This happened to one of my boats a,while back. They took every thing they could cut loose and carry to include a 10 HP motor. I started my own search at about 5:30 am that very morning. I had contacted the authorities , all of them from the State Police to the local sherrif and the Game Wardens. and belive it or not the #1 suspect was working for a marina right there on the lake, I will not say which one, due to the I will sue if you say my name any where. The young man worked for the owner operater of the marina on Barren River, all of his rentals ran 10HPs on them, all mercury's like mine. The young man that the "law enforcement officer" had spoke of was involved in many thefts and had been picked up several times, but was always cut loose due to some loop hole or another even though they had raided the farm he lived on and found more than 50 rod and reels all types of tackle and gear all of which have no way of tracing them back to the real owners due to the lack serial numbers. big items were taken across the TN border and stored in a barn where KY could not go and TN said hey there was no crime in our state man sorry about the bad luck. Well when we ask the marina owner if the young man was working that morning and he said no and also told us that the the trust worthy young man had worked untill at least 3:30am that morning cleaning lawn mowers, for him that had been used the day before. What a great guy he was. After a week or so went by a fish and game guy told us the he was sure it had been taken to TN there was no cross reference of small engine Serial numbers. He said this had been a long time thing, folks under 18 were used to make the snatch and grab just in case they did get caught and the judges would give them a slap on the wrist as a prank theft. Not to worry though every six months we get a call from the County asking us if the motor ever turned back up. The ones on barren "night fish" they turn off the running lights and cruise with a a trolling motor and haul the boats out to a covered area strip what they could sell if you are lucky they put the hull back top keep folks from spotting, the loss so quickly. One law officer told me the he did not say the following, if you could get a clear shot at the motor of the thiefs boat and it just happened to disable the boat. and then report a shot fired in the area. Sorry about your luck but it looks like we are going to take care of law enforcement like the old days! But kill motors and boats not people.