Security questioned after homeless man allegedly steals ferry in Seattle

The theft of a high-speed passenger ferry that runs between Seattle and Victoria by a homeless flasher has triggered a review of security at the ferry fleet's Seattle berth, The Associated Press reports.

The Victoria Clipper's fleet of three big catamaran motor vessels can deliver up to 330 passengers at speeds up to 30 knots.

Seattle police allege that on Sunday, Samuel Kenneth McDonough squeezed through a high opening in the 2.5-metre-high chain-link fencing surrounding Clipper Vacations' dockside sales kiosk and made it onto the pier where the three ferries were tied up, AP said.

He then managed to get into the pilot house of one of the vessels and start the engine. He untied a couple of mooring ropes, damaging two of the tied-down cleats, and the 40-metre-long ferry moved away.

“We think the guy knew enough to get going but not enough to handle the hand controls,” Clipper Vacations chief executive Darrell Bryan told AP.

[ Related: Man arrested after commandeering Victoria Clipper ferry ]

Bryan said he was arriving for a meeting with his captains when he noticed one of his ships drifting away. McDonough allegedly took the $8-million ferry on a slow, meandering journey around Seattle harbour, chased by the U.S. Coast Guard, port and city police, before a SWAT team boarded the vessel and arrested him. He managed not to hit any other ships or ground the ferry on any rocks.

“We were very, very fortunate this individual did not run into a state ferry or grain ship out by the grain terminal,” Bryan told AP.

A bomb-sniffing dog was sent aboard to check the vessel before it was returned to its berth.

McDonough is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday and was under investigation for burglary (a laptop computer and some perfume from the ferry's duty-free shop were taken), reckless endangerment, malicious mischief and an outstanding warrant for failure to register as a sex offender, AP reported.

McDonough has three convictions for indecent exposure dating back to 2005. A Washington Department of Corrections spokeswoman told AP he was wearing a GPS monitor, which is used to keep track of homeless sex offenders.

[ Related: B.C. ferry crashes leaving Mayne Island ]

He had just gotten out of jail last Wednesday after being incarcerated for violating his release conditions and being fitted for a new GPS monitor.

A judge Monday set McDonough's bail at US$200,000.

According to documents filed with the court, McDonough told police he wanted to go to Victoria, AP said.

Meanwhile, Bryan ordered razor wire installed to close the hole used to gain access to the pier.

The incident also raised questions of how the thief could get into the ferry's pilot house, which is supposed to be locked, and how he could managed to start its diesel engines, which requires a key.

"In my 28 years in business, this is the first time anything like this has happened, Bryan told the Seattle Times.