**** thieves! How incredibly frustrating and right at the beginning of boating season.
The police dept entered the boat and trailer into NCIC (run by FBI), which is the national database you mentioned. That means if any law enforcement agency (nationwide) runs a check on the tag or VINs, they will come back as stolen.
As far as the investigation goes, they can only do what they can do. They will check any cameras at the storage place or near it. They may even check Craigslist and you can check Craigslist, too. My PD has had lots of people find their own stuff on CL and then we set up a "sting" or buy to get it back. I honestly don't see them checking toll booths cameras or anything like that. That's a needle in a haystack and the haystack is the time it would take to review each camera at every tollbooth. Police departments do a cost benefit analysis just like any private company would do on a certain project. So many cases and only so many people to investigate them.
The police don't have any more clues to it's whereabouts than you do, but I understand the frustration. Hopefully somebody will call in a suspicious boat parked in an odd place or a diligent state trooper will run the trailer tag as it goes down the road. Seriously, look for a brand new outboard being sold on CL for a low low price. Do you have the serial # to the engine? You can go look at any engine that you think could be yours and match the numbers.
Just brain storming and I hope you get the boat back!
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