Dash 8 aircraft located two individuals and relayed their position to Coast Guard personnel aboard the boat so they could investigate the situation. When the crew arrived at the location, they managed to detain one of the individuals. The other person remains at large.
The two individuals were in the process of stealing several copper pipes. The detained individual was handed over to the Aruba Police Force (KPA), which will continue the investigation and handle the case.
The Coast Guard thanked the community for reporting incidents. Anyone who observes an emergency at sea or notices suspicious activity is asked to contact the Coast Guard immediately at 913.
