DRAW THIEF CAUGHT AT PRIMO WALL!!!

First the important information: I caught a thief red-handed trying to rob the Primo wall of draws in Clear Creek Canyon today around 5 o'clock.He drives a silver Mercury Sable station wagon with South Carolina plates. I saw a random assortment of gear in his car (crash pad, ice axes, draws, cams, etc) and he was looking around our vehicles which makes me believe he's also breaking into cars at the base of crags. Lock your cars up and be on the lookout for this guy! I filed a police report so the cops are also keeping their eyes open for him, but unless they catch him breaking into a car or with your gear there isn't much they can do. Spread the word and keep an eye out! I posted a pic of his car at the bottom.

And now the story for those who are interested: While climbing at Primo early in the day a guy came cruising past us at the base of the wall without any climbing gear or a pack and wasn't very 'chatty'. Didn't think much of it until I went up the hill to try my project and the first draw was gone! I had been there yesterday until dark working it so I knew it disappeared today, and instantly thought the guy we had seen was the thief. We saw a guy walking around the cars and hanging out on the road while we were climbing, but I wasn't quite sure it was the same guy we saw earlier in the day. When we began to pack up to leave I saw him watching us and then get in his car and take off as we threw our packs on, which made me even more suspicious that this was the guy who took my draw.

I started to head down the canyon but had this bad feeling that this guy was just waiting for us to leave and then go back to Primo and steal more draws. I parked halfway down the canyon, waited ten minutes, then went back up to Primo to see if he had returned. Well there were no cars parked there so I just kept going up canyon to head back to Denver on I-70. I pulled around the bend and there was his car parked at the bridge! I took a look in his car and saw a lot of random climbing gear in the back and a pair of wet socks, so I got his plate number then went back to Primo to see if I could spot him.

When I pulled up and got out of my truck I saw the guy run behind a tree and try to hide! I couldn't believe it! - I yelled to him and told him I knew what he was doing and to come out from behind the tree. I gave him two options; one - he could leave the draws and I wouldn't call the police, or two he could keep hiding and I'd meet him back at his car with the cops. Well he just kept hiding, so I called a friend trying to figure out what to do with this joker. After a few minutes I decided to try again. I yelled to him again that I knew what he was doing, and if he left the draws where I could see them and just left I wouldn't call the cops; I'd give him the chance to do the right thing. This time he came out, laid the draws on a rock, and took off back towards his car. I went back to my truck and grabbed my waiters, crossed the creek and went and grabbed the draws. That prick left three draws, but none of them were mine!! I cruised back across the creek and after a minute decided against going back to his car and confronting him about my draw, and called the police instead. I filed a report and they're now aware of the guy and on the lookout for him in the canyon.

The three draws I did retrieve were from Sucking and Primeval (we had even took the first draw off primeval and clipped it to the second to prevent it from being taken!) and I will put them back on those climbs when I return this weekend. Spread the word, I know a few people who have had draws robbed off anarchy wall in the past few months as well.

I don't know if this guy is breaking into cars as well or just stripping draws off walls, but he was looking in our vehicles today and the random gear in his car makes me think he is. Heads up.

One of the best stories I've heard on this site. I'm going to start carrying a hunting bow when I go to climb...

Willa wrote:"Don't leave your draws and they won't get stolen"

+1

Yes I have a plate number and I did file a report with police.

And this topic isn't to incite a meaningless debate about leaving up draws or not, it's to inform you that someone is stealing climbing gear and you should lock up your cars and be on the lookout.

hell yeah, jay! hopefully he didn't seem like the violent type. i'll def be keeping my eye out for this jackhole.

How was he stealing draws without any gear? Doesn't he at least need a rope to rap down? Or does he only steal the first one off each route?

yeah he had taken the first draw or two off of at least three routes, but he also had a small backpack the second time I saw him so maybe he had gear, I dunno.

Did he look like a leprechaun?

Jay, that is crazy! Glad you just called the cops and didn't try to confront him too much. Was he older or younger? Interesting that he had out-of-state plates. The whole fixed draws debate isn't really what this is about------this guy sounds like he maybe does this often with all of the random stuff you saw in his car, and it's really good to have a heads-up about that. Yikes.

Thanks for the heads-up and hopefully he won't be trolling Clear Creek anymore!

Dan Mottinger wrote:Did he look like a leprechaun?

Seriously - there was a post on here a few months ago w/ video of this nasty looking little thief that resembled a white-trash leprechaun. I wonder if it might be the same guy.

