The Boyette Association, which manages the Boyette condos and townhouses at the corner of Hwy. 12 and Ocean Road, is putting up $1000 to find out who dyed their pool on the night of June 12, 2018.
A renter used the pool until about 8:30pm on the 12th, and when she woke up at 6am on the 13th, the water was black.
"It's over a thousand dollars worth of damage, which makes it a felony," said Pam Brager, president of the Boyette Association.
As of Saturday evening, cleanup efforts had already used over 10,000 gallons of water to dilute and drain half the pool. At that point, Pam didn't know whether the pool walls would need to be painted.
"The people who are checking in today will be very upset that they don't have a pool," Pam said. "They pay a lot, and now part of their vacation is ruined over someone playing games. Well, it's a very expensive game."
The Boyette Association is putting the word out to local law enforcement – and bartenders. "They might hear someone bragging about it," Pam explained.
"It's disturbing and upsetting. We usually don't have anything like this on Ocracoke," Pam said. She's concerned that there will be repercussions felt by other businesses. "It doesn't just hurt us, it hurts the whole island. We're getting so many complaints from renters – what if they take it out on their server at a restaurant?"
The Boyette units are in the former Boyette House motel. There are six condos and five townhouses. Ocracoke's Coasties live in one of the units year round, and a few other units house island residents. The rest are rented to visitors who enjoy the central location in the village and the lovely private pool. The pool is on the back side of the Boyette property and is gated. It's open enough in the back for someone to throw dye over the gate into the pool, Pam said.
A week before the vandalism, Ocracoke's deputies had to break up a party that got out of hand at the Boyette pool. Pam wonders if the dye is related to that incident. She's hoping the reward will help the deputies solve the crime.
"When there's money involved, people speak," she said.
The Boyette Association put out this statement on June 16, 2018:
"The Boyette Condo Association is offering a $1000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for this crime.
The Ocracoke Sanitary District is working with the association and its remediation pool contractor to minimize the effect on the water usage but it is estimated that over 25,000 gallons of water will be required to flush the pool of this substance.
Guests of the rentals in the condo unit who are affected by the pool closure are asked to contact their rental management company for information on when the pool will be ready for use and possible remedies.
It’s unlike Ocracoke and its kind grassroots residents and valued visitors to encounter this kind of thing. Bicycle theft or midnight borrowing is the typical worst offense committed on the island. The Condo Association and its 11 Owners are committed to being a good partner to the community and to the surrounding businesses. Our guests are repeat and valued visitors to the island.
Please call the Hyde Co Sheriffs office at 252-928-7301 with any tips or information and thank you to the businesses and residents who have already been a great help reviewing security camera footage and electronic sales records associated with the crime."