Car broken into at Ferncroft lot

[Sasquatch]

After an excellent hike I returned to Ferncroft and found out my car and another hiker ,who I had seen on the way down, car had been broken into.The theives apparently knew what they were doing becuse they popped my doorlock in with hardly making a dent.The other car (much nicer than mine) had the doorhandle ripped off and the windows were wide open.Both our cars looked like the contents had been ransacked.Luckily I didn't have much stuff in there,they got my Sirius radio and the boombox I used to listen to it,I think that's it.Funny part is that my wallet with my credit and debit cards as well as $400 cash(I'm going shopping for Glen's birthday) were hidden under the rear floormat and they missed that.Otherwise I would be freaking out right now.My keys (I carried the car key only) were locked in the glovebox which they effortlessly popped open without a scratch, but they left them also.I feel very bad for the other hiker who was from out of state and suffered more damage and probably more loss than me.

 

[TrishandAlex]

I am so, so sorry this happened to you!

 

[Silverfox]

That is way tooooo close to home

What a hassle and just a rotton thing to do.. Sadly it is something you think about every time you park for a hike..As one who has been hit several times..most recently at Carrigan trailhead ...the sense of violation is so enormous..

i hate it

and sorry a good hike day of yours was negatively impacted...

 

[sardog1]

I'm very sorry to hear about this. Have you thought of reporting this to the Carroll County Sheriff and/or the local police department? (I can't recall what town this is in.) That lot would be a good candidate for surveillance -- maybe something could be done to apprehend the miscreant(s).

 

[BobC]

Sorry to hear about this....especially so since you'll be Stern-less until you get a new Sirius radio. I always worry about mine getting stolen - I have a Stiletto 2 which is pretty expensive. Usually I put it under my floor mat but maybe I ought to find a better hiding spot, or even take it with me.

 

[Toe Cozy]

Yes this sucks, but...

Why on earth would you leave your wallet with $400 cash in the car? Granted, I have no idea how heavy that much money is since I've never had that much cash on me at one time, so maybe it would be a nuisance to carry on a day hike.

Is there ever a good reason to leave your wallet with credit cards, cash, id, etc. in the car? It's not like car break-ins are unheard of or a new occurrence.

It would be so great if break-ins just stopped happening, because it must suck big time to get back to your car and find it busted into. But since that's not likely to happen anytime soon, I will never understand why people leave wallets, gps, iPods, phones, etc in the car at the trail head.

I'm glad they didn't get to your wallet!

 

[rocket21]

That really sucks to hear. I do a lot of evening hikes from Ferncroft and have generally felt it was one of the safer lots, especially with the nearby houses.

I don't believe I've ever heard anything about Ferncroft issues, at least in the last few years - has anyone else? It leads me to believe it isn't a local doing this.

 

[psmart]

Please DO report the incident to the Albany or Tamworth police, or perhaps to the USFS.

(The parking lot is in Albany, but the access is through Tamworth).

 

[rocket21]

Tamworth is a pretty tight-knit community. I've sent a message to the local e-mail group alerting everyone.

 

[AntlerPeak]

You were lucky with the keys and wallet that could have caused considerable angst and trouble fixing. ( id theft bogus credit card charges, replacement door locks at home ) Makes you feel a bit better about what you did lose. I never leave anything in the car too dangerous. A state trooper once suggested to me that when going on a hike to take your registration and insurance card with you as well. Takes up no room in your pack and is a useful tool sitting in the glove box for resourceful crooks. The trooper said, "you can't imagine the damage felons can do with those little cards." Something to think about.

 

[smitty77]

I always worry about mine getting stolen - I have a Stiletto 2 which is pretty expensive. Usually I put it under my floor mat but maybe I ought to find a better hiding spot, or even take it with me.

For the size and weight of it, just take it with you. I do the same with my wallet for two reasons - 1) in case of a break in but more importantly 2) if I get seriously hurt on the trail, I have ID and medical cards on my person. And I carry a minimal amount of cash anyway, just in case someone holds me up.

