Marin County city manager arrested on burglary suspicion after being found on yacht
Elaine Forbes, newly hired Sausalito city manager and former San Francisco Port director, was arrested early Saturday on suspicion of burglary after police found her on a yacht that was not hers.
Marin County authorities arrested Elaine Forbes, 53, early Saturday on suspicion of burglary after she was discovered aboard a yacht at the Sausalito Yacht Harbor that did not belong to her. The arrest occurred at 6:50 a.m. at the harbor's office address on Humboldt Avenue. Forbes, who began her role as Sausalito city manager on July 1, was taken into custody and posted $50,000 bail.
City officials described the incident as a challenging development for staff and the community, while the Sausalito Police Department declined to comment on the specific allegations. A statement from Forbes' family said she was experiencing a mental health crisis and asked the public to refrain from premature judgments until more information is available.
Forbes was hired by the Sausalito City Council in May with a salary of $275,000, bringing more than two decades of public-sector experience, including nine years as director of the San Francisco Port. The council approved a leave of absence for her following the arrest and will discuss next steps at an upcoming meeting.
"We ask that no one rush to judgment based on limited information," the family spokesperson said, urging compassion and patience as Forbes obtains legal and healthcare counsel.
Forbes' previous tenure as port director involved overseeing projects such as the upgrade of San Francisco’s historic seawall, which is vulnerable to earthquake damage.