State Park Crime Soars

[Nuvite-F]

Originally Posted by Stefrobrts

Here's the actual article.

Crimes soar in California state parks - Sacramento Politics - California Politics | Sacramento Bee

Thanks for linking to the actual article. Looks like we may not need to chamber a round just yet. Most of the "crime wave" seems to consist of things like minors possessing alcohol and disposing of trash in unauthorized places.

"From simple trespassing to theft of artifacts, park crime has been raised as a leading concern as the state prepares to close more parks on weekdays – or for entire seasons – to address a budget crisis."

"One particular crime category – crimes against the parks themselves, ranging from vandalism to illegal tree cutting – increased fourfold in the 10 years of data analyzed by The Sacramento Bee."

"I could easily see the stripping of our state parks," said Richard Bergstresser, president of the State Park Peace Officers Association and a ranger at Humboldt Redwoods State Park. "There will be an uptick in, for instance, marijuana plantations, vandalism, outright theft."

So. . . if you find yourself camped next to a marijuana field, someone may be committing a crime, but it probably doesn't represent a threat to you.

[Airstream01]

Originally Posted by Nuvite-F

Thanks for linking to the actual article. Looks like we may not need to chamber a round just yet....

LOL, good point. But what if we've already chambered a round

Seriously though, just be observant, confident, prepared, and make smart decisions and you will likely be able to avoid most trouble. And lock your valuables up and out of sight if possible.

[Stefrobrts]

Originally Posted by Airstream01

LOL, good point. But what if we've already chambered a round

Then you may be part of the 'crime wave'

While Congress voted earlier this year to allow visitors to carry loaded guns in national parks and wildlife refuges, California law prohibits firearms in state parks unless they are unloaded and locked.

[LHall]

I would love to get my hands on a Honda 2000 shell, put a concrete block inside and line the underside of the handle with razor blades or better yet... hotwire the cable to 50amp power.. I bet they would not attempt that again. ... unfortunately, my bud Jimmini informs me that booby trapping is illegal in AZ... i guess it will remain a fantasy.

[sempi2]

Originally Posted by LHall

I would love to get my hands on a Honda 2000 shell, put a concrete block inside and line the underside of the handle with razor blades or better yet... hotwire the cable to 50amp power.. I bet they would not attempt that again. ... unfortunately, my bud Jimmini informs me that booby trapping is illegal in AZ... i guess it will remain a fantasy.

Is it only illegal in AZ or all states????????????
That booby trapping sounds like a fun thing to do. Not just the geni, but for lots of other things. Have to put on the thinking cap

[LHall]

I really do not know, but it sure sounds like fun... for starters, the folks that steal stuff are not too bright anyway.. just imagine the things you could experiment with. The choices seem to be endless. Electricity, Blackwater, razor blades.. you get the picture.

[ZoominC6]

Dogs: early warning devices
S&W: last resort

[tksbaskets]

Originally Posted by Airstream01

Please tell me where you got them? I would love to get some.

It might have been Cabellas...I'll do some checking and get back with you.

Here is just red: Winchester Red Shotgun Shell Party Lights by awelldressedbullet

This one has shell colors for any occasion! TOO FUNNY I especially like the wedding set. Shotgun Shell Bar and Party Lights

I've actually ordered from these folks before: PartyLights.com | Real Shot Shell Party Lights

Couldn't find our exact one but you can get the idea!

[flynaxos]

Dogs offer great advance warning and probably deter some bad guys.

We keep a law firm on retainer, Beretta, Ruger, Remington, Springfield, Smith & Wesson. At least two of their partners travel with us on every camping trip.

[GetOutDoors]

I carry pepper spray and my 40 cal. pistol, but I have learned that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Carry a camera, and let anyone looking suspect see you taking their picture. A photo of their car and license plate is a very direct means of communication. Add your pro-gun bumper sticker to that, and most thugs will get the idea.

[jcanavera]

We've been victims of crime once in our 35+ years of camping. That occured in a large private campground in Myrtle Beach. While away from our site, someone stole the bumper caps that held the sewer hose for storage inside my rear bumper on my Hi-Lo. In addition I had a set of aircraft wheel chocks that they also took. We pretty much knew who did it, but that camper next to us had left (we are sure it was them) and reporting it to the campground owners pretty much was a shrug the shoulder event. Glad we were sitting on flat ground. I remember the trailer next to us was a wreck, it was their first time out with that trailer and they were missing their bumper caps plus had no other camping equipment with them. I was probably lucky they didn't steal the sewer hose, water hose and my chairs.

Jack

[safari57]

We recently camped at Fort Worden, WA (Port Townsend) State Park. We had great camping until the Friday crowd arrived. 3 AM Saturday morning I heard a bang on the side of the trailer. I popped up, grabbed my trusty very bright LED flashlight and shone it out the window. I scared the living beejeepers out of the slime ball who was helping himself to my root beers in my cooler, which was full of bottles but not the beer he thought he was getting and only three brown ones.

He had his hood up but by the hands could tell it was a man (too much hair on the backs of them for a teenager or woman - I hope). He did a 90 degree turn and ran smack dab into my awning arm. Meanwhile I'm pulling on pants and out the door. He was no where in sight but I walked the CG and there were cooler lids strewn around as he and it appears others had worked their way through the campsite extracting booze from coolers. One couple had all their lights on so I knocked on their door and they were having an early breakfast and they'd not heard a thing, nor had their dog. Same as the folks camped beside us - their dog did not hear anything either and both couples said their dogs were usually awake with any sounds.

They got my three good root beers but the folks behind us, a couple of young families in tents with lots of kids lost several bottles of the good stuff, a nice wine bottle opener/cork replacer, and a few other things.

The Park staff were very unhappy and went unit to unit documenting what was taken and we noticed a much greater presence the following night. Their issue is locals who know on weekends there are lots of campers and lots of potentials for liquor and small easy to carry stuff.

So lesson learned for us at least - put our cooler in the car at night when locking up. And for me I got told not very politely by my wife and more politely by the Park folks - some of these people have weapons and chasing them alone in the middle of the night is not the brightest thing to do. The one consolation was that we know when that fellow hit the awning post he hurt himself pretty good because he left some skin and fur.

There did not seem to be a lack of staff so much as the locals know the routes the security folks take and can work around them pretty easily. The Park staff went out of their way to make sure they knew what was taken, and to reassure the campers that they were concerned. A tough job for them at any time of the camping year.

The really sad part for me was I'm not supposed to have much carbonated beverages and I'd smuggled those "extra pops" into the cooler when my wife wasn't looking. I do the cooler stuff, she does the fridge. So no more Root beers for me that camping trip and now I know she'll be checking the cooler out from time to time. Darn. Looks like I'm back to one a day whether I need it or not.

Barry

[eleighj]

The Judge by Taurus; hell of a home / airstream protection device; nothing like a round of #6 shot working up to a .45 round.

eleighj

[Mexray]

The biggest CRIME would be if 'we' aren't able to use 'our' state parks due to 'economic' conditions, etc...! I was under the impression that state parks are 'public' lands...are we not the public?

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by Mexray

The biggest CRIME would be if 'we' aren't able to use 'our' state parks due to 'economic' conditions, etc...! I was under the impression that state parks are 'public' lands...are we not the public?

Naw, it's more important to guarantee the profit of private contractors (who deliver less for more, always) with insider connections at the state or Federal capitol than it is to "provide for the common welfare". Nothing new, there. Rest areas, libraries, historical sites, parks, you-name-it.

A bad economy is an excuse for all sorts of individual and institutional "cost cutting".