Shaw Butte Vehicle Break-ins

 Date: Mon, 18 Jan 1999 17:12:24 -0700
 From: Kathy Sharp
 Subject: Important WARNING about Shaw Butte!
 

Last Friday night, one of our hikers had his car broken into while we were hiking. This is the third time this has happened in five years. Here is a warning I should have sent out a long time ago:

At the Shaw Butte parking lot, don't leave visible in your vehicle anything that might contain something valuable and can be grabbed quickly!

I'm going to add this warning to the after-work hike description. I'm so sorry I didn't do that sooner.

We haven't had any problem with leaving things in car trunks at Shaw Butte. The thieves appear to just be interested in things that they can see and can grab quickly. I don't know of any break-ins for car radios or anything like that.

If you're interested in more details (minus names):

• The first thief pried the lock out of a minivan and stole my gym bag and the minivan owner's jacket. I figure the gym bag is what got the thief's attention, and I had "hidden" my purse in the gym bag. (The thief took my cash, credit cards, mace, calculator, candy, etc., and left the rest by the side of the road in Scottsdale. He was witnessed forging my signature--a felony, but he wasn't caught.)

• The second thief broke a hiker's window and grabbed her purse, leaving behind some expensive equipment. She thought maybe the strap of her purse was showing from underneath her seat. I think she was parked near a parking lot light.

• The third thief broke a hiker's window and took his briefcase. He had papers in it that were very valuable to him, but he had hiked with his wallet.

Kathy