Colorado Springs Burglars

Hey All,
Just thought I'd share, hoping it might save someone else the hassle. I was at the 31st trailhead lot for RRCOS on Sunday (6/29) morning at 6am. I met a friend there to hike our dogs. We were back at our cars at 7:20 or so. When we got back, my windows had been busted out of my car. They got everything (about 300 CD's...climbing gear etc.)BUT here's the worse part...and I bet some of you surely do the same thing...when I hike or climb, whatever, often I just take my car key and leave the rest of my keys in the console. I always tell myself this is likely not the smartest thing to do, but, yup, I still do it! Anyhow...now these peckers have my keys and my address because I'm pretty sure it's on information in your glove box. I rush home with a sick feeling in my gut, and there stands my house wide open. They got my wallet, cameras and some other stuff. They could have got allot more so I'm not boohooing or anything. It's just a hassle that could have, to some degree, been avoided. Anyhow the cops, that were GREAT by the way, told me the next day that they ended up having 10 or so more window smashings to investigate that morning.
Anyhow, sorry for the long story, just wanted to remind everyone of what we already know.......don't leave any keys or your wallet in your cars!
ps, I found out my insurance doesn't cover CD's...they have some small print exclusion for that. From now on I will keep a much smaller CD case in my car.

Take Care,
Tracy M

Wow, great cautionary tale. I'm really sorry to hear that happened. I hate thieves. They are, without a doubt, the lowest form of life on earth. If I had my druthers I'd have the death penalty for thieves. It's just so low down and gutless.

I hope the police get a break in this case or do a sting operation at the lot. Thieves get hooked on easy pickings and these people seem to be bold enough to try it again soon.

How frustrating! I hope they get what they deserve. What climbing gear did they steal? The rest of us climbers might be able to help you out if we see your things out there on somone elses rack.
I'm moving out to the area real soon and am looking at finding a place in Old Colorado City. It looks like a great area with RROS and the garden right there. It's really a bummer to hear this kind of thing going on.

good luck,
Jake

Looks like the meth-heads from Tennessee's T-Wall have moved on to greener pastures.

Ahhh that SUCKS!!! I hope these guys repeatedly slip, fall and smash their faces on some poor "innocent" bystanders' fist.

I had a similar experience on Father's Day two years ago. We were climbing The Rose on Whale's Tale and it was getting dark. Back then, the only lot was the main lot off of 24. When we pulled our rope, it got stuck, wedged in some mini rock gully. It took about 30 minutes of pulling, re-climbing, and other misc maneuvers to get it down. By then it was dark. When we arrived back at the car, someone grabbed my windows (open 1" for ventilation) and yanked them open further. There must have been some play even though they were electric. They got the passenger side open far enough to get an arm in and unlock the doors. Then it was a free-for all. A lot was gone through, but ultimately it was only my wallet (in the center console) that was taken.

I called to the police. It was a process, because each place I called tried to pass me off to another based on jurisdiction. Finally I got a cop to come over. He took prints off my windows (one benefit of that red dirt!) and said there have been a lot of break-ins lately. I thought that was going to be the end of it.

About a week later, I got a call from the McDonald's on 31st and Colorado. They found some IDs, Nat'l Parks Pass, and a few other cards in their dumpster. I was really surprised and happy to at least get a few things back. I have a feeling I was really lucky.

Now I always close the windows and never leave anything of value in the car. I also try not to visit that close to sunset.

I wish you the same luck and I hope your stuff is recovered.

Wow Tracy. I'm so sorry to hear that happened to you. I tend to leave my keys as well. I won't be doing that anymore. Thanks for the heads up!

Had a colleague that kept having his stereo yanked and window smashed. So, he thought "I'll get them" and taped razor blades to the bottom of his stereo. All he ended up with was another missing stereo, blood all over the inside of his car, and then they smashed out all of his windows. I'd say both he and the thiefs learned a lesson on that one.

