Woman's Car Broken Into While Hiking

Wow. She's lucky that they didn't do more than they did. I'm surprised that they were careful enough that she didn't notice anything wrong. I'd be so freaked out!

Makes me wonder about where her wallet was located within her car. Was it in plain sight? Or was it tucked away and they looked for it? I wouldn't be surprised, given that she didn't notice anything gone, if it was out in the open. As much as I know any car at a trail head can be broken in to, I always try to make myself less of a target by hiding anything and everything in my trunk or undercover in some way. If I put anything in my trunk then I also lock the seats up so that the only way in to it [the trunk] is through the hatch with my keys.

Why in the world would anyone leave a wallet in a car? Probably someone who does not read VFTT threads.

Dr. Dasypodidae said:

Why in the world would anyone leave a wallet in a car? Probably someone who does not read VFTT threads.

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There are hikers out there that don't read VFTT?????

Something similar happened to me a few years back. I used to hide my wallet in my vehicle; after all, what can you buy up on the mountain? In this case, it was winter, and a few of us hiked Willey via Ethan Pond. I'd had my Tacoma backed in the small area they keep cleared, not 50' off the jhighway. The scumbag took only 1 credit card, not the wallet, and bought gas first. Then, a trip to Wal-Mart - put about $2,200 on it if I recall correctly. I bought groceries on the way home, noticed it was missing, and backtracked as I'd used it at the Jiffy Mart in Wells River earlier that morning - found I hadn't left it there. Anyway, called the credit card processor when I got home - I wasn't out any $$, and in a couple of days I had a replacement card.

Why do they always head for Wal-Mart? Hell, I'd go to Nieman-Marcus ...

My credit card is much better traveled than I am

I never leave my wallet or credit cards in my car, hiking or not. That hasn't really helped me much, as my card has been "stolen" in swipe scams two or three times now. The deal is, the crooks have a second machine that duplicates the magnetic signature off the card when they take your card to process it.

The first time it happened, presumably at one of the Chinese restaurants we used to frequent in Boston, my card showed up in the Philippines, buying not particularly exotic stuff like gasoline and groceries. I noticed it on my electronic statement-monitor on my Fidelity account, and about an hour later the credit card company called to check... their fraud detection software is pretty good. The second time -- same basic story -- either at a restaurant, or at the dank little motel we stayed at in Niagara Falls a couple summers ago, card swipe was duplicated, and a week later, the card showed up out in Western Canada, making big-ticket purchases that I might have enjoyed myself, had they only gone to me. Once again, fraud detection caught it immediately. Except for the huge PITA of changing over all our automatic payments, etc., it didn't cost us anything -- but you do feel violated, and there's just about nothing you can do to avoid it besides living in an all-cash economy.

As one who always frets and worrys about car break ins, and have changed hiking plans because of it, I actually did leave my wallet on the front seat of my car once. The car was in the lot at PNVC and I was at the top of Tuckerman's admiring the view when I realised where my wallet was . I wasn't about to go back down for it, and it was right there in plain view when I returned . Then again there was the time that I went for a short day-hike and left my driver's door wide open .

Dave

I take my license, 1 credit card, health insurance card, and some bills, and leave my wallet home. The weight of the above adds very little to the pack weight.

I have had my identity stolen, and my wife lost a credit card once. The automatic payments were a PITA for sure, but nothing like the hassle of repairing your credit.

Tim

Not yet

Thats terriable that anyone has to deal with such a crime against innocent people..They must be frugal shopper to go to wal-mart..

DrewKnight said:

and there's just about nothing you can do to avoid it besides living in an all-cash economy.

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Yes, there are a few things you can do:

a) go with a card company that insists upon a "travel notification" from you prior to using the card that far away from your home base or they won't authorize the sale; it may be a PITA at the time but I appreciate it more and more;

b) never leave your card or wallet in your car when you hike, very simple. If you've ever seen how quickly AAA or other legitimate people can open your car when you lock your keys in it, and extrapolate how much more quickly the bad guys can do so, you'll start to think of your car as the least secure place to leave valuables.

