Car Break-ins at Motherlode

Post by **enlighten_me** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 1:01 pm

I read and hear warnings about car break-ins at Motherlode all the time. Just this past weekend (Sept. 18/19), the staff at Miguel's told us there were a couple of break-ins after a month of calm. They said it's different people each time.

Mark from the gear shop says it's one habitual guy who serves some time (short), gets released, and does it all over again.

The bottom line is that it took away from our experience there 'cuz one of us would have to patrol back here and there.

Just thought it'd be a good idea to start a thread that keeps an update on what's happening there, if someone's caught, tips, etc. so everyone knows.

Post by **jsayler** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 1:14 pm

speaking from experience, i think the best thing that we can do is make sure that people know not to leave anything in their cars, and to keep the doors unlocked and windows rolled down. if there's nothing to steal, they will stop breaking in.

Post by **Meadows** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 1:29 pm

Dog food was stolen this past weekend from a car at the Lode. Just about anything will attract thieves.

Post by **rhunt** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 1:41 pm

hey drug addicts got to eat...

Post by **Sunshine** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 1:51 pm

I bet they thought it was hash.

Post by **Ultra** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 2:25 pm

you ever tried to smoke dog food. Bleeach!!!

Post by **enlighten_me** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 2:28 pm

Yeah, heard about the leaving the windows down and doors unlocked ... but these guys sound like they'll take car fixtures too - speakers, shift knobs, car mats! I have a sound system and unfortunately can't take that out.

Do they hit cars with alarms too?

I put a sign on my door saying I have an alarm that'll page me, but that's assuming these guys can read...

Post by **jsayler** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 3:23 pm

my car had an alarm, you cannot hear anything when you are up at the crag, including alarms, i suggest not bringing you car there.

Website · Post by **gunslnga** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 3:46 pm

Enlighten me,
Go to climbing community and read "Break in at lode" about 15 posts
down and see what can be done if anyone was really interested.
Gunslnga

Post by **enlighten_me** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 5:36 pm

Thanks. Yeah, looks like a dead end w/ the police not doing anything. Man, considering how far I have to travel to visit the lode, I'm willing to pay for someone to watch over everything.

And how do you get to the lode without a car???

Here's the link to the other thread for anyone else reading:

http://www.redriverclimbing.com/viewtopic.php?t=5659

Post by **enlighten_me** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 5:41 pm

Not driving there would be great too since my car barely made it up the slope. I had to unload all our gear and use some rocks as chalk blocks. Too funny...

Post by **tomdarch** » Wed Sep 21, 2005 6:49 pm

enlighten_me wrote:I'm willing to pay for someone to watch over everything.

Call me a capitolist pig or yuppie scum, but there's a potential solution that might actually work (as opposed to stakeouts and cameras, etc. that are usually discussed.)

Is there anyone 'living' at the Red currently who would be willing to hang out at the Southern lots and be visible in exchange for tips? If you can climb all week, why not give up a Saturday or Sunday to earn some cash to pay for the rest of the week?

Post by **Spragwa** » Thu Sep 22, 2005 5:47 am

One way to help with all of this is to stop contacting the sheriff's department and to call State Police. I'm not saying that the State Police will ride up in white hats and shoot the bad guys but there is a more direct chain of command and accountability. A friend of ours was broken into at the Roadside parking lot. He was living out of his truck and they took EVERYTHING. This was in the early spring. He still cannot get his insurance to pay because the sheriff did not file a report. Why? Because he was from out of town and means nothing to the sheriff whose electorate is in Wolfe County.

I know they say they will help but let's be honest. Sheriff's are elected officials. THe people stealing are their constituency. Those are the people to whom the sheriff is accountable, not us.

Post by **meetVA** » Thu Sep 22, 2005 1:09 pm

tomdarch, climbers are cheap.
you'd make 5$ if you were lucky.

Website · Post by **gunslnga** » Thu Sep 22, 2005 1:21 pm

He wants to hire, not be hired, I can booby trap your car with HE, and I only charge for arming and dis-arming the device