Hot Live Lobster

(Mt. Desert Island, Maine) According to this report, two people wearing ski masks and "paddling a small boat in the dark of night" were recorded on surveillance cameras as they boosted crates of live lobsters from Thurston's Lobster Pound in Tremont.

Similarly and not far away on Little Cranberry Island, another live lobster heist was recorded on camera at the Cranberry Isles Fishermen's Co-op. In total, 40 crates of lobster weighing about 90 lbs. each and worth more than $20,000 were stolen.

Based on the report, it appears that live lobster is being sold at the wharf in crates for about $5.50 a pound. This would explain why I see it in the grocery store for twice that amount and in a restaurant for three times that amount. I imagine that a person with cash could approach the lobsterman as his boat pulls in and buy a few for a little less.

There also appears to be little benefit to be derived by installing surveillance cameras to watch over crated live lobster. That is unless one likes to watch thieves at work. My suggestion would be to have the video signal sent to some central monitoring location so action could be taken while a theft was in progress.