I wonder what kind of dog she had with her.
I am formulating a new plan for dealing with this problem.
This woman believes she was being "watched" as she got out of her car. That alone is unnerving but probably happens more often than not.
I would rather the thieves think they got something really valuable and take off to go spend the loot than follow me up the trail to get my valuables off my person.... or destroy the car because they didn't find anything.
I am going to start leaving a small purse under my front driver seat containing a small amount of cash, and a defunct credit card of which I have several. Perhaps a coffee card and a few other useless things just to make it all look very credible.
I most certainly will not run back if I hear my car alarm ringing. I will be holding up in the woods and making an attempt to call 911 if a signal is available. Why risk yourself by running straight back into the arms of perpetrators. They could easily be on drugs and packing a weapon. They might even be quite miffed if they broke in and found no valuables and they knew that you just started up the trail. I don't think most of them could muster up the energy to hike a significant distance because most could probably never muster up that kind of effort.
I would wait until some time had passed before I continued on or returned to my car.

or...

you could do when i used to do everytime i hit a new beach to surf in the caribbean. i'd surreptiously stash my real valuables under then spare tire in the trunk whilst 'pretending' to get get stuff in and out the trunk. Then, i leave $5 or so in a 'disposable' wallet in the glove box w/ the car locked but the windows cracked enough to get your arm in. The $5 would always magically disappear, tho the cheap wallet would remain. Best part, the locals would 'feel sorry' for me as I acted the part of the ripped off tourist and i'd make lots of new friends who'd show me a good time thinking they'd already taken me. Much cheaper than paying a guide...

I hiked last friday and locked up the beer in arms trunk, but left the weber Q grill in the truck bed. That shows priorities.

I always take my cell, wallet, and keys with me - you never know. I leave doors unlocked as well - I don't want a broken window and if they want anything in there, then the 2 cent item or blank cd is theirs. Like someone said, it doesn't take a nuclear scientist to steal a car. If they want it, locked doors won't stop them.

I am telling ya - leave the doors unlocked and nothing to steal and your golden!

These toolshedbags are mostly looking for drugs and the easy way to fund them. At least thats my guess. Thats why you can leave the grill out but lock up the beer!!

bikers?

hmmmm
probably the bikers!
oh wait, they are out of town by now.
i normally dont leave any valuables in my vehicle, learned the hardway i guess(back in woonsocket RI)!

giggy said:

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I leave doors unlocked as well - I don't want a broken window and if they want anything in there, then the 2 cent item or blank cd is theirs.

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This was always my fathers philosophy growning up, if they want something bad enough they are going to break a window to get it and a window was going to cost more then anything they were going to steal.

I always take my wallet on a hike its really not that much extra weight and you never know when you are going to need some cash or an insurance card. One time we got lost in the woods due to every trail being posted and ended up at a local market. Having my wallet enabled us to get ice cream cones while we waited for a ride back to our car.

Lou

For years in the Dacks I left my vehicle unlocked with my wallet in it and all my Lawrence Welk and Celine Dion CD's too.

I 'd like to announce to the WWW that now I lock my car, which has an alarm, and I carry my wallet, passport and keys with me, always.

Maybe the Celine Dion CD's left in full view act as a deterrent.

Amusic

Neil said:

For years in the Dacks I left my vehicle unlocked with my wallet in it and all my Lawrence Welk and Celine Dion CD's too.

I 'd like to announce to the WWW that now I lock my car, which has an alarm, and I carry my wallet, passport and keys with me, always.

Maybe the Celine Dion CD's left in full view act as a deterrent.

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I dunno, I kinda liked that collaboration between Celine and Joe Cocker a few memories ago. Or was it Leon Redbone??? Hmmmm

I always carry my wallet with me. True there ain't much to buy up on the mountains (unless you visit a hut and want a t-shirt.....but I learned long ago they don't have 2XL at the huts.......I digress though ). I can't keep taking important things like the driver lic, credit card. etc, out because....well, I can get a bit absent minded and when I get home I will forget to put it back in . But I also figure taking some cash with me can be a good thing "just in case". Say you get into a night mare scenario that at the very least puts you out on a road miles away from your car. At least you have cab money, can get a hotel/motel room, something to get food with, or even in some cases change for a pay phone. This was a little habit I picked up years before from hunting. I used to do A LOT of roaming around, and I figured taking some cash along would ensure that should I get lost and find my way to a road somewheres I at least have something (and with credit cards accepted all over the place now things can be even easier). It is something that I just do without thinking now when I go hiking.

Brian

NewHampshire said:

I always carry my wallet with me.

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I usually do not take my wallet, but I do usually bring a $20 bill. That can still go a long way....

As long as people continue to leave valuables such as cash, credit cards, and electronics in their car while hiking, thieves will continue to have a reason to break into vehicles at trail heads. I either leave it home, or carry it with me. Always. I put my credit card, driver's license, AAA card, and health insurance card into a zip lock bag and carry it in a zippered pocket. That doesn't prevent my car from being broken into, but I know that I won't lose any valuables while I'm off enjoying myself on the trail.