Backpacking Gear Theft

[gpburdelljr]

I have seen several threads where people have offered opinions about whether theft is a problem on the trail, or in trail towns. I would like to hear from people that have actually had things stolen. What were the circumstances? What would you do different?

[Train Wreck]

My heart got stolen by a white blaze on my first AT section hike more than 20 years ago. Over 1600 miles later I am still looking for it

[RF_ace]

If is really concerns you, just get a pacsafe security web, I have one, works great; keeps things from walking off unless they have tin snips

[moldy]

a guy I was hiking with had his little gas stove stolen from a busy shelter by one of our fellow hikers. He left the stove out over night..

[Old Hiker]

Had a couple of Mountain House meals stolen at Standing Bear. Thought there were enough people around to deter theft while I was in the shower.

[swjohnsey]

I had a jar of peanut butter a pack of flour tortillas stolen from a mail drop left outside the outfitter in Hot Spring.

[Slo-go'en]

I'm starting to see a pattern - all the thefts involve food

[Coosa]

Friend had her mail drop "appropriated" by a couple of people she was hiking with when she had to go to the hospital a few days into her Thru Hike. The boxes were at an outfitter and one of the girls went there and claimed to be my friend. The outfitter never asked for proof of identity. Then these hikers took the boxes to a hostel they'd all stayed at and where they had met up. The hostel owner helped the other two people repackage the boxes for the other hikers own use. My friend's NAME was clearly labeled on the boxes, so she believes that the hostel owner had to know that the boxes did not belong to the other girls.

When my friend got out of the hospital and called the outfitter, the people working at the outfitter admitted they'd given the other hikers her boxes and when she told them that they should have asked for proper ID 'like the Post Office' ... the outfitter employees stated that "they weren't the Post Office."

The two girls who 'appropriated' my friend's boxes admitted to taking them and told her "well, it was just food" ... as if that made it okay. They never apologized or offered to pay her for the food.

I won't name the outfitter or the hostel ...

Coosa

[Slo-go'en]

I won't name the outfitter or the hostel ...

I wouldn't blame the outfitter or hostel either. They can't keep track of that stuff with an endless parade of people passing through everyday. If you know the given name written on a box, it must be yours - or someone you know. Which was apparently the case here.

[turtle fast]

I had not "seen it" but came up on a family at the Molly Denton Shelter whom were out for 3 weeks hiking whom had their food bag and cash/credit cards in a smaller bag in it stolen while bear bagged at a nearby shelter (cant remember the name but the domed hexagonish one near the river) and in the middle of the night was stolen not by a bear but someone who came into camp and untied it all....suspects were a quasi transient trio of "hikers".

[curtisvowen]

Had a couple of Mountain House meals stolen at Standing Bear. Thought there were enough people around to deter theft while I was in the shower.

Sorry hear that happened to you Old Hiker during your stay with me.
Happens from GA-MA.
There's plenty of gaps with road crossings between here and there my cousin Bubba would have gone up and retrieved your food.....
#1 rule is never leave your pack and/or anything else that you have unattended. It sucks. There's no honor but that's the way it is.
Its sucks the theiving but that's reality on the trail.

[leaftye]

I'm starting to see a pattern - all the thefts involve food

[curtisvowen]

[QUOTE=gpburdelljr;1454289]I have seen several threads where people have offered opinions about whether theft is a problem on the trail, or in trail towns. I would like to hear from people that have actually had things stolen. What were the circumstances? What would you do different?[/QUOTE
Stuff getting stolen happens but overall the AT is the safest place to be. I'd not worry about it. Just watch your stuff and be aware of your surroundings no matter where you are.

[curtisvowen]

The best thief was around the, I can't remember but 2002-04 season. It involved food.
You'd get to the next tent or shelter site and you find that a "portion" of you food is gone. You'd buy 6 ramons at xyz place, get down the trail to your next tent/shelter site and find out that you only have 4 or 3 ramons. You start doubting yourself about what you bought 2-4 days ago and just chaulk it up as "I don't remember".
I know how he did it but I'm not telling.
Dear Lone Wolf I see what you're saying about sleeping with my food. Thanks bro.

[max patch]

I was at the last shelter before Damascus when a middle aged couple discovered that something had been stolen from their pack sometime while they were there. They were certain that Harry the Indian was the thief. They accused, he denied, and eventually everyone left the shelter. While at The Place the couple called the police and reported that Harry the Indian had stolen something from their pack. While the police were interviewing Harry the Indian -- oopsie -- the couple discovered that the item was just mispacked and had been in their backpack the whole time.

[10-K]

The water source at Hogback Ridge Shelter is a good 0.25 miles down a side trail. I hiked up to the shelter one afternoon and a bunch of guys were already there.

I started off down the trail to fill up my water bottle and one of the guys actually said I was crazy for wearing my pack all the way down there when I could walk without it.

I told him, "No, what would be crazy would be leaving my pack here for 20 minutes with a bunch of people I'd never met."

[peakbagger]

I have seen several reports over the years where folks insisted that stuff was stolen and it turned out they had misplaced it or they had given in away or lost it when drunk or drugged. They are real good about telling everyone it was stolen but very quiet when it turns out it was there fault.

[WingedMonkey]

I had not "seen it" but came up on a family at the Molly Denton Shelter whom were out for 3 weeks hiking whom had their food bag and cash/credit cards in a smaller bag in it stolen while bear bagged at a nearby shelter (cant remember the name but the domed hexagonish one near the river) and in the middle of the night was stolen not by a bear but someone who came into camp and untied it all....suspects were a quasi transient trio of "hikers".

Are you saying they bear bagged their cash and credit cards with their food?

[10-K]

Are you saying they bear bagged their cash and credit cards with their food?

I wondered about that too.....

[Old Hiker]

Sorry hear that happened to you Old Hiker during your stay with me.
Happens from GA-MA.
There's plenty of gaps with road crossings between here and there my cousin Bubba would have gone up and retrieved your food.....
#1 rule is never leave your pack and/or anything else that you have unattended. It sucks. There's no honor but that's the way it is.
Its sucks the theiving but that's reality on the trail.

PM'ed you with the following, but I want other people to know. Not saying I was in trouble, as I was carrying too much food, but I would have NEVER asked you to bail me out with a minor problem like that. Thanks!

Gotta ask though, "Bubba"???

Hey, Curtis!

Saw your response to my entry on the thread - no big whoop. I had my pack open and semi-spread out. I should have packed it back up.

Your place was pretty nice - I did a large sink of dishes and cleaned the kitchen area and you guys let me wash my clothes and take a shower while waiting on a mail drop that I beat to the hostel. Ya'll were MORE than helpful.

Looking forward to passing through again in 2016! See ya then.