Break-ins at Rte 302 Zealand Lot

vftt.org

Help Support vftt.org:

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

dRitter

New member
Joined
Oct 24, 2004
Messages
166
Reaction score
22
After a great day of hiking from Rte 320 to the Kanc, we returned to drop folks off at cars at the Zealand lot on the north side of Rte 302. The happy tone of the day was soured as we found that the passenger window of one of the folks was smashed out and a camera and wallet had been stolen. This is a lot next to the highway in broad daylight, it's not like your parking your car in the Bronx. Be cautious.....
 
Not sure where they were, it wasn't my car, and to be honest it shouldn't matter. Pretty sleazy of someone regardless.
 
dRitter said:
Not sure where they were, it wasn't my car, and to be honest it shouldn't matter. Pretty sleazy of someone regardless.
Click to expand...
Agreed the the perpetrators had no legitimate reason to break in, but it also helps if people do not leave tempting looking items in sight in the car. (I suspect this is what cantdog was trying to find out.)

And if no one leaves even hidden goodies in cars, then the thieves might eventually learn that it isn't worth the risk or effort. (Not going to happen, but the theory sounds nice...)

Doug
 
Other things I've heard that help are:

1. Park w/ your trunk facing outwards. This way scum has to make itself more visible if they're trying to jimmy the trunk lock.

2. Park where your entire vehicle will be most visible.


I feel your pain; the lousiest way to start your workday is to come out and see broken glass all around your car (those "stealth" radio faceplates apparently didn't deter the dirtball, I should have detached the faceplate completely.)
 
We were burglarized in the upper Ethan Pond Trail lot (many years ago). It might have been better to park down at the highway.

There was really nothing to steal. My nearly empty pocketbook was stashed under the seat and that was gone. I'm sure they know every nook and cranny. It was found in a trash can at Bretton Woods a week later.

The police said it was probably done by out-of-staters who come to NH for this purpose. Yeah right!
 
My car was hit last year with 15 others same day. Happy to say the 3 scum were arrested and served jail time.
From what the Saties said, it is more frequent that roadside lots get hit because the scum can see headlights approaching at night and hide or get out quickly. I'm sure people have been hit in remote lots also, I'm only passing on info reported to me.
FYI, in case it happens to you (I pray it doesn't, awful feeling) Walmart in Gorham has great heavy duty ultra clear vinyl. That and duct tape and you can do 80 going home. There is also a car wash with Vacs to suck out the glass.
 
Last Summer we saw 6 cars with broken windows at the Eathon Pond trail parking area. This was the area right on 302. Didn't see any damage to cars parked all the way in. They may not have been there overnite.

This really bites. Need to get an older trail vehicle and keep it running and keep nothing in it and keep it unlocked...... I used to have one of those....
 
Sorry to hear that. I know it sucks. I was broken into years ago on the Kanc. My nephew left his wallet in view. I am sure that was the impetus for the break in. I didn't see or know that he did that. Again, this isn't to lay blame. They are still low life pieces of you know what.

Keith
 
Unfortunately, it isn't only vehicles left overnight which can be hit. My pickup was a target on a winter day hike a few years ago on a hike up Willey. Had left it down on US302 as the road to the summer TH wasn't plowed. Some scum crawled into the back, opened the slider window, and stole just one credit card from my wallet - don't know why only one was stolen. They then went on a shopping spree at a Walmart in Connecticut. I'd had chosen Nieman-Marcus, but that's just me.

A friend of mine had a window broken on a winter day hike to Isolation 2 or 3 years ago. Nothing stolen, just the window smashed.

Of all the hundreds of times I've hiked and had friends who also parked their vehicles, these are only 2 instances. So, I don't worry all that much as it's a pretty low incidence. Still, I'm more careful about leaving items of value in my vehicles, and never leave my wallet anymore.

Personally, I find that I can't completely leave my vehicle empty. I usually have dry clothes, a shovel, tools, jumper cables, extra crampons, emergency gear, etc as it's just too risky to be without them. I do try to make sure they're not visible, however.
 