Tracy -Sad news about your losses. Was all of your climbing gear stolen? Will your insurance cover you for a new rack? If not...... contact me and I could loan or give you some pieces to get a starter rack going . Maybe some other folks reading here could also step up and lend a hand. Sometimes our community can actually be okay folks. ......If you prod them a bit.
How about giving Tracy a little help here- Colorado Springs . Well ?

That sucks. Perhaps we'll get lucky and CSPD will throw up some cameras and signs as a deterant. In the mean time perhaps word should be gotten out that offenders caught by climbers will be kneecapped and dumped in the woods.

Yeah, that's bad juju. There have been a lot of break-ins at Red Rock. If you look in the parking lot...lots of glass. If I plan to be there late, I park in the big main lot. And of course, never ever leave anything of value in your vehicle. And, like in France, leave the glove box open. The same goes for the Section 16 Trailhead, Garden of the Gods south lot, and that 31st Street lot for RRC. Hope they catch those thievin' bastards...we could follow the code of the Old West and really put our climbing ropes to good use then!

I live on the west side, and my van was broken into last night. They stole the stereo, set the fire extinguisher off inside (which made an undescribable mess), and took a blow torch to the fridge. I am guessing it was meth head, and he thought the fridge was a safe.

Thus, I feel your pain.

I, too, would be happy to donate some gear to your cause if your rack was stolen. Contact me via a PM, and let me know what you need.

You're a trooper . . . what a personal affront! Glad to see you aren't letting the situation make you a victim. I used to live in the Springs (living in Manitou was better!) and was robbed on Christmas Eve. The methheads took electronics, DVDs, CDs, climbing gear, my girlfriend's board, and my lingerie . . . just kidding - my girlfriend's lingerie. Lingerie . . . really. That was pretty creepy. They didn't find my 12-gauge, and I went through the house looking for them.

I've heard that Colorado Springs has a higher crime/violent crime rate than both New York and Los Angeles. The surrounding rock makes it worth the risk, though. I'm more afraid of the north side of the Springs. Hope you have Homeowner's Insurance . . . if so, THEY DIDN'T TAKE ANYTHING FROM THE VEHICLE . . . ALL OF YOUR VALUABLES WERE IN YOUR HOME. Wink. Wink. Nod. Wink. (Subtle, huh?)

I think your homeowners policy extends to possessions stolen from your car (unless installed as part of the car like a CD player, etc.). But I think climbing gear would be covered, subject to the deductible, of course.

Agent Chumley wrote: I've heard that Colorado Springs has a higher crime/violent crime rate than both New York and Los Angeles.

New York, New York: Murder ranking 50, Property Crime Rate 1879, Violent Crime Rate 637

Los Angeles: Murder ranking 31, Property Crime Rate 2718, Violent Crime Rate 786

Colorado Springs: Murder ranking 62, Property Crime Rate 4797, Violent Crime Rate 569

So it seems we excel in property crime, at least the reported kind.

Rankings and Rates, apples and oranges, I'm all confused.

BrettPierce wrote:I live on the west side, and my van was broken into last night. They stole the stereo, set the fire extinguisher off inside (which made an indescribable mess), and took a blow torch to the fridge. I am guessing it was meth head, and he thought the fridge was a safe. Thus, I feel your pain.

I was readin this thread and it sucks that the gear got stolen; but what the?? Brett, I've never heard anything like this; did they fire off an m-80 up a cat's butt in the driver's seat also?

Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas, Nevada
The Bling, Bling burglar.

Beware of Blodgette Peak as well. I hike/run there some times, and there is consistently glass in the small parking lot. Someone got my car about a year ago.

Mark Nelson wrote: I was readin this thread and it sucks that the gear got stolen; but what the?? Brett, I've never heard anything like this; did they fire off an m-80 up a cat's butt in the driver's seat also?

It took the detailers 6 hours to clean up the mess. The guy said he has only seen cars that have dead animals worse than mine, so it probably a good thing the meth head didn't blow up a cat too.