Woman's Car Broken Into While Hiking

[jjo]

Hate to act haughty, but I NEVER leave my wallet in car...Just MHO

 

[Caveman77]

The article didn't say exactly where this break-in occurred. The by-line said Gilford. I wonder if it was Mt. Major in Alton. In mid-spring, I pulled into the parking lot there. An out-of-shape man was already there, seemingly getting ready to walk. I started up the trail, then stopped once I got a little out of sight to make sure he was coming. He didn't come, so I turned back. He was still lingering in the lot, so I got in my car and drove off. I figure he was out for something bad and I didn't want any part of it.

 

[carole]

The article didn't say exactly where this break-in occurred. The by-line said Gilford. I wonder if it was Mt. Major in Alton. In mid-spring, I pulled into the parking lot there. An out-of-shape man was already there, seemingly getting ready to walk. I started up the trail, then stopped once I got a little out of sight to make sure he was coming. He didn't come, so I turned back. He was still lingering in the lot, so I got in my car and drove off. I figure he was out for something bad and I didn't want any part of it.

I also wondered where but it did say, "she had only made it a couple hundred feet up a Gilford trail with her dog when she heard her car alarm go off." That made me think of a place perhaps like Weeks Forest or another trail off 11A near Gunstock. I guess I would think Mt. Major parking lot would be named if that was where it occurred.

I don't leave valuables in the car. My wallet is always with me.

 

[WhiteMTHike]

When I hike I always wear pants with cargo pockets that have zippers. I find the camp 5 pants that EMS used to sell are ideal for hiking. That's where my wallet goes.

 

[RoySwkr]

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

A similar thing happened to a Monitor reporter a few years back - he hid his wallet behind the seat and somebody lifted one card hoping he wouldn't notice. In his case, there were messages from the fraud-detectors at home before he missed it.

Apparently self-serve gas stations used to be the location of choice to see if a card was any good because there was no clerk to notice you, but with the price of gas today one might think they would need to install cameras.

Neiman-Marcus might be suspicious of a scumbag but everybody shops at Wal-Mart

 

[Tom Rankin]

When I hike I always wear pants with cargo pockets that have zippers. I find the camp 5 pants that EMS used to sell are ideal for hiking. That's where my wallet goes.

I've found that if you carry wallets, cell phones, etc. in your pants, they can still get very wet, (think smelly leather! ), if it rains. I've ruined a phone this way and the wallet stunk for weeks!

I favor the idea of keeping valuables in a water proof bag.

 

[Waumbek]

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

Ah, Kevin, think like a thief, not like a shopper. Think how much closer the Littleton (now Woodsville) Wal-Mart is to the Crawford Notch than the closest Nieman-Marcus is.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

Ah, Kevin, think like a thief, not like a shopper. Think how much closer the Littleton (now Woodsville) Wal-Mart is to the Crawford Notch than the closest Nieman-Marcus is.

Good point. Maybe she was buying a laptop so she could go online to Nieman-Marcus? I wonder how many people do something dumb like that - order items online with a stolen card and have the stuff delivered to their house? My hunch is a few. Kinda like writing a "stickem up note" on the back of your light bill and handing it to a bank teller. It's been done.

My hunch is Wal-Mart gets burned rather often via credit card theft.

 

[islandside]

Womans Car Broken Into

I saw the news video and it looked like the parking lot for the "Locke Hill Trails" of Route 11 was where this happened.

 

[Lawn Sale]

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.

c) Just don't use a credit card. I haven't had one in 9 years, never been a problem.

I am with Tim, if I'm not carrying it with me, I just don't take it.

 

[bobmak]

The last time (note: I have been unlucky enough to have experienced several) my car was broken into in the Whites I was carrying my credit card and cash with me but had left my clean socks, shorts, underwear and t-shirt that I was planning to wear on the ride home sitting on the back seat in a paper bag and that is what was stolen. Now I just assume that my car will get broken into and leave nothing in it except the registration.

 

[DougPaul]

Now I just assume that my car will get broken into and leave nothing in it except the registration.

I don't even leave the registration in the car...

But I'll admit that I leave a few items for the trip home in the car.

