Police identify man who stole sailboat docked on Delaware River near Penn's Landing

PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Philadelphia police have identified the man who was taken into custody Wednesday evening after stealing a sailboat that was docked on the Delaware River.

According to police, the driver of the stolen boat has been identified as 31-year-old Roger Pojar.

"This is very, very unusual. We get stolen vehicles, stolen trucks, sometimes they even steal Septa buses, but this is very rare. For someone to steal a sailboat, not even use the sail, start the engine, and take it for about a two-mile ride on the Delaware River," said Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small.

Philadelphia police were first called shortly after 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday.

Officers were notified that a 28-foot sailboat, with a Liberty Sailing Club banner, was stolen from the Pier 5 marina near Penn's Landing.

Within a half hour, officers from the Marine Unit and the Coast Guard spotted the boat about two miles away, still heading south.

The Marine Unit was able to pull over the boat, and they took Pojar into custody.

After Pojar told authorities he worked for the Federal Agency and had a gun, police determined the gun was stolen. He didn't use it to take the boat, police said.

The Coast Guard officers then detained him.

The boat had been docked at the time near where a sailboat training session was being held. The sails were down, but Pojar got in the boat and was able to start the engine and steal it.

He was taken into custody near the Walt Whitman Bridge.