WESTPORT, WA (MyBellinghamNow.com) – A nearly successful thief took a fishing crew on a joyride before being forced to return to port.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife says that the suspect got on the 80-foot vessel in Westport earlier this month. He roused the sleeping crew awake and started up the ship for departure.

According to WDFW police, the crew was new and assumed their captain had sent over the suspect to sail on his behalf. But they quickly became suspicious when the suspect began rambling about taking the vessel to a “Chinese Mothership.”

Police contacted the legitimate captain, who confirmed the vessel and crew had both been stolen. The fishing vessel eventually returned to port, where the suspect was taken into custody.

The man was found with $4,000 cash and large quantities of packaged marijuana. He was booked into jail for theft, possession of stolen property, vehicle prowl and drug charges.

Officers later learned that the suspect had attempted to commandeer a different vessel in the harbor earlier that day but was chased off by crewmembers.