Doug

 

[bobmak]

I don't even leave the registration in the car...

But I'll admit that I leave a few items for the trip home in the car.

Doug

I think my mistake was leaving the stuff in a paper bag. The thieves must have felt pretty good when they found out they smashed a window for some used (but clean!) underwear. I am sure the solution would be leave the stuff out in the open on the seat.

 

[dRitter]

2 simple rules come to mind
1) leave it in your car (locked or unlocked)= retarded. What sort of nitwit would lock anything of value in the car?
2) worried about losing it on the trail so you leave it in the car = clueless about what you might lose that you REALLY will need and you need to check on the status of your gear more often.

Seriously folks, if you don't want to lose it, safeguard it. If it doesn't matter and you're willing to leave it in the car don't bitch when you get ripped off.

Treat anything of value like it's a life saving medication you might need in the future. If you have it with you it is far more likely that it will be there when you get back.

 

[Jay H]

OK, is there a place in the whites where I could actually leave a car, doesn't have to be at a trailhead either. I plan on carpooling to Bearly Live from the White mtns where i'll be doing a pemi loop the week before Bearly Live... Maybe I could convince the police dept to leave my car there if that will be safe...

I'm all ears, I'll be at Lafayette campground thursday... How safe is Lincoln Wood's trailhead, I hear there is at least a ranger station there...

Jay

 

[Waumbek]

None of us around here bothers to lock a car in our driveways, but we are super careful to keep it clear of what bears find valuable. Even with the windows closed, bears can hook their claws up under the gasket and yank out a window if they smell something good.

 

[dug]

OK, is there a place in the whites where I could actually leave a car, doesn't have to be at a trailhead either. I plan on carpooling to Bearly Live from the White mtns where i'll be doing a pemi loop the week before Bearly Live... Maybe I could convince the police dept to leave my car there if that will be safe...

I'm all ears, I'll be at Lafayette campground thursday... How safe is Lincoln Wood's trailhead, I hear there is at least a ranger station there...

Jay

The answer is any trail...or no trail. I've never been broken into, nor have I ever seen a car that has been broken into, in almost four decades. Many posters have had it happen numerous times.

Specifically for a Pemi traverse, I would think the Lincoln Woods Trailhead would be one of the safer spots.

 

[Kevin Rooney]

None of us around here bothers to lock a car in our driveways, but we are super careful to keep it clear of what bears find valuable. Even with the windows closed, bears can hook their claws up under the gasket and yank out a window if they smell something good.

Here's a tip to help with bears - use Pine Sol (regular scent). Some western communities, like Tahoe and Mammouth, have bear problems, even to the point where they break into seasonal homes looking for food. The recommendation is to clean trash cans, garbage bins, around windows & doors, with water and Pine Sol. Apparently the strong scent "messes" with a bear's ability (and many humans!) ability to smell much of anything else, so they're unable to tell whether there's food around. In the Sierra, where bears are a frequent problem at trailheads, the recommendation is dab a bit of it, full strength on door handles. I do it with a paper towel, and then leave that paper towel in the trunk to further permeate the vehicle.

Jay H - Lincoln Woods does have a ranger station, but I don't think there's an overnight presence. When I have seen rangers there, it's been staffed by volunteers.

 

[RoySwkr]

Jay H - Lincoln Woods does have a ranger station, but I don't think there's an overnight presence. When I have seen rangers there, it's been staffed by volunteers.

Lincoln Woods is one of the places that goes through phases of high break-ins. You can call the Lincoln police and see where they recommend.

On one day hike my mother actually warned her friends in advance not to leave anything valuable in the car, when they returned to find a break-in both of them had ignored her and left purses. The Lincoln Police said at that time break-ins were mostly midday on weekdays, they suspected it was construction workers on lunch break who went home on weekends.

One time I hiked out to Lincoln Woods well after dark and there were 2 rangers there outside, presumably a stake-out. They didn't ask me any questions, presumably hikers aren't suspicious.

 

[dug]

Interesting about Lincoln Woods. My apologies for the misinformation. It being so popular I thought might be a plus....but because it is sheltered from the road it's a minus.