Theft at Dahlgren Campground in Maryland

[Don H]

A group of 10 scouts had their packs rifled through and several items stolen during the night of Wednesday June 22 at Dahlgren Campground. Every pack appeared to have been searched and the following items were taken; 1 pair of trekking poles, 2 Platypus bladders and 1 set of Frogg Toggs rain gear. Interesting that several expensive items such as a Patagonia down sweater and 2 Snow Peak Giga stoves were moved but not taken. The scouts continued their hike to Blackburn TC having learned a life lesson and being grateful more was not taken.

[egilbe]

Sounds like a homeless person was shopping for what they needed. Robbing boy scouts is pretty bad.

[Gambit McCrae]

This reminded me of this...Think he has gotten parole?

direct link below
http://www.whiteblaze.net/forum/show...lone?highlight=

[Don H]

Sounds like a homeless person was shopping for what they needed. Robbing boy scouts is pretty bad.

Never seen a homeless person using hiking poles

The scouts took it in stride. They are preparing for a 10 day backpacking trip at Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. All good kids who have worked hard to prepare for this trip.

[scrabbler]

During the night? Every pack? How is that even possible?

[Don H]

Packs are left outside the tents at night. This is the method they must use at Philmont Scout Reservation, which is what they are practicing for. They have lots of policies at Philmont, most to address bear activity. No packs or gear other than sleeping bags and pads are allowed in the tents. They even specify "sleeping clothes" only in tents to avoid food smells picked up during meals.

[Slo-go'en]

Those boy scouts must be very sound sleepers not to have heard or seen anything. Going through 10 packs has to make a fair amount of noise and a flashlight would also be required. And what an odd assortment of things to go missing. The kinds of things which can get misplaced pretty easily. Sorry, I just don't buy this story.

[OkeefenokeeJoe]

Boy Scouts are children and children usually sleep very soundly at night, particularly after an active day. Furthermore, Scouts are generally very trustworthy of adults (or those they perceive as adults) and lack the maturity of adult awareness. I can easily see how a group of Scouts would ignore (or discount) sounds of someone rummaging around the camp. Accordingly, I accept the story as most likely an occurrence and would, without further evidence, speculate the perpetrator(s) to be 20-something trail vagrant/vagabond millennials (you've seen them and know to whom I am referring) who have no morals or values and who beg, borrow, and steal every day for their existence.

Hopefully, these scouts have learned a valuable life lesson.

OkeefenokeeJoe

[MuddyWaters]

Those boy scouts must be very sound sleepers not to have heard or seen anything. Going through 10 packs has to make a fair amount of noise and a flashlight would also be required. And what an odd assortment of things to go missing. The kinds of things which can get misplaced pretty easily. Sorry, I just don't buy this story.

My first thought too. Poles arent in packs either.

Packs would be piled up under rain tarp, basically empty.
Water containers should have been in fire ring.

[GlitterHiker]

Did any other camper have anything taken? I'm thinking that campground could've been pretty full.

[SWODaddy]

I hate Maryland.

[rafe]

Dahlgren campground is way too close to the road for my comfort. It was several years ago, but there was a shady, kinda spooky bike-hiker with a nasty dog staying there the night I was there. I wasn't sure who was more likely to bite -- the dog, or its owner. Gave them both a wide berth.

[4shot]

I hate Maryland.

I don't hate any particular state or city in and of themselves. The places are ok.It's the $#%^*& people that make them so bad. What kind of human being would steal from a Boy Scout??? OTOH, one nice and oft ignored aspect of hiking for really long distances is that your pack and gear get to stinking so bad that another sane human being wouldn't dream of touching them.

[Don H]

Those boy scouts must be very sound sleepers not to have heard or seen anything. Going through 10 packs has to make a fair amount of noise and a flashlight would also be required. And what an odd assortment of things to go missing. The kinds of things which can get misplaced pretty easily. Sorry, I just don't buy this story.

Sorry you don't buy the story. What would be the point of making something like this up?

[Don H]

My first thought too. Poles arent in packs either.

Packs would be piled up under rain tarp, basically empty.
Water containers should have been in fire ring.

The group was following Philmont policy which is that all packs are under a tarp at night which is located near the cooking area away from the tents. (I've been to Philmont twice). Also all the packs would have been in a pack line, one neat line with each leaning against the next. The packs were all moved and some were left open. I'm assuming the poles that were not being used to pitch tents were also under the tarp as well.

It wouldn't be hard for someone to slip under the tarp hidden from view, away from the boys sleeping in their tents, and quietly search the packs.

I told the boys that the AT is a microcosm of the world we live in and sometimes these things happen.

[Slo-go'en]

Sorry you don't buy the story. What would be the point of making something like this up?

I don't know, but it just doesn't make a lot of sense. The missing items are things which are easily misplaced by inattentive kids and the packs could have been disturbed by an animal. I find that scenario much more likely then someone sneaking under a tarp in the middle of the night to rummage through packs and steal a couple of water bladders and a set of frog togs.

Were you part of this group and witnessed it personally or are you relating something which was told to you?

[JumpMaster Blaster]

Packs are left outside the tents at night. This is the method they must use at Philmont Scout Reservation, which is what they are practicing for. They have lots of policies at Philmont, most to address bear activity. No packs or gear other than sleeping bags and pads are allowed in the tents. They even specify "sleeping clothes" only in tents to avoid food smells picked up during meals.

Why wouldn't/didn't they hang the packs. Wouldn't that be a more feasible method of animal-proofing your pack. Not to criticize them or the leaders, just curious.

Sucks that someone would do this, but I bet they definitely saw a golden opportunity-hikers separated from their gear with no one near.

[mikec]

I'm sorry that this happened to the scouts. I camped at Dahlgren just last month with no issues.

[Don H]

I was not with the group. I'm the Scoutmaster, my three Assistant Scoutmaster were with the group and are going to Philmont with them. The Lead Adult was the first to relate the story to me. I met the group upon their return at our meeting hall where they told me what happened.

The Frogg Toggs were in a pouch clipped with a carabiner to the outside of the pack, not something likely to be undone by an animal. Other packs were opened with nothing taken.

I could see an animal knocking over packs if there was food in them but all the food was hung.

Seems to me someone saw an opportunity and took only what they needed. What's odd is they didn't take anything of real value except the poles, and left may valuable items including the packs, stoves other sets of poles, etc., most of it relatively new gear.

[Don H]

I'm sorry that this happened to the scouts. I camped at Dahlgren just last month with no issues.

Thanks mikec. I've camped at Dahlgren many times and never had a problem either. I think it's an isolated incident but as anyone who hikes the AT knows there are occasional incidents of theft. This was relatively minor, the few items taken will be replaced.