7 lifeguard stands stolen at Delaware beach

Ryan Marshall | The (Salisbury, Md.) Daily Times

More than a third of the Rehoboth Beach Patrol's 20 lifeguard stands went missing this week, police in Delaware said.

Early Thursday morning, two beach sweepers noticed the lack of stands and notified lifeguards, who confirmed they had been stolen, Rehoboth Beach Police Chief Keith Banks said.

The seven benches were estimated to have been stolen between 2:30 and 5 a.m. Thursday, Banks said.

State police and the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control were notified to help with the search. A state police helicopter roamed the coastline Thursday but did not see any of the stands in the water.

Police have a few leads but none of the stands have been found. Banks said the investigation is active.

"If it is a prank we will be prosecuting them," he said.

After police were notified at about 10 a.m. Thursday, the beach patrol replaced the seven missing stands with extras held by the Rehoboth Public Works Department, Rehoboth Beach Patrol Capt. Kent Buckson said.

The loss of seven stands can dismantle a beach patrol, but Rehoboth Beach is lucky to have backups, Buckson said. He added the beach will be fully staffed for the weekend.

In the past, one or two stands have gone missing, pushed out to sea or buried in the sand, but never this high of a number.

Buckson is pretty certain they were put out to sea.

"For some reason or other, someone felt some anger to seek out revenge," Buckson said. " I don't know. They are over 500 pounds, $800 apiece — no way could they have been all taken up on the street and put in a car."

The theft came the morning after Rehoboth Beach hosted the United States Lifesaving Association Regional Championships. Buckson said there have been no previous incidents this summer or during the championships that he felt could cause this type of action from anyone.

"I don't know. Lifeguards are competitive, but I didn't sense any kind of anger out like that Wednesday," he said.

Buckson's main concern is stands in the water could be a danger to boaters.

"This wasn't a prank," Buckson said. "This was an angry attack on the city of Rehoboth. It's something you don't do."