Major Breaking Blockbuster! Newport Beach's Long Paddle Board Theft Nightmare is Over

The fair citizens of Newport Beach, California, can rest easy tonight: The suspected thief of paddle boards from docks and residences throughout the beach town over the past 10 months has been nabbed.

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He is Costa Mesa 45-year-old Dan Patrick Elias, who allegedly even took paddle boards that were locked by cutting their restraints and walking off with his prize, according to Andi Querry, a Newport Beach Police Department spokesperson.

“He would also remove unattended, unsecured boards and if questioned, he would say he was moving it for a friend,” Querry reports. “Elias would then sell the stolen paddle boards on Craigslist or to local shops.”

The end came when Newps police detectives, posing as potential buyers, contacted Elias and requested to see one of the boards, according to Querry, who added when it was determined two paddle boards and a kayak in his possession were stolen, he was taken into custody Friday. The charge: possession of stolen property.

Those boards and the kayak have been returned to their rightful owners, and detectives have linked Elias to several other paddle board thefts within Newport Beach, Querry said.

But it is possible there were unreported thefts as well, so police Detective Christopher Kimble is asking anyone who believes they were a victim of paddle board (or kayak) theft to call him at 949.644.3767. Messages may also be left anonymously at 1.800.550.NBPD.

Email: mc****@oc******.com. Twitter: @MatthewTCoker. Follow OC Weekly on Twitter @ocweekly or on Facebook!

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