 

[hikes-with-him]

I have a small "camera bag" that I sling over my shoulder and keep with me at all times. It contains...my camera, ID, insurance card, and one debit card. I leave everything else home. Hubby has his wallet, which he takes with him on the trail. The keys (all of them...not too many) go into the "key compartment" of the backpack (on the hook...zipped in really good and usually checked on three or four times).

I like the idea of sticking the registration/insurance card in with the other stuff...I think we'll start doing that too.

As for in the van...if they can FIND anything in there, they are welcome to it.

 

[dr_wu002]

Too bad you couldn't rig up a little nuke so that when the *******s broke into your car they got instantly annihilated. Insurance would probably pick up the cost too for the car because they wouldn't know what the freak happened. A quarter mile hole in the ground -- they'll probably think it's Saddam or somethin' back from the grave and won't even realize there's some dead car robbers mixed in with all that radioactive dust. Just get the hell outta the area, don't call collect.

Tough luck about the breakin', dude. Thieves, whatever shade or whatever they're taking are really the lowest sort. Wish we all had a few slugs to plug up the holes in they heads.

-Dr. Wu

 

[TrishandAlex]

Once upon a time, a little device existed that would send an electric shock through anyone trying to break into a car, or trying to drive it away. The shock would be activated through the windows, steering wheel, and the door lock.

It was never put on the market, for obvious legal reasons. But it was invented.....and I think it would be worth having your car slightly damaged just so one could see the would-be theif lying unconscious on the ground by your car....

 

[Tom Rankin]

Once upon a time, a little device existed that would send an electric shock through anyone trying to break into a car, or trying to drive it away. The shock would be activated through the windows, steering wheel, and the door lock.

It was never put on the market, for obvious legal reasons. But it was invented.....and I think it would be worth having your car slightly damaged just so one could see the would-be theif lying unconscious on the ground by your car....

Besides the legal problems this might bring up, it might make the thief mad as h@ll, and they could proceed to trash your car thoroughly...

And what if you forgot about it and shocked yourself!

 

[TrishandAlex]

Besides the legal problems this might bring up, it might make the thief mad as h@ll, and they could proceed to trash your car thoroughly...

And what if you forgot about it and shocked yourself!

They can't trash the car if they're knocked out for 5-10 minutes, and then feel violently sick for a long time afterwards.

Yes, the getting shocked yourself would be a problem. There are a million reasons, of course, why this was not made available to the general population. It's still nice to THINK about, however....

 

[Stash]

When parking in any public lot I try to make sure it looks as if there's nothing to steal in the car. This includes leaving the privacy cover OPEN in the back of my wagon with nothing in the back (don't have tinted windows so you can see in). I've got no fancy electronics so the hope is there's nothing to draw them... So far it's worked..

And I've found that the bladder pocket in my pack is a great place to safely store wallet, keys, etc as I use Nalgene bottles for water.

 

[wardsgirl]

When parking in any public lot I try to make sure it looks as if there's nothing to steal in the car. This includes leaving the privacy cover OPEN in the back of my wagon with nothing in the back (don't have tinted windows so you can see in). I've got no fancy electronics so the hope is there's nothing to draw them... So far it's worked..

Ditto. I think the best practice is to take anything of importance with you. I would even go so far as to leaving the car totally unlocked. I used to own a GEO Tracker with a soft top that could simply be unzipped to gain access. That conditioned me to leave nothing worthwhile behind ever.

 

[Stan]

I haven't tried this but would like to see it happen.

Every once in a while you lose a credit card or it gets compromised. Your bank provides a new one. Assuming the expiration date is current, report it as stolen and instead of disposing it, leave it where it could be found.

Many check out counters have buttons that beckon security ... some security are just waiting for some excitement.

 

[Stash]

I would even go so far as to leaving the car totally unlocked.

I've been tempted to try that but worry that the insurance company would not take kindly to it if the whole car was stolen and they asked if it was locked...