Forum Index > Trail Talk > Spring 2022: Solutions to Trail head break ins. Are there any?
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zephyr
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zephyr
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PostSun May 01, 2022 9:12 am 
The spring hiking season has gotten off to a rip roaring start with multiple trail head break ins. See this thread for reports. Going to try one more time to separate the incidents from the solutions. wink.gif Numerous suggestions pop up from time to time, including: 1. Trail head surveillance with video cameras. 2. More regular law enforcement patrols. 3. Using bait cars. 4. Recommendations on using "beater cars" to drive to the trail head, etc. Maybe we could brainstorm this further. We have a lot of smart people on this forum. What are we up against? Are the culprits more clever (or desperate) than we are? Regarding the "beater cars", do we really have the extra resources to keep a "beater car" serviceable and insurable in order to drive the distances and rough roads to these trail heads. Do you really want yet another vehicle to park on your street or in your garage--that's a beater? Do you want to be out on the highway in varying weather conditions in a "beater car"? It's hard enough to drive on the roads these days with speeding semis and road warriors. ~z

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Slide Alder Slayer
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PostSun May 01, 2022 11:37 am 
Trail hosts would probably work best. They usually stay in a camper or mobile home during the season, saw a retired husband and wife years ago at Trout/Copper Lake trailhead of US 2 on the way to Stevens Pass. Cameras with warning signs are better than nothing but police emphasis appears to be on more violent crime despite the personal frustrating nature of someone breaking in to your car. There was a recent post on this site about the break ins occurring at Mailbox and Mt. Washington where the police were doing arson investigations (Mt. Washington) because the glove boxes were set on fire. I don't know if the whole dash board would need to be replaced but there is probably a good chance. I can't imagine the cost but I hope they carry low deductible on comprehensive to offset the expense of repair. Be that as it may, until human nature changes our false sense of security and we stop leaving our wallets, credit cards, keys, and valuables in cars at trailheads break ins will continue unabated.

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Chief Joseph
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PostSun May 01, 2022 2:42 pm 
I think the best solution is people to monitor the TH's, I suppose it would need to be on a volunteer basis. LE does not have the resources or interest in doing TH monitoring. It doesn't seem to matter as far as not keeping any valuables in your vehicle as many of these thieves appear to be bent upon destruction in most cases. I have property with plenty of room to store my '90 Toyota TH car and have broad form insurance so that part is not an issue for me. I keep the windows down, nothing of much value inside except maybe a bit of loose change.

Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
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Waterman
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PostSun May 01, 2022 3:30 pm 
Hiking on Vancouver Island pre pandemic I saw there was a parking lot, trailhead observer program. They accepted donations to help cover the cost. Unsure if there was any other funding. Wished i had asked more questions. With all of the stakeholders ie DNR, forest service, NPS it would be difficult to get a program up and running with all the bureaucracy that would entail. Could start something with volunteers but there would be a need for funding a more stable program. A per diem should be paid. Concentrate on I-90 trailheads to demonstrate viability then spread to other areas. The trailhead host program in Skykomish ranger district was a great success primarily because of Pat Casey who retired from teaching and had a cabin on the foss river, wanted to make a difference. And John Robinson LO for Skykomish was willing to give it a try.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference. Robert Frost
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zephyr
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zephyr
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PostSun May 01, 2022 3:43 pm 
Slide Alder Slayer wrote:
Trail hosts would probably work best.
That's what I've been thinking. Actual physical presence of a person or persons.
Waterman wrote:
They accepted donations to help cover the cost. Unsure if there was any other funding.
I would certainly be happy to donate and others would too for the ease of mind I should think. ~z

LocalOutsider
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Seattle_Wayne
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PostSun May 01, 2022 4:04 pm 
I've asked a friend of mine to stay behind in my vehicle while I hike. I'm sure everyone has a willing family member/friend that would not mind staying behind if the price is right.

Vesper Peak
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thunderhead
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PostSun May 01, 2022 4:36 pm 
Keep career criminals in jail instead of giving them slaps on the wrist and letting them back out?

Joseph
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thunderhead
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PostSun May 01, 2022 4:40 pm 
Cameras at trailheads to catch them in the act seems like the logical choice to speed up the apprehension and conviction of these scum. Security cameras exist all over the place in modern society. It would be so easy to expand their use to trailheads(assuming we had the political will to actually keep criminals in jail).

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Seattle_Wayne
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PostSun May 01, 2022 4:45 pm 
Law enforcement is not going to invest in trail cameras. These crimes are low level property crimes which are not a priority for any law enforcement agency. It will take people getting hurt for any major movement to happen by law enforcement.

Vesper Peak
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neek
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PostSun May 01, 2022 6:04 pm 
zephyr wrote:
Maybe we could brainstorm this further.
Do we have to?
zephyr wrote:
We have a lot of smart people on this forum.
Speak for yourself.
zephyr wrote:
What are we up against?
Minor and infrequent annoyances.
zephyr wrote:
Are the culprits more clever (or desperate) than we are?
No to the first, yes to the second.
zephyr wrote:
Regarding the "beater cars", do we really have the extra resources to keep a "beater car" serviceable and insurable in order to drive the distances and rough roads to these trail heads.
What's your definition of a "beater car"? Mine is worth maybe $3K if I fix some dents, does that count? I'm not sure it matters that much anyway. Theft and vandalism don't just happen at trailheads. Energy would be better spent solving the social ills that lead to it in the first place, and properly addressing it when it does occur, but that gets into political topics that aren't allowed here. The basics (leave your car unlocked with nothing inside) are well known. Yes people can do things just for fun even if you're careful. There are no silver bullets.

HikingBex, Cyclopath, zimmertr
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Bramble_Scramble
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PostSun May 01, 2022 6:39 pm 
I think there was a trail cam set up at the Index Town Wall parking lot that got stolen.

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Waterman
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PostSun May 01, 2022 6:46 pm 
Seattle _wanye is right about cameras. All that would do is document the break ins. Physical presence is what deters criminal activity.

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,I took the one less traveled by. And that has made all the difference. Robert Frost
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Bootpathguy
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PostSun May 01, 2022 7:30 pm 
Unfortunately, a homicide is what is going to have to happen before authorities give a shiit. A vigilante sniper in the woods, waiting, and taking revenge on the vandals or someone confronting the vandals and then getting killed I'm going to reference this post when it happens because it won't be much longer before 1 of the 2 happens

Experience is what'cha get, when you get what'cha don't want
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Chief Joseph
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PostSun May 01, 2022 8:38 pm 
I think it would be fun to catch some in the act and with a friend or two, open up on them with paint ball guns.

Go placidly amid the noise and waste, and remember what comfort there may be in owning a piece thereof.
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schifferj
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PostSun May 01, 2022 9:08 pm 
Chief Joseph wrote:
I think it would be fun to catch some in the act and with a friend or two, open up on them with paint ball guns.
Problem with that is that said thieves might return fire with real weapons. I recently came across a trailhead burglary in progress and when I showed up unannounced the four young ladies vanished like cockroaches exposed to light. I called crime check and never heard a word asking for more information. I lived in south Spokane for 22 years in an older house with a single car garage. I left my car parked on the street with doors unlocked and a sign in the window “nothing of value in this car, feel free to have a look.” Over the years I had lots of takers but they were respectful prowlers back then - they didn’t indulge in the vandalism so prevalent now. So far, knock on wood, I’ve not had problems at trailheads in Idaho and Montana.

CS
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