A young lad’s devastation turned to happiness after his birthday present of a RIB and trailer stolen from outside a harbour office was recovered. The jubilation came after the community rallied together and got it back for him.

The rib and trailer stolen from outside Hayle Harbour office last Wednesday evening at around 6.30pm.

The grey and dark blue Wave Line rib and its trailer was parked outside the harbour office on Old Customs House, North Quay on February 21 when it was taken.

The Hayle Harbour team put out an appeal to the community on its Facebook page to try and track the boat down and get it returned.

They invited people to share CCTV footage and keep an eye out for the suspect vehicle and its occupant saying it believes it “demands our collective awareness and vigilance”.

The footage showed a suspect vehicle had left the Harbour Office premises with the stolen rib and its trailer and was then seen driving down King George V Memorial Walk.

Responding on Facebook to the appeal, one commentator said: “What scumbags… this was a young boys rib and trailer that he got for his birthday… horrible thoughtless people.”

However today, February 26, the Hayle Harbour team announced that the RIB had been successfully recovered and a person apprehended.

In a post on their Facebook page headed “Community update: successful recovery and arrest!” they said: “Dear Hayle Residents, “We are thrilled to share some fantastic news with you! Thanks to the exceptional vigilance and collaboration within our community, the stolen rib and trailer have been successfully recovered, and the suspect has been apprehended.

“This successful outcome is a testament to the strength and unity of our community. Your cooperation, prompt reporting, and watchful eyes played a pivotal role in ensuring a swift resolution to this incident. We commend each and every one of you for your dedication to keeping our neighbourhood safe.

“A heartfelt thank you to all who contributed by sharing information, keeping a lookout, and supporting the efforts to recover the stolen property. Your commitment to the well-being of our community is truly commendable. One happy lad!”

A spokesperson for Devon and Cornwall Police told the Packet: "Police are investigating the theft of a valuable boat and trailer from Hayle.

"A Waveline RIB and trailer were taken from outside Hayle Harbour Authority office on North Quay around 6.35pm on 21 February.

"Police enquiries led to an address in Redruth on 23 February where the stolen boat and vehicle were located. They have since been returned to the owner.

"A man in his 40s from Redruth was initially arrested in connection with the theft. He was later de-arrested and will attend a voluntary police interview in due course.

"Police are continuing to investigate the theft and appealing for anyone with information to contact them online or by telephone on 101, quoting crime reference 50240043319."