Photo of person of interest for WMNF car breakins

vftt.org

Help Support vftt.org:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

peakbagger

Super Moderator
Staff member
VFTT Supporter
Joined
Sep 3, 2003
Messages
8,387
Reaction score
566
Location
Gorham NH
The Berlin Daily Sun Thursday 3/12 issue has an article with a photo of a person of interest for WMNF car break ins. Its a fairly clear photo with a description of his vehicle. The photo was taken in July by the tag on the photo so it looks like the individual has been working lots for awhile. You do need to register to read the paper (no charge). If I find a link elsewhere I will add it.

I found it on the this facebook page https://www.facebook.com/CoosCountyDemocrat as a march 4th post

Good to see that they appear to have a suspect although it is curious that they waited so long to request assistance.
 
Last edited:
Quite a while ago there were car break-ins at many ADK trailheads, including a number that weren't remote. This went on for years. Eventually law enforcement set up a camera in the woods at the Garden Trailhead and they 'filmed' him breaking into cars. When he was caught, his garage was piled with expensive hiking gear of all sorts. They'll get this guy as well.
 
I don't know why this is so hard. Just set up cheap game cameras at a number of lots.
 
Game cams are really good at taking up close photos along game trails but not so good at high resolution wide area coverage that would be needed to protect a large parking lot. The other issue is that the game cams would probably get spotted fairly easily.

Like Peakbagr mentioned the last few individuals who got busted in the whites were not so good at fencing their goods and usually had a large stash of stolen gear under their control. Unfortunately the legal system in the region treats property crimes pretty lightly, generally its a few months in the county jail at most and they are back on the streets.
 
It was a long time ago, but the clown caught in the ADKs stole a lot of other stuff while he was breaking in. They found wallets, cameras, etc. If I recall they hit him pretty hard as the value of the stash was large. This was before game camera era.
 
I admit I would have to defer to someone having expertise in using game cams for law enforcement purposes. Anecdotally, we have used them in our yard to capture wildlife comings and goings and the better cams cover a very significant distance with great clarity, including at night. So just seems like no downside to trying them, and I would think they would be a deterrent if spotted. But perhaps the local LE has thought about their use and concluded they are not worth the time. F&G seems to use them with great success though.
 
The Berlin Daily Sun Thursday 3/12 issue has an article with a photo of a person of interest for WMNF car break ins. Its a fairly clear photo with a description of his vehicle. The photo was taken in July by the tag on the photo so it looks like the individual has been working lots for awhile. You do need to register to read the paper (no charge). If I find a link elsewhere I will add it.

I found it on the this facebook page https://www.facebook.com/CoosCountyDemocrat as a march 4th post

Good to see that they appear to have a suspect although it is curious that they waited so long to request assistance.

Yes the photo date is 7/8/14 and the indicated temperatures are consistent with this date....seems old.

On a related note, has anyone who has been day hiking stayed at a local motel which will hold on to your extra gear after you check out and before you leave for home? Econo-lodge in Franconia refused to do this for me. Recommendations?

I hate leaving everything I brought in a remote lot on the Kanc on the last day...insurance or not.
 
One option I have seen recommended is to hike all your stuff up and hide it in the woods. Harder to do in winter of course.

Another option might be someplace that has day rates for self storage...?
 
Game cams are really good at taking up close photos along game trails but not so good at high resolution wide area coverage that would be needed to protect a large parking lot. The other issue is that the game cams would probably get spotted fairly easily.

Dash cams are becoming popular and cheap. In fact several new car models come equipped with them. See http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1/181-5682314-7003968?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=dash+cams

Mounted discreetly on the rear view windshield mirror or in the headliner fabric, and setting them up to trigger on motion, loop record...it might be of some assistance to L.E. if there is a break-in.
 
Last edited:
Generally if its out of sight in locked trunk its not an issue. If in typical stationwagon/hatchback where one broken window gains access to everything, a good option if to buy a lockable ammo box. Drill two holes in the bottom and preinstall a couple of threaded bolts up through the car body that line up with the ammo box. Then all you need to do is slide the box in place over the studs, screw on a couple of wingnuts on the studs and lock your valuables inside it. Sure given enough time a thief can get into it but generally they do smash and grab for the easy stuff. Its surprising what folks will leave in plain view, so to a thief he wants to maximize the return in the minimum amount of time. The other easy mark is how many people put their keys under the back bumper, the gas filler door or on top of the tire. Keys don't weigh a lot and its easy to install a latching hook inside a pack pocket to stash them.
 
Keys don't weigh a lot and its easy to install a latching hook inside a pack pocket to stash them.
I use a NEMO Ditto Slim wallet. ID, credit card, health insurance, a twenty, house key and car key all fit in there and aren't going anywhere without work. Plus, local company, made from manufacturing seconds and scraps. I leave the rest of the keyring at home: the last thing I need on the mountain is my office keys!
 
Wallet and phone come with me in a zip-lock sandwich bag and go in the same pockets they do every day. Car keys and house keys are on two rings, the house keys either get carried or put in a pack pocket I don't open during the trip so no chance they fall out.

As mud season approaches, the idea of a "muddy" diaper in plain site in the car should be a turn-off.
 
Top