A fishing community in Maine is expressing outrage following the theft of a local lobsterman's catch, with surveillance footage capturing two individuals allegedly taking 30 lobsters from a stash in Northeast Harbor last month.
Lindsay McDaniels, who fishes for lobster with her teenage daughter, discovered the theft on July 24 after realizing her daily catch was missing from the marina. Surveillance video shows two men, described as appearing to be tourists, carrying laundry baskets filled with lobsters along two docks. McDaniels reported the incident to the Mount Desert police.
"They did walk both dingy docks and had 2 big laundry baskets and made a phone call after finding my crate and continued looking for more," McDaniels stated in a social media post that gained traction among local fishermen. "Then loaded it up and left."
McDaniels estimated the stolen lobsters were worth up to $500, a significant loss for her livelihood. She noted that the thieves appeared to be "from away," a local term often used for outsiders.
Initially, authorities considered the possibility that the men mistakenly took the wrong crate, perhaps believing they had purchased the lobsters. However, McDaniels refuted this, stating she had confirmed with other fishermen that no such mix-up occurred. "Either way, if they had it arranged or not, they should have made sure it was the right crate," she said.
The incident has amplified concerns within the Maine fishing community regarding the impact of tourism on their local businesses and way of life. The theft has drawn strong reactions online, with many expressing anger and hoping for the perpetrators to be found.