The Tribune

THE Grand Bahama Shipyard is appealing for the public's help - and offering a $50,000 reward - to recover three propeller cones that each weigh more than 1,000 pounds, warning that their theft will prevent the company from completing repair work on incoming vessels. In a statement yesterday, the Grand Bahama Shipyard said it had been experiencing thefts over the past year, and had been investigating the incidents together with the Royal Bahamas Police Force. The latest stolen items, three propeller fairwater cones made of brass or bronze, belong to the company's customers, one of which is docking and reinstalling its propulsion gear this week. The loss of the cones will prevent the work's completion. The Grand Bahama Shipyard said the thefts would cause clients to lose confidence in the safety of their goods and the company's integrity, causing them to not return or not recommend its services. Fearing that the news would spread in a very small shipping industry, the Grand Bahama Shipyard fears it will lose business, directly impacting its workforce and the island's economy. The Grand Bahama Shipyard employs 300 Bahamians and more than 100 sub-contractors, and has been increasing its multi-million dollar annual spend on the island with the likes of hotels, car rental companies, property rentals, utility companies, cable services, restaurants and supermarkets.