Secure your valuables before hiking

The hike is magnificent -- the views of the Three Sisters are spectacular, the wildflowers are beautiful, the breeze off the lake is soothing.

Pleasantly tired, you come off the trail with your boots crunching on the gravel of the trailhead parking area. Then you see it -- the glint of shattered glass where your driver's-side window used to be.

Your car has been ransacked; the stereo and CDs are gone; the coat you decided not to take with you is missing. Worst of all, your purse with your credit cards and cash has been taken.

Trailhead theft and vandalism is a chronic problem in recreation areas like Sisters, according to Black Butte Ranch Police Chief Gil Zaccaro.

Hikers -- visitors and locals alike -- should take precautions to avoid being victimized.

"If you present a thief with an opportunity to make you a victim, they will be happy to take advantage of it," Zaccaro said.

The first rule is to lock and secure your car. Some will advise you to go ahead and leave a window open so that someone doesn't break it to get into your car.

"I don't know where that stuff started, but I don't subscribe to it," Zaccaro said. "Anything you can do to delay entry into your vehicle, you're better off."

Zaccaro offered several tips to avoid becoming a victim of trailhead break-ins and theft:

• Don't leave valuables in view -- objects such as wallets, purses, cameras, CD players, leather jackets and bags or backpacks that may contain these items.

• Do not leave your ID or credit cards in your vehicle. Motor vehicle break-ins are a gold mine for identity theft.

• Avoid high-risk areas. Ask local law enforcement or Forest Service law enforcement about security at trailheads you are planning to use.

• If you are a local, leave your purses and wallets at home.

"One horse person I know only carries her driver's license and a few dollars in cash in her pocket on trail rides," Zaccaro noted.

• If you are a visitor, leave your valuables in your room or wherever you are staying.

• If you can, remove your stereo or CD equipment and leave it at home. Leave your console empty and open.

• Organize before you reach the trailhead. Do not spend time at the trailhead stuffing your pack and exposing your equipment to probing eyes. Be trail-ready and move smartly when arriving at the trailhead.

• If you must leave valuables in the vehicle, conceal them thoroughly.

• If possible, use a shuttle or carpool to the trailhead. Limiting the number of vehicles at the trailhead will cut down on traffic and present less of an opportunity for thieves.

• If possible, hike to the trailhead, leaving your vehicle in a less-isolated spot.

• Park your vehicle with the trunk facing the most exposed and busiest part of the parking lot.

• A sun screen can shield your car interior from prying eyes -- and it does double duty keeping the vehicle cool.

According to Zaccaro, thieves are especially attracted to vehicles with out-of-state license plates. Someone who is on the road is likely to have their possessions in their vehicle.

"An indication that you are traveling is an invitation to thieves," Zaccaro said.

If you are from Oregon, remove out-of-area license plate dealer frames, which may indicate that you are not a local resident.

• Trust your instincts. If you arrive at the trailhead and something just doesn't look or feel right, leave. Report your observations to the local law enforcement or the Forest Service.

Security precautions are a good idea away from the trail as well. Don't leave your vehicle running while you dash into a store for a quick purchase.

"On a recent family outing a friend of mine was victimized while eating in a restaurant during broad daylight," Zaccaro said. "They had parked at a large chain fast-food store and had left their camera in plain view in their car. The car was backed into a parking slot away from the busy area of the restaurant. When they returned in a few minutes, their car window was broken with a rock and their camera was gone. Nothing else in the car was touched!"

Thefts are uncommon at local resorts -- but many people lose valuables.

"When they're here on vacation, they're focused on having a good time," Zaccaro said.

Watches and jewelry are left at pools; wallets go missing. To avoid such problems, Zaccaro advises visitors to leave valuables in their room while on an outing.