Kevin Rooney said:
Personally, I find that I can't completely leave my vehicle empty. I usually have dry clothes, a shovel, tools, jumper cables, extra crampons, emergency gear, etc as it's just too risky to be without them. I do try to make sure they're not visible, however.
Click to expand...
Anyone who has ever ridden in my car can attest to the fact that it is disgusting and horrific inside. My theory is that the criminal will look in, see nothing but 'gatorade' bottles, unpleasant looking clothes, papers, gum wrappers, rotting food, chiken bones, spilt milk etc. and decide to move on -- the car is probably abandoned and not worth searching out for money. Also, I leave all my unpaid Boston parking tickets all over the place so that if the criminal considers stealing the car, they'll worry about having to either pay $100's in parking ticket fees or risk having the car towed. I too leave crampons and other things in the car. I also leave other things like my cellphone but good luck finding it. You gotta be pretty desperate to look through a huge pile of moose droppings to find a 4 year old cell phone.

-Dr. Wu
 
dr_wu002 said:
Anyone who has ever ridden in my car can attest to the fact that it is disgusting and horrific inside. My theory is that the criminal will look in, see nothing but 'gatorade' bottles, unpleasant looking clothes, papers, gum wrappers, rotting food, chiken bones, spilt milk etc. and decide to move on -- the car is probably abandoned and not worth searching out for money...........You gotta be pretty desperate to look through a huge pile of moose droppings to find a 4 year old cell phone. -Dr. Wu
Click to expand...

Ah, the good ole days...... I used to leave my funkmobile the same way at times, sans the moose droppings, however! :)

After having my apt broken into 2x I was thinking of leaving my old car (when it was time to junk it) with a $20 on the front seat and a car bomb rigged to go..... wouldn't that be nice surprise for a car thief! :eek: :D
 
Kevin Rooney said:
Some scum crawled into the back, opened the slider window, and stole just one credit card from my wallet - don't know why only one was stolen.
Click to expand...
That happened to a reporter, the theory was that if they take one credit card you won't miss it right away so they have longer to spend on it.

My mother had a bag of dry clothes stolen, they probably wouldn't bring $5 at the Salvation Army but she missed them when she got back from canoeing.

The strangest thing I saw was at the Signal Ridge trailhead in the early '70s. Several cars had broken windows but some didn't, and one had a $5 bill (worth more like $20 today) on the dashboard. Is it more likely that the vandals left that car untouched or that somebody would park in a lot of vandalized cars and leave money visible?
 
[QUOTE=Kevin Rooney

A friend of mine had a window broken on a winter day hike to Isolation 2 or 3 years ago. Nothing stolen, just the window smashed.

I remember that 3 hour ride home all too well. Just me and the fleece blanket at 70mph - driver's window of course.
 
Yes, iT'S ALMOST TO THE POINT WHERE YOU WANT TO LEAVE THE DOORS OPEN . Sorry about the caps key. Recent breakins at Abol (Baxter) and historical breakins on the Kanc (Hancock) and Clinton (Crawford Path) are really a tick off. Unfortunately this has been going on for 40 years up north.
In 1971 our 2 cars were vandelized (both tape decks) right on rte 302 in Bethlehem. Zealand lot is very popular with "all types" of "outdoor lovers"
For the record: My hiking equiptment is insured by Smith and Wesson.
My friend suggests that when the window is broken from the outside the car blows up.
Peace. Climb on!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

P
Then and Now - North Hitchcock
Replies
2
Views
2K
peakbagger
P
P
Shoal Pond Pemi Traverse
Replies
1
Views
21K
Scubahhh
Scubahhh
P
Its that time of year - car break ins
Replies
2
Views
2K
Hillwalker
Hillwalker
P
Ravine Lodge Winter Parking Lot
Replies
3
Views
2K
David Metsky
David Metsky
zman
  • Locked
Car break ins on Zealand Road
2
Replies
33
Views
9K
mookie
mookie

Latest posts

Top