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It didn't look like my truck was the only one hit. The only thing the theifs took were the two wallets in the car. NOTHING ELSE, just wallets. So obviously after cash. Be warned.

I was hit also. Clean break-in with slim jim probably. They didn't seem to take anything but left my battery disconnected as if to show that they were there in some kind of joking way. I'm not laughing.

They don't realize that there are some hunters that frequent that trail head. I've seen these guys. They practically have gully suits and hide in the brush invisible for days at a time. They are beyond hardcore, scoping out individual bucks months in advance of the season to target. If these bozos ever broke into the wrong vehicle they might have these guys hunting them down.

This sort of thing used to happen more then it should of at the trail heads in NH and Maine. Back then I had a really crappy car and used to leave the inside stove up on purpose so when they came across they would move onto the shinny Saab. Nowadays I just leave my rig unlocked and hope they see it is unlocked before smashing a window. A few snipers would be fantastic.

pencak wrote:They practically have gully suits and hide in the brush invisible for days at a time.

That would be a Ghillie suit. A Gaelic word for camo developed by Scottish gamekeepers - mostly to catch poachers

Ron - I know you're (sort of) joking. The problem are the ROE - the sniper has to be fearful of loss of life to use lethal force. it's not enough to be upset about damage to property. In a self-defense situation, the presumption of appropriate use of force is now with the user and the burden is now on the Prosecution to prove that that the use was not warranted. This changed after the situation on the Mogollon Rim. Maybe just carry a big radio and hit them over the head with it.

Just a few well placed reminders to guide ones behavior, nuthin lethal.

Al_HikesAZ wrote:it's not enough to be upset about damage to property. In a self-defense situation, the presumption of appropriate use of force is now with the user and the burden is now on the Prosecution to prove that that the use was not warranted.

What happened on Mogollon Rim?

Anyway, I was obviously being tongue and cheek with it. However, it is a dicey proposition to be breaking into cars with people who have guns. People can be unpredictable and as I stated, I saw some pretty hard core hunters frequenting that trail head. They were scoping out game months in advance. They knew individuals of the various groups of deer, sitting in the brush for hours on end was fun for them. You wouldn't want to catch guys like that on a bad day.

pencak wrote:What happened on Mogollon Rim?

http://www.hikearizona.com/dex2/viewtop ... f=1&t=1992

pencak wrote:. . . I was obviously being tongue and cheek with it. . . .

Pencak - I wasn't referring to your post. I was addressing Ron. especially with my radio comment. He was a radioman and is quite capable with rifle or radio. The radio he carried could do serious damage if he dropped it on somebody's head. I know that both of you were just joking.

Ron - nuthin lethal? Hell - Fire for Effect!!!!

Don't you AZ folks just release a bagful of snakes in your vehicles before embarking?

big_load wrote:Don't you AZ folks just release a bagful of snakes in your vehicles before embarking?

SHHHH!!! Young buzzworms and nip their little tails off. Count how many you release and make sure you account for all of them before leaving the TH. It is frightful to have one crawl out from under the seat while barreling home on US 60

that's a heck of a drive just to steal a couple wallets... they'd be sorely disappointed if they ended up with mine! The disconnected battery would be a total downer if you didn't have any tools with you... I think maybe I'll make sure to keep a small ratchet set next time I go up there.

I've heard too many of these stories. As much as I try to pack light, I now take my wallet with me on the trail.

So are these break-ins being reported to authorities? I'd think that it's probably more trouble than its worth to file a report ... except its an increase in reports that results in the potential for an extra visit or two from sheriff, ranger, etc.

big_load wrote:Don't you AZ folks just release a bagful of snakes in your vehicles before embarking?

I am so going to do that with my funky truck next time. You don't have to feed them much and besides a badger would probably tear up the upholstery (my second option.)

Regarding auto/battery damage... If I had to walk 10mi down to Tortilla Flats because of it, it would be guaranteed that someone could be hired to set up a blind the next weekend with a telephoto infrared video camera to log the crew (or singular bozo) doing it. Then the report would be filed with Sheriff and include the evidence. You would not believe the technology available (remote cameras that will run off of batteries, zoom, color, high def., low lux, infrared, etc.)

There are more than a few security companies in the valley willing to do this. They could set up a blind and a telephoto with maybe 2 or 3 remotes. One could be a dedicated license plate reader coming out of the first turn of the trail head.

File a report with this kind of data and you'd get results. It's all about hassle and what your time is worth. The bozo stealing wallets and pulling pranks doesn't realize the chains he's yanking. Yank hard enough and the resources are easily available to catch him if he's stupid enough to frequent an easy target. Either that or yank on the wrong chain of hunters willing to hide in bushes for days at a time who are excellent riflemen (that thought alone should be a deterrent.)

Unfortunately, idiots usually don't weigh the highly probable options of logical outcomes.

The thief in this instance most likely looked like a "regular guy", another hiker maybe, who probably thought he was cleaver getting into cars without breaking the windows. Proud of his skill with a slim-jim. Maybe somebody who could view this board even and knew we would be there. It's most likely someone who probably couldn't afford to be thrown in jail for such a stupid move. They don't think about: arrest, impound of vehicle, conviction, court costs, possible jail time or at least probation, restitution, loss of job, family issues, etc., etc.

It wasn't a meth-head because they would have stolen all of the catalytic converters off of all the cars for the easy recycling money and broken windows and taken anything remotely worth quick money. They wouldn't have unhooked batteries in "prank like" fashion to show how proud they were of their accomplishment of violating someone's private space, while leaving a laptop that they opened and looked at in the trunk.

It was one of us who did this. I'm convinced of it.

Elementary... if the missing items were a fishing reel, a comb and a picture frame I'd suspect Ho Jon.

The only persons I have ever seen at a trailhead with a slim-jim was a Sheriff's Deputy. Hmmm, I wonder?

This thread is making me paranoid