Truck Broken Into Conejos County Colorado

[Steve B]

Hi Folks,

Not sure if this is appropriate for the Tech section ...

My 2003 Land Cruiser was broken into sometime overnight Thurs Aug 18 - 19 at the Red Lake Trailhead in Conejos County at the edge of the South San Juan Wilderness. At the time, I was camped up high about 5 miles away.

The thugs broke the back window and the driver's side window. They took my spare wheel and tire (285-65-18 Nitto Terra Grappler on an 18-8 Tundra Wheel), a 3-gallon Rotopax, an X-Jack and a Powerall battery jump pack.

I'm thinking this stuff would be pretty rare and hard to sell down in the area, especially the wheel and tire since it pretty much only fits a Land Cruiser or a Tundra. I'm hoping my fellow Colorado 'Mudders can keep an eye out on Craigslist and other message boards for these items.

I'm not too concerned about getting the stuff back but rather trying to catch these guys. In talking to the Sheriff's Deputy, these little s***heads have been running around the area breaking into vehicles at remote trailheads and people's homes for the last couple of years.

If you see any of this stuff posted for sale, please PM me or contact Deputy Sisneros with the Conejos County Sheriff's Office.

Thanks,
Steve

Spare Wheel looked like this - Nitto Terra Grappler 285-65-18 on Tundra 18x8 Wheel

3-Gallon Rotopax

X-Jack

Powerall Jump Pack

 

[mervo]

I hope these fu**ers get hit by the next 18 wheeler that comes their way. #zerotoleranceforthieves

I'll keep my eyes peeled on Craigslist for your stuff.

 

[ponytl]

Sucks sorry it happened... I've had several where they ripped the dash out for a $70 radio... even had them bust a window out of an unlocked door...
sorry

 

[Steve B]

Thanks guys. It does suck but I'll get over it. Stuff can be replaced and the glass fixed. It seems so senseless, plus they left behind a ham radio and an iPad I use for nav. Just weird.

@ponytl ... Thanks. Sorry to hear. Sounds like you have your own brand of idiots down there.

I need some recommendations on glass replacement. I'll post a new thread about that.

Steve

 

[Mike6158]

The SO needs to set up trail cams and a "dummy car" and catch those sorry SOB's... Man stuff like this irritates the crap out of me

 

[abuck99]

s***ty thing to happen- it's expected in the city but wouldn't have thought you'd get a smash n grab in the wilderness.

@Mike6158 I immediately thought the same thing: cameras.

Now that you know what to expect, might strap a game camera up nearby if you're planning to leave the truck in a remote spot for multi days. Won't stop the theft, but you might catch them.

You can set up "google alerts" for the gear that was stolen if it pops up for sale on CL somewhere.

Hope you catch those basteges

 

[Steve B]

@abuck99 Thanks for the tip on Google Alerts. I'll do that.

Part of it is naïveté on my part. I've been hiking and climbing in Colorado since the early 80s, parking at dozens of trailheads and never had a problem. The thought has always crossed my mind but I was probably lulled into complacency. It sucks that we have to be paranoid leaving a vehicle for a few days to enjoy the backcountry, but I guess this is the new normal in Colorado. Hopefully this is a heads up to others to be smart.

Lesson learned, and I'll be doing things differently in the future for damn sure. The game cameras are a good idea.

Talking to Conejos County SO, they just don't have the resources to patrol all of these backcountry trailheads. They have three deputies and one Sheriff for 8000 people across 1300 square miles, most of it mountains and wilderness. It is truly like walking back in time to the old west down there.

 

[Rigger]

I am sorry this happened.

It'd be nice to see the jerks caught and locked up.

 

[jamesg]

Sorry to hear. I will keep my eyes open as well. I'm not too far from ya. Just a thought, I moved here in 1979, since then the Denver metro area has gone mad! I hate it. People are rude, impatient, no attention spans. I'm 60, when my wife and I retire, we're are headed to Gunnison, or Wyoming.

 

[Steve B]

@jamesg ... Good to hear from another Hwy 285 dweller! I agree. Been here since 1980 and the madness around the Front Range is getting to be a little more than I can stand. I'm thinking down south around Durango or Pagosa when we retire. I love Gunnison too. Maybe we'll see you around in the supermarket parking lot. Look for the Hundy with the busted windows!

 

[El Cid]

Sorry to hear about this and yeah, I'm intrigued that someone is dumb enough to do this in that type of a location. It happens in big cities because crooks feel anonymous. In a rural area, it's a different mindset.

 

[jamesg]

@jamesg ... Good to hear from another Hwy 285 dweller! I agree. Been here since 1980 and the madness around the Front Range is getting to be a little more than I can stand. I'm thinking down south around Durango or Pagosa when we retire. I love Gunnison too. Maybe we'll see you around in the supermarket parking lot. Look for the Hundy with the busted windows!

Good old Aspen Park King Soopers

 

[Steve B]

@El Cid ... yeah it kind of fascinates me too. I got the impression that the SO and locals knew who the kids were but they just don't have the resources to do the investigative work to charge them with these crimes. There are also a rash of home break-ins in the local towns and people are frustrated. Apparently the kids wait and watch until a family goes to church on Sunday and then break into the homes. These are close knit hispanic communities where people trust one another and don't lock their doors, and live by an old set of values. Now modern crime and drugs have found their way there.

In my case, I can only figure it's drugs or mischief ... The things they took from me won't be easy to sell. I'm thinking the intent was for drugs but they'll quickly find out they ended up with a worthless pile of junk. They left an iPad I use for navigation and a ham radio?? The SO admitted that all it's going to take is someone sleeping in their truck at the trailhead with a firearm and things won't end so pretty.

 

[drmwvr]

That sucks. I hope they catch them. ;(

 

[El Cid]

@El Cid ... yeah it kind of fascinates me too. I got the impression that the SO and locals knew who the kids were but they just don't have the resources to do the investigative work to charge them with these crimes. There are also a rash of home break-ins in the local towns and people are frustrated. Apparently the kids wait and watch until a family goes to church on Sunday and then break into the homes. These are close knit hispanic communities where people trust one another and don't lock their doors, and live by an old set of values. Now modern crime and drugs have found their way there.

In my case, I can only figure it's drugs or mischief ... The things they took from me won't be easy to sell. I'm thinking the intent was for drugs but they'll quickly find out they ended up with a worthless pile of junk. They left an iPad I use for navigation and a ham radio?? The SO admitted that all it's going to take is someone sleeping in their truck at the trailhead with a firearm and things won't end so pretty.

My advice, leave something in a prime spot for them to steal with a GPS tracker. Don't go so far as to confront anyone, but I'm betting the coordinates will take you right to the king pin or the place where the goods are stolen.

you're absolutely correct about what you point out. this is haphazard and not well thought out. Not likely to be sophisticated or professional, but dangerous nonetheless.

 

[abuck99]

My advice, leave something in a prime spot for them to steal with a GPS tracker. Don't go so far as to confront anyone, but I'm betting the coordinates will take you right to the king pin or the place where the goods are stolen.

you're absolutely correct about what you point out. this is haphazard and not well thought out. Not likely to be sophisticated or professional, but dangerous nonetheless.

Great idea. And leave the doors unlocked, it might help you avoid replacing and cleaning up the broken glass.

 

[Clutchee]

Park another car there and setup in trees with laser pointer.....

Bait car.....
Trust me when red dot on them they will do whatever you say!

 

[ToHiHy]

Those Bastards. Hopefully you can find some rear glass. Just ordered an OEM out of California on an insurance claim and it was the only one they had! 10 days ground ship to me in BC Canada?