It was my educated guess based upon past witnessed occurances so it isn't baseless. I use the same bait cages Hookedup posted except I have a clip so it clips shut and a much larger bungy to hold it in place. Is it possible that a crab figured out how to use his claws like apposable thumbs? Maybe but not likely and when it's both pots you are talking lottery winning odds. Like I said it was "my guess". My guess is it's someone who is cruising the shoreline near or after dark, has a pot puller and is cleaning all pots he can find as fast as he can and taking the bait means they have an axe to grind. This would lean towards a commie or tribal boat.