No where do I condone the theft, or accept it is right, and I agree they are scumbags (although unlikely most "druggie malcontents" have boats and are supporting their habit with stolen crabs). However it is obvious that the practice is fairly common, if you leave your gear unattended it is unfortunately going to happen eventually. The actions taken of reporting it, providing details, making people aware of hotspots, as was the original intent of this thread, are all approriate. It's just realty that these thefts will take place, its unfortunate that it is so, but its not much different than leaving unattended property with some value out on the street. Someones going to eventually take it.
If everyone just decided to take the law in their own hands its just a matter of time before some hot head makes a mistake, and blames some innocent person and maybe hurts or kills them. Its why vigilantism is against the law, why it should not be tolerated or condoned any more than the thefts it is supposedly seeking justice for. If you engage in it you are no better than the thief, and you deserve the consequences of your actions, and its in societies overall interest to prosecute you for that action. Even one innocent person being hurt or killed is not worth the 4 crabs you lost, sorry, it just isn't.