Aboard a stolen boat, Owen David and his crew pulled off a string of high-end burglaries, targeting luxury villas in the north of Mauritius and vanishing with nearly Rs 10 million in loot—without leaving a single trace. It’s a tale straight out of a thriller movie.
Owen David, 31, and his gang operated like modern pirates. Their mission: high-stakes robberies. Their vessel: a stolen boat. Their prize: safes brimming with jewels and cash. With precision and daring, they carried out a series of meticulously planned heists that could rival the plot of any Hollywood blockbuster.
Péreybère, May.
The sea was still, the lagoon shimmering beneath a silver moon. A boat moved silently across the dark water, barely disturbing the night. On board were four masked men, their eyes fixed on a single target: a luxury villa, quiet and unguarded.
At the helm was Owen David—no stranger to the law, a repeat offender with a knack for disappearing into thin air. He wasn’t out for a scenic cruise that night. He was there to strike.
The plan had been in motion for days. The crew had scouted and stolen the perfect boat from Grand-Baie. The villa had been carefully selected—empty, its wealthy foreign owners away. Entry was through a flimsy aluminum sliding door, with no alarm system in place. “It was child’s play,” admitted one investigator. As for the Safe City cameras? They don’t cover the sea. The gang exploited the blind spot flawlessly.
Inside the villa, they hit the jackpot: a safe packed with cash, jewels, and precious stones—worth an estimated Rs 6.2 million. Cool and collected, the thieves made their escape, returning the boat precisely to where they found it. No noise, no evidence, no witnesses.
But this wasn’t a one-time hit. Owen’s gang, which included his own brother Adrien, is believed to have repeated the same operation at least three times over the last three months. Always the same pattern: a stolen boat, a secluded villa, a nighttime raid, and a ghostlike return by dawn.
Their targets? Second homes belonging to affluent expatriates. Their objective? Always the safe. On one occasion, when they couldn’t crack it on-site, they simply took the entire trunk with them.
Total estimated haul: Rs 10 million.
Owen David had been on the Criminal Investigation Division’s radar since early this year. But he managed to stay hidden for months, shielded by loyal accomplices and locals who gave him shelter. “Dimounn ti pe soutir li, kasiet li kot zot,” said a police source.
This week, the hunt came to an end. Owen David—the sea burglar—is finally in custody. For the investigators, it’s a major victory.
How long he’ll stay behind bars, however, remains to be seen.
Source: defimedia