I wouldn't take too much comfort in the fact that you filed a police report. Even if they say they will be on the lookout for him in the canyon, they aren't going to give two shits about some guy taking climbing gear. The only time police would even confront the guy is if they see him smash a window with their own eyes. BTW, can you post the license plate # so we will know who it is if we see his shitty car?

I was at Primo earlier with Jay when this started and also got a look at the guy briefly while I was getting on my route, and no, it was not the ginger leprechaun caught stealing gear at Smith this year. He had dark brown hair, was bigger, and did not have a funny hat.

Talked with Jay later in the day about the incident and we both felt letting the police handle everything and not divulging license plate #'s to the world was the best approach. We should probably avoid becoming clear creek climbing vigilantes. Now that there is a police report on this guy, should be easy to catch him if he tries anything in the future.

Police wont do shit. At least divulge the license plate # so if people see the car they will know to be extra careful with their stuff. The way you left it now, every silver car of that make will be under suspicion.

Thats good news!

M Sprague wrote: every silver car of that make will be under suspicion.

Jay Samuelson wrote: Mercury Sable station wagon with South Carolina plates.

that should pretty much narrow it down...

Seems to me that this wouldn't be happening if (some) people didn't think that the climbing community was such an easy target. I mean, you don't see people walking around the rodeo stealing spurs and belt buckles.. because the cowboys would whoop ASS if someone got caught stealing a gold plated belt buckle the size of their red-headed step daughters beer belly. I think a good ass whooping would go a long way here. Remember, CCC is in Golden, Colorado: Where the West Lives!

Phil Lauffen wrote:One of the best stories I've heard on this site. I'm going to start carrying a hunting bow when I go to climb...

I don't know what carry laws are like in CO but they are CRAZY liberal here in AZ. Anyone (except prohibited possessors-as in felons) can carry a concealed weapon here without a license. It used to be anyone could carry openly without a license but now even concealed. The point is I ALWAYS carry a gun with me when I am out in the woods/desert (actually just always). If you want to carry something for self defense I would recommend a handgun instead of a bow. Not that a bow is any less of a lethal instrument but if you (gods forbid) end up in a situation where you need to use it a gun will give you a chance to actually use it fast enough to be effective. Nocking an arrow, drawing it, and firing accurately and fast enough to affect a situation in which lethal force would be needed is highly unlikely. Also if you need to draw on someone stealing your gear I don't know that a bow would have the desired effect. Just my $.02.

NickMartel wrote: I don't know what carry laws are like in CO but they are CRAZY liberal here in AZ. Anyone (except prohibited possessors-as in felons) can carry a concealed weapon here without a license. It used to be anyone could carry openly without a license but now even concealed. The point is I ALWAYS carry a gun with me when I am out in the woods/desert (actually just always). If you want to carry something for self defense I would recommend a handgun instead of a bow. Not that a bow is any less of a lethal instrument but if you (gods forbid) end up in a situation where you need to use it a gun will give you a chance to actually use it fast enough to be effective. Nocking an arrow, drawing it, and firing accurately and fast enough to affect a situation in which lethal force would be needed is highly unlikely. Also if you need to draw on someone stealing your gear I don't know that a bow would have the desired effect. Just my $.02.

Agreed. This matter should be taken care of sans police, Wild West style. What a piece of shit that guy is. Glad to see other people flexing their rights to CCW.

I'm not some liberal anti gun hippie or anything, but if anyone shoots someone over stealing a flipping draw or even breaking into your car, you have some SERIOUS priority issues. A good thumping, maybe, but shooting someone? please.

Yes wild west style. He was hiding behind a tree confirming guilt. I cant wait to read one of these posts where the thief gets his ass beat. Those who operate outside the law do not deserve any lawful consideration.

Rob Eison wrote:I was at Primo earlier with Jay when this started and also got a look at the guy briefly while I was getting on my route, and no, it was not the ginger leprechaun caught stealing gear at Smith this year. He had dark brown hair, was bigger, and did not have a funny hat...

Odd that both thieves appear to be from the South. Guy at Smith, as I recall, had a southern accent, yeah?

Not likely the police are going to do much about stolen draws as even a 20 draw route is not likely to top $200 in value.

Breaking into cars, that's another matter. But who wants to spend their climbing time trying to bust a fxxxwad?

Paul Davidson wrote: Odd that both thieves appear to be from the South. Guy at Smith, as I recall, had a southern accent, yeah? Not likely the police are going to do much about stolen draws as even a 20 draw route is not likely to top $200 in value. Breaking into cars, that's another matter. But who wants to spend their climbing time trying to bust a fxxxwad?

dont go hatin' on dem sodern boys