WTOC, Savannah, Georgia, news, weather and sports | Sexual predator caught in Tybee Island man's boat

Sexual predator caught in Tybee Island man's boat

TYBEE ISLAND, GA (WTOC) - Wanted sex offender Stephen Bell is behind bars, caught more than 300 miles down the coast.

How did he get away? A stolen sail boat off Tybee Island.  

Joe Warren of Tybee Island is still in shock to learn that Bell is the one who stole his sailboat, Showtime.

Warren said he and the other owner of the boat noticed it missing on Friday, April 11. "We had no idea that it could have been," said Warren, who never thought Bell took his boat. "You might guess about something like that, joke about it, but we really didn't know until the sheriff put it together."

Warren was notified Wednesday that Bell was caught in Port Canaveral, Florida, in his boat.

"I think it needs to be completely cleaned up," joked Warren. "But in all seriousness, we're hoping the boat is in good condition and we can put it back together. We're going to go down see what the damage is, see if it runs. If it still runs, we're going to power it back up and bring it to Tybee."

Right now, Showtime is docked at the United States Coast Guard Station Port Canaveral. Personnel there brought the boat in and arrested Bell. 

Warren is so thankful they found Bell and Showtime and says now he has a story to tell.

"This is going to be a real famous relic," he said. "We're going to charge admission so we can get some of the money back on this thing."

Reported by: Christy Hutchings, chutchings@wtoc.com