Short answer
Mark the engine with both hidden and visible markings, lock the boat with a class 3 chain to the structure of the jetty and put up lighting at the jetty. If the boat or engine is stolen, report it right away at polisen.se or by calling 114 14. Have the hull number, engine number and fuel type ready, otherwise the property won't be registered as stolen.
What thieves take
Outboards and drives are the most exposed. The police reckon a boat engine is worth at least 1,000 to 1,500 kronor per horsepower, so a 200 hp engine often costs more than 200,000 kronor. Thieves also take navigation equipment and engine parts such as gear housings. Thefts increase at the start and end of the season and usually happen at night.
Protect the boat at the dock
- Mark the engine with both hidden and visible markings. Many boat businesses offer this. If you engrave it yourself, use your personal identity number rather than your name.
- Moor the boat with class 3 chain and lock it to the jetty structure itself. An approved lock on a rusty iron eye does little good.
- Lower the drive, engine and propeller so the expensive parts sit below the waterline.
- Cover the engine so it can't be recognised from a distance.
- Fit a tracker in the boat and the engine. Your insurer decides which types it accepts.
- Keep the jetty well lit, ideally with motion sensor lights.
- Take loose electronics and other theft-prone items home.
Camera surveillance may also be an option. The rules for it are published by Integritetsskyddsmyndigheten.
Boat on land or on a trailer
Make it hard to drive up to the boat. Concrete blocks or barriers stop anyone from hitching up the trailer or lifting the engine straight into a car. Check on the boat regularly. Read more about the winter spot in the winter storage guide and about locks and policy terms in the boat insurance guide.
If your boat is stolen
- Report it right away through the police e-service. It requires a Swedish personal identity number or coordination number. You can also call 114 14, or 112 if the theft is in progress.
- Provide the hull number, engine number, fuel type and your own markings. Without them the stolen items won't be registered in the police system.
- If you don't have the numbers, add them to the report as soon as you do. They're on the boat card if you filled it in, and in your insurance papers. You can find the engine number with the engine number guide.
- Report the loss to your insurance company.
Båtsamverkan
Båtsamverkan works like Neighbourhood Watch: you keep an eye on your neighbour's boat and your neighbour keeps an eye on yours. The police help set up a group in a marina or boat club. Call 114 14 or email the police's regional contact person for Båtsamverkan. If you see anything suspicious, report it to the police on 114 14 with the time, registration number and a description.
Frequently asked questions
What details do I need to report a stolen boat?
The boat's hull number, the engine's serial number, fuel type and any markings of your own. Without them the property can't be registered as stolen.
What chain should I lock the boat with?
The police recommend a class 3 chain, locked to the structure of the jetty. A chain is never stronger than its weakest link, so the anchor point has to hold too.
How do I mark the outboard?
With both hidden and visible marking. Many boat companies do this. If you engrave the marking yourself, a personal identity number is better than a name.
When are most outboard and boat engines stolen?
At the start and end of the boating season, and usually at night. In late summer and autumn there are fewer people in the harbours.
Where can I find the hull and engine numbers afterwards?
In the police boat card if you filled one in, in your insurance details or with your insurance company.