Samuel McDonough said the stolen boat was a present to himself (Picture: YouTube/King5)

A man who apparently stole a ferry as a birthday present for himself has been jailed for two and a half years.

Samuel McDonough was reportedly planning to travel from Seattle, in the United States, to British Columbia, in Canada, when he commandeered the Victoria Clipper.

But the 33-year-old was unable to operate it and the $8 million (£4,846,720) boat was spotted drifting in Elliott Bay.

He was eventually apprehended when a Swat team boarded the 132-foot vessel seven hours after he had taken it.


Despite pleading guilty to burglary and theft charges, Mr McDonough had originally told officers in December he stole the 480-ton catamaran as a birthday present.