Vandals Destroy Controls Of Bellport Rescue Boat; Who Is To Blame?

BELLPORT, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A rescue boat counted on by tens of thousands of beachgoers and boaters has been sidelined after a mysterious act of vandalism.

As CBS2's Carolyn Gusoff reported, someone deliberately destroyed the controls of the boat, and now, many are pointing fingers.

The controversy and mystery have erupted in the quaint village of Bellport. The controls of the rescue boat were left in ruins after went on a rampage.

"The iCommand system – which is very expensive – that controls the entire boat, had been smashed," said Greg Miglino, chief of the South Country Ambulance Company.

Ambulance crews arriving at the village dock Sunday found communication lines-sliced, shattered engine and steering controls, infrared radar smashed, and oil lines cut.

"Cutting that oil line would have put flammable fluids into the boat, and should there be a spark, it could have blew up and killed the rescuers," Miglino said.

Volunteers with the South Country Ambulance Company, who cover 14 miles of waterways, said losing a life-saving vessel at the height of the season puts the public in danger.

"No one can really believe that somebody would actually come down and do this to our boat," a woman from the area said.

Miglino believes the boat was targeted, and blames Bellport village administration for setting a contentious tone on public safety issues.

"We don't believe the village itself was involved, obviously. But sometimes, when you are a leader of a village and you set a tone, you have a crazy or two that reads something into that, and go out and take action into their own hands," he said.

The village recently replaced lifeguards who walked off the job, and a debate is brewing over a new ambulance company headquarter. But the mayor says opponents harbor no animosity.

"They wouldn't do that. It's not in their style to do that. They're all 55 or 60 years old," said Bellport Village Mayor Raymond Fell. "I think we're beyond the vandalism point."

Whatever differences there are between village administrators and the ambulance company, those who spoke to CBS2 said they were united in appreciation of volunteers, and shocked that bad blood could boil over in such a fashion.

"Unfortunately, because there is this controversial situation going on, this doesn't look good," one area resident said. "But I don't think anyone would go to that extent."

"That's unimaginable and scary," another resident said.

"Seems extreme; bizarre," a third said.

For now, the only working vessel left in the fleet a 20-year-old low-tech backup, docked now on private property for safe keeping.

Bellport village officials are reviewing surveillance video of the dock area with Suffolk police. Estimated damage is more than $10,000.