Morro Bay police arrest Maritime Museum, boat yard burglar

January 7, 2026

Shane Willhite

By KAREN VELIE

A 45-year-old man is in jail with his bail set at $70,000 after he allegedly burglarized the Morro Bay Maritime Museum and the city boatyard on Monday

Shortly before 9 a.m., a caller reported the Morro Bay Maritime Museum on Front Street had been burglarized. Officers arrived to find three donation boxes which had been vandalized, broken into and stolen from.

Officers also determined the Morro Bay city boat yard, which is located steps from the Maritime Museum, had also been broken into.

Surveillance footage revealed a white male suspect wearing a white shirt around his face, plaid shirt, jeans, and a gray backpack taking cash from the donation boxes.

At 11:15 a.m., a caller reported a disturbance at 740 Quintana Road. Officers arrived to find Shane Willhite sitting in the area wearing the exact same clothing and with the same backpack as observed in the surveillance video. Willhite was in possession of several items that were stolen from boats within the boat yard and a pair of bolt cutters.

The suspect admitted to the theft and use of bolt cutters to obtain access to the donation boxes and boat yard.

Officers booked Willhite in San Luis Obispo County Jail on charges of petty theft with a prior, vandalism, and possession of burglary tools.

Police are asking anyone who knows of additional victims to contact the Morro Bay Police Department.