This just in: some trailhead break-in artists nabbed

[mirabela]

Not much info here, but at least it's a start

http://www.wcax.com/Global/story.asp?S=12862708

 

[TrishandAlex]

Woo-hoo! Excellent news.

 

[RoySwkr]

Great news!

I think if I had a GPS-enabled cell phone I'd bring it with me instead of leaving it in the car.

 

[The Unstrung Harp]

This is great news! I'm going to give a call to the Berlin police to thank them for their continued efforts. 603-752-3131 is the number or you can contact them with this form, if you are interested! http://www.berlinnh.gov/Pages/BerlinNH_WebDocs/contact

 

[Lefty E]

Car breaks

Yes I heard that the breaks were at Sawyer River Road and Rocky Branch, and NH State Police Troop E Detective, US Forest Service Law Enforcement, and Berlin PD officers worked together to solve the car breaks.....

 

[Dave Bear]

Nice news, I hope they throw the book at them! I knew about Appalachia but did not know they had been going up Sawyer Road. Thanks for the great news!

Mirabela, Not your fault but I like to ring the neck of whomever contrived the idea of calling a common criminal an "artist". Kind of sends the wrong message! That would be like calling the tattoos I would lay on them if I caught them "art"!

 

[peakbagger]

The trailheads sound familiar to the ones that the individual from Berlin who was caught last year was hitting. Sure sounds like he had a couple of followers. If they were hitting Sawyer River road, I expect they may be responsble for quite of this years break ins.

Unfortunately as juveniles, the court system cant do much to them.

 

[Dr. Dasypodidae]

I wonder if the USFS special agent was the same one from Rutland, Vermont, who left his card on the windshields of our cars at Rocky Branch northern trailhead (Rt 16) on July 15th asking for any information about another vehicle that apparently had been vandalized the night before (I think that we met near Isolation the two backpacker's whose driver's side window had been smashed).

Unfortunately, I think that the juveniles caught only will get a slap on the wrist and be back at it in a few days. Stealing and then using someone's cell phone provides more evidence how little they have learned up to this point in their lives, but they will not make that mistake again.

 

[DAYHIKER]

Great News

We were at the Sawer River parking area on friday night getting ready to hike in when we were informed of the recent break-ins at that parking spot...so we turned around and went elsewhere. Hope this arrest reduces the problem and these kids are made to pay.
Still will be shy about where I park in the future...

 

[LarryD]

Hiked the Ammo Ravine/Jewell Trail yesterday and at the end of the day a Coos County sheriff's car patrolled the parking lot. We drove out via Mt. Clinton Road and saw the car leave the Edmands Path lot and continue down to check the Crawford Path lot. Hopefully patrols like this will help.

 

[The Hikers]

In light of smashed windows, we had been considering just leaving the car unlocked and empty of valuables, but I know this isn't always practical for some.

 

[David Metsky]

In light of smashed windows, we had been considering just leaving the car unlocked and empty of valuables, but I know this isn't always practical for some.

At Appalachia there was a Suburban with both front door windows smashed out. It wasn't just about stealing stuff.

 

[TCD]

Hidden cameras (unannounced) at these trailheads would be helpful. Wildlife cameras with IR flashes would be ideal. Announce and post decoy fake cameras at some trailheads; post the real cameras at other trailheads; harvest the idiots. Sadly though, as others have pointed out, they'll be right back at it in a few days. Painful, large fines levied against their parents might make a dent.

 

[--M.]

We spotted cars at both Flume/Liberty Springs and at Haystack Road (Twins), which is somewhat more remote. We had no break-ins (Friday-Sunday), and saw Federales at the latter and Lincoln cops at the former. Much appreciated!

 

[Tom Rankin]

Does anyone have any idea when the looters and pillagers are most likely to strike? Like maybe the middle of the day (when they assume we will be far away)?

 

[David Metsky]

Does anyone have any idea when the looters and pillagers are most likely to strike? Like maybe the middle of the day (when they assume we will be far away)?

It usually happens overnight, when all car owners are assumed to be camped somewhere. From what I've gathered, it's much more unlikely during the day. But I've been hiking in the Whites for 30 years now and never had a break in so it's still fairly rare in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Craig]

Community Service

If I were the judge in this case, the sentence would look like this:

Each convicted juvenile would need to talk to 500 individuals parked at trailhead parking areas in the White Mountains informing them on vehicle breakins and what steps they can take to avoid being a target. These juveniles would have to talk with folks at each trailhead (at least once) with no 2 kids at the same TH, on the same day. Give them a form to fill out on each and every individual they talk to (signed by their probation officer) to be returned to the court for determination of compliance.

You could even make them wear a tee-shirt (while educating hikers) that said “ Don’t hate me, my mommy never breast fed me. ”

 

[BobC]

It's just sweet irony that the technology in the very item they stole helped police to capture them.

I'm looking for a cell phone that I can remotely detonate, in case this happens to me.

 

[Mike P.]

Glad they were caught, I'd probably have them do community service like wear signs around their necks for the next 50 weekends (especially nights) saying they were caught breaking into vehicles of people who support the NH economy. (or that they are just @$$h01e$)

Go the public embarrassment route in their cliques & the schools next year. At school because there are a handful of 14 & 15 year olds thinking, "boy how dumb, they got caught" They'll have their drivers licenses soon with nothing to do, out late, with a couple of friends & beers. How many square miles of playground & just a couple of cops. Taking stuff was their downfall. (Once I wasn't the choir boy I am now - before many of you were born of course.)

How do you prevent it? Ban all alcohol, curfews, leave crap (literally) in your car. (Hard to do that)

Some trailheads with good site lines at night are good targets because the cops don't drive without lights (Appalachia, 19 Mile) are easy, in & out accees loaded with cars most nights. Parking at PNVC & C-Notch at the H-C would helps as their is a lot of lights & activity. Park on the side of Lafayette Place when overnighting in the notch because access isn't as good & more activity & better site lines from the road.

I'd have more but I've forgotten more about this type of behavior than these kids know. (Rule one, don't get caught if you think being your cell mates wife is better than being released to your Dad. - no way was I getting caught, but back before cells, & GPS, it was easier)

 

[peakbagger]

Here is a link to the an article in the Berlin daily sun with a few more details

http://www.laconiadailysun.com/BerlinPDF/2010/7/27B.pdf

In 20 years in the area, I have not seen any use of innovative sentencing to match the crime in the area. Usually the courts are backed up quite a bit so it may take a year or two for the resolution to come out in the papers and inevitably the entiure goal is to keep them out of jail or sentence them to time served.