CAPE CORAL, Fla. — A man attempting to sell four stolen kayaks online is now facing charges thanks to the persistence of the victim and Cape Coral Police.
On June 1, the owner reported that two kayaks were stolen from his yard in Punta Gorda.
On June 12 he recognized them on Facebook Marketplace and initiated a conversation with the seller. Using the Facebook profile and cross-referencing with open-source information, the victim was able to find a home address in Cape Coral and called the police for assistance.
Police arranged to buy the kayaks so they could recover the property and make an arrest. While messaging back and forth through Facebook, the seller offered two additional kayaks for sale. A search of recent thefts revealed another kayak theft with a different victim in Cape Coral.
Undercover detectives met with the seller, Christopher Moorhead, and completed the purchase of all four kayaks. Once the transaction was complete, they attempted to take Moorhead into custody, but he fled on foot. He was chased down and eventually arrested.
The kayaks have been returned to their rightful owners.
Moorhead, 24 is facing charges of dealing in stolen property, theft, and resisting an officer without violence.
In addition to these charges, police say Moorhead also had outstanding warrants.
