Man arrested in string of paddleboard thefts



Man arrested in string of paddleboard thefts

Dan Patrick Elias
Dan Patrick Elias

Newport Beach police think they’ve caught the paddleboard bandit.

For about 10 months, police said, someone had been stealing paddleboards from docks and homes around the city.

The thief would remove unattended boards or cut the locks off those that were secured. If questioned, police said, he would say he was moving the board for a friend.

Recently, police got word that someone had been selling stolen boards on Craigslist and in local shops. So officers posed as potential buyers and set up a meeting.

When the undercover officers found Dan Patrick Elias had two paddle boards and a kayak with him — all stolen — they arrested him, police said in a news release Wednesday.

Elias, a 45-year-old Costa Mesa resident, has been charged with receiving stolen property. He pleaded not guilty Tuesday.

The paddleboards and kayak Elias had with him last week have been returned to their owners, police said, but they believe others were sold.

Detectives don’t know how many he might have stolen. They asked anyone who might have been a victim or who has information to call Detective Christopher Kimble at 949-644-3767 or the police hotline at 800-550-NBPD. Callers to the hotline can stay anonymous.

At the time of his arrest, Elias was already facing felony drug distribution charges from May.

And court records show he has a criminal history stretching back more than 20 years.

In a 1992 case, he pleaded guilty to attempted murder, robbery and assault and was sentenced to five years in prison.

Since then, he has pleaded guilty to charges including possessing a controlled substance in jail, making criminal threats, disobeying a domestic relations court order, drug possession with intent to sell, possession of a firearm by a felon.

Contact the writer: or 949-229-5950


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