IMPORTANT!!! Vehicle Break in on Marion Mt. TH

[Ellen]

Howdy San Jacinto family

I just learned that several vehicles of friends were vandalized at the Marion Mt. trailhead last Sat. Windows were broken to access the vehicles.

The gutless wonders took mountaineering equipment (crampons and ice-axe) well as valuables (purse) and clothing.

Please harden the target -- don't leave anything valuable or visible in your vehicle.

My heart goes out to my friends and fellow outdoors people who have had their vehicles broken into on trailheads for our local ranges.

Grrr....
Ellen

[zippetydude]

Please harden the target -- don't leave anything valuable or visible in your vehicle.

That's a thought, but I personally would prefer to kick in a few bucks to hire a sniper. What jerks.

That sort of incident ruins more than one trip for those involved - every trip from now on they'll spend half the time wondering if their cars are being ruined. Just makes me madder and madder every time I hear about it.

In the old west they used to hang horse thieves. People nowadays say that's uncivilized...but quite honestly, I think they had something going there. No repeat offenders anyway! And the silly dialog I see in the papers and on TV - "Is your goal justice or revenge?" What if I say "Both, but I'm leaning toward revenge!" What's wrong with that?

Sorry about the rant. Ellen, pass on my sympathies please.

z

[Perry]

Even worse, some people took the ladders in the ladder canyons while other people were hiking and then stole things from their vehicles. That's not only stealing property but putting others in danger. It wouldn't surprise me if somebody does take justice into their own hands.

[AlanK]

That's a thought, but I personally would prefer to kick in a few bucks to hire a sniper. What jerks.

That sort of incident ruins more than one trip for those involved - every trip from now on they'll spend half the time wondering if their cars are being ruined. Just makes me madder and madder every time I hear about it.

In the old west they used to hang horse thieves. People nowadays say that's uncivilized...but quite honestly, I think they had something going there. No repeat offenders anyway! And the silly dialog I see in the papers and on TV - "Is your goal justice or revenge?" What if I say "Both, but I'm leaning toward revenge!" What's wrong with that?

In the old West "they" sometimes hung innocent people who were merely accused of being horse thieves. They had something going there -- murder by lynch mob. Imperfect as it is, I prefer a criminal justice system. Which is to say I prefer civilization.

[cynthia23]

Alas, have to agree with AlanK, but totally understand the sentiments of Zip. What a shame. I just want to remind people, again, that there are frequent,ongoing break-ins at ALL the trailheads in Palm Springs--i.e. the trailheads at the Desert Museum, Ramon, and the South Lykken trailheads as well. I constantly see broken auto glass and several times I've actually witnessed the poor victims returning to their broken-into cars. Never leave valuables in your car, ever, ever, ever.

[AlanK]

Alas, have to agree with AlanK, but totally understand the sentiments of Zip. What a shame. I just want to remind people, again, that there are frequent,ongoing break-ins at ALL the trailheads in Palm Springs--i.e. the trailheads at the Desert Museum, Ramon, and the South Lykken trailheads as well. I constantly see broken auto glass and several times I've actually witnessed the poor victims returning to their broken-into cars. Never leave valuables in your car, ever, ever, ever.

I understand the sentiments too. I'd be royally pissed of someone broke into my car. I'm just not ready to start killing people for burglary. Also, the trouble with jokingly (I assume it's jokingly) suggesting hiring snipers is that some day someone will take up the suggestion. And then shoot some poor schmuck who is trying to break into his own car because he locked the keys inside.

[Perry]

A set-up car with hidden cameras would be a way to bust those guys. Anybody have an extra car and some cameras? Faces would be nice, a real license plate would be nice, and at the very least it would give a vehicle description. Yeah they might read this, but then they would have to drive around with a fake license plate and wear ski masks, not exactly keeping a low profile.

[lilbitmo]

Alas, have to agree with AlanK, but totally understand the sentiments of Zip. What a shame. I just want to remind people, again, that there are frequent,ongoing break-ins at ALL the trailheads in Palm Springs--i.e. the trailheads at the Desert Museum, Ramon, and the South Lykken trailheads as well. I constantly see broken auto glass and several times I've actually witnessed the poor victims returning to their broken-into cars. Never leave valuables in your car, ever, ever, ever.

I understand the sentiments too. I'd be royally pissed of someone broke into my car. I'm just not ready to start killing people for burglary. Also, the trouble with jokingly (I assume it's jokingly) suggesting hiring snipers is that some day someone will take up the suggestion. And then shoot some poor schmuck who is trying to break into his own car because he locked the keys inside.

Snipers are very good at what they do, I'm sure they could tell the difference between the guy breaking his own window to get in and "drive" his own car away once he found his keys - the "thief" on the other hand would be carrying the goods back to his/her car/truck, that's when you shoot them , but you don't shoot to kill, you maim them so they can explain for the rest of their "Pathetic" lives to everyone who asks how come you cannot walk anymore - because I was caught stealing use a destructive round that cannot be traced and walk away, make sure you shoot out the tires too so they cannot drive away, they would have to explain the other vehicle's broken window too. Oh and one last thing capture them on film breaking the window and leave that for them to find so that the thief cannot lie their way out of it, I'm just saying

[zippetydude]

Hi Alan! Long time no see! I think the humor was pretty safe, and as inefficient as due process might be, I of course agree that it's totally necessary.

Bait cars work wonderfully, especially as a deterrent when they get free publicity on TV and everyone knows that there's a good chance they're being set up. I have a friend who is an L A County Sheriff who was actually on the Bait Car show. He said it's a ton of fun - like fishing, only fish are fairly smart.

z

[Backwoods]

I stoped backpacking on the weekend's up here in Idyllwild. Weekend's are the only time I haven't felt safe camping out alone. Once a couple of month's ago I was down in a cyn bushwacking and climbing over bolders as a group yelled down from the top that they could see me and not to make them come down there and get me at first they were yelling in spanish I think they thought I was sombody they were looking for after they figured I wasen't him they started yelling down we got pot want to smoke some and come up we'll give you a ride stuff like that and all the wile I'm moving slowly in plain sight crawling over bolders and through the bush with a full size backpack and Cyn wall's on both sides. It just ruined my peacefull solo overnight camping. Another time somebody just destroyed my favorite yellow post site that requires 4 weel drive or hiking to get to up the mtn behind my house that I use 3 or 4 times a month as a quick 3 mile 1400ft climb with a backpack on overnight'r when I am short on time they burned everything dug holes thru trash everywere I know it was a weekend becouse I was up there on thurs the week before I was pissed and uneasy enough that night that I put large rocks up around my tent incase they came back all drunk and dident see me running my tent over in the midle of the night I'm pretty sure they are all from down the hill and just come up on the weekends. So I Just dont do weekends unless I'm going pretty far back were the flatlanders don't go and I feel safe. I have some halt pepper spray I only carry on weekends for people not wildlife. The rule with gun's are if you pull one you should pull the triger and I don't realy want to do that.