Thieves continue to strike local trailheads

MAT-SU— As Mat-Su Valley residents are heading out for their first hikes of the season, many of them are returning back to a shocking situation that is all too familiar.

Thieves have become increasingly interested in breaking into vehicles parked at trailheads and robbing hikers of their belongings and sense of security.

“I don’t know what is safe anymore,” said Mat-Su Borough Community Development Director Eric Phillips

Existing groups on social media have spawned new groups to track trailhead break-ins specifically. Reflections Lake has been hit a number of times. On March 25 between 5:30p.m., and 7:30 p.m., hikers had belongings stolen. Thieves struck again on March 30 between 8:30 a.m., and 9:30 a.m., and again on April 1 and April 2. Thieves hit Crevasse Morraine on March 30 between 8:30 a.m., and 9:30 a.m., Mat-Su River Park on March 30 between 5 and 6 p.m., and Thunderbird Falls on March 30 and April 1 between 6:00 p.m., and 7:00 p.m.

“There are no suspects or leads at this time. The public is encouraged to lock vehicles and conceal items of value when not attended. Anyone with tips or leads for this crime are encouraged to contact Trooper dispatch at 352-5401,” reads a post on the Department of Public Safety daily dispatch regarding the theft from Reflections Lake on April 2.

The Mat-Su Borough has attempted to mitigate the problem with game cameras hidden near the entrances of trails to catch thieves in the act. There are a couple problems with this method, according to Phillips, who said nearly as often as cameras are dispersed at any one of the dozens of trails around the borough, they are stolen. Phillips said that the West Butte (stairs side), Jim Creek, and Lazy Mountain trailheads are among those hit most often. Beyond the theft of game cameras, thieves have become prone to stealing infrared counters that monitor how many people use the trails. The trail monitors have no use to anyone not collecting data on the trail use, but Phillips believes that they are being stolen when mistook to be a camera by thieves.

“A lot of the frustration that the public is having, in many ways we share the same frustrations in terms of the damaged and stolen property,” Phillips said.

Phillips would like to come up with steel enclosures to house the monitors at least, if not the cameras, but thieves have also become resourceful enough to break into fee stations made of thick steel. The portable cameras have to be placed in an area that can see the entrance, but not too visible to be easily noticed and stolen by thieves. Phillips said that they had recently placed a game camera at a trailhead disguised brilliantly and positioned high up in a tree. Someone cut the tree to steal the camera.

See this Frontiersman story from August of 2018 for more information on trailhead safety.

https://www.frontiersman.com/news/helpless-hikers-thefts-continue-at-popular-local-trailheads/article_419b070c-acec-11e8-85e7-9bd062f6b10b.html

Contact Frontiersman reporter Tim Rockey at tim.rockey@frontiersman.com.