Original story by Andrea Davy, Daily Mercury
THE time to crack down on crab pot theft is now.
Commercial crabber Greg Sichter with the remnants of some of his crab pots, which have been continuously raided. Photo: Lee Constable
Professional Sarina Beach crabber Greg Sichter hopes to team up with Member for Mirani Ted Malone in a bid to install signs at boat ramps to alert fishers to the consequences of raiding pots.
"The signs will tell people there are surveillance cameras being used, and state what the fines are," Mr Sichter said.
The Daily Mercury reported Mr Sichter's business was being devastated, as his crab pots were being consistently raided, stolen or destroyed.
Mr Sichter eventually took matters into his own hands and set up surveillance cameras near his pots.
The cameras were successful in capturing two images of people raiding pots.
Sarina Police senior constable John Black said all of the adults in the photo had been identified.
"We are at the interviewing stages at this point of the investigation," he said.
"But all of the persons of interest have been contacted... I am confident charges will be laid and we will get an outcome."
Interfering with crabbing apparatus which is not your own is a serious offence and can incur fines of up to $55,000 or an on-the-spot fine of $1100. Mr Sichter said media attention had improved the situation for crabbers.
"I was just so stoked... I had gone back to crabbing a spot which I had avoided for years because it was hot for getting raided and nothing had been touched," he said.
"But when I was back at the spot I had the camera set up... someone had taken my crab pot and float," he said.
"That came as a kick in the guts."
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