Any problems with thievery on a thru-hike?

**The Doctor** · 01-31-2007, 19:44

I know most backpackers are honest/decent people with nothing but good intentions, but I was wondering if anybody has ever had a problem with missing/stolen items when camped out with a large(>15) group of thru-hikers mainly toward the beginning of the trek when everyone is not exactly familiar with eachother yet and a lot of unknown folk are around?

**Lone Wolf** · 01-31-2007, 20:01

nope. extremely rare. watch your stuff in towns.

**Touch of Grey** · 01-31-2007, 20:07

It my seem harsh for some to see or hear this but here goes...

Portect your home at all costs. I don't care how much you think you can trust someone, remember from the local newsmedia the stories of the guys and gals who were so docile and would never hurt anyone who unbeknowest to us were murdering, raping, robbing or other things right in our midst.

We all have pictures in our heads of what we think an honest person looks like and the same goes for the dishonest person too. The reality is that those stereotypes just don't hold water.

Your pack contains your house and safety for the entire time you are out on the trail. Keep it in your sight as much as possible. This is not to say that there are not good people out there and that you will not ever meet them.

Just remember an old saying, "Better safe than sorry"!

This may not be directly a part of this exact discussion, but here goes also...

I spent 30 years working in the automotive industry along side people who made the same exact amount of money per hour a day as I did. And yet, there were thieves in amongst that group of people who would steal a radio accidentally left unlocked over night, steal a lunch because they did not have any money left from their previous paycheck, the list goes on.

So again while for the most part the human race as a whole just wants to survive, don't let it be at your expense.

That's my ninety-eight cents worth, the hell with only giving two-cents!

TOG

**The Weasel** · 01-31-2007, 20:34

You will only have things stolen from you if you let things that are of value be stolen:

Never leave your pack alone. EVER. That includes not on the trail, not to take a whiz, not at a hostel, not at a shelter. The only exception is if you are in a motel and can lock the door. Not EVER.

The Weasel

**Jack Tarlin** · 01-31-2007, 20:40

The reality is that there wil be many times on the Trail when you leave your pack unattended.....when you go to get water, or go to the outhouse, or leave it in your tent while you go up to the shelter or fire pit to hang out with other hikers.

And 99.9% of the time you'll be fine.

Towns are different. Likewise, never "stash" your pack in the woods while you go into town or down the road to a store.

And use some common sense. Avoid carrying lots of cash; keep your wallet small so you can easily carry it. Wear shorts with good pockets. When going into a restaurant or supermarket or whatever, either take your valuables with you, or bury them deep in the pack, i.e. don't have them on the top of your pack or in a side pocket where they can be clipped in five seconds.

And you'll get really good antenna in regards to the folks you meet while in the woods. 99.9% wil be fine.

In those very rare other cases, trust your instincts.

But I agree with Wolf. Most of your risk is in town situations.

**Jester2000** · 01-31-2007, 20:41

I did have something stolen from me, but it was in town. There have been thieves on the trail from time to time, though.

I like to think that most petty thieves are too lazy to hike, and if you think about it, someone with their own gear is probably not interested in having to carry yours. But as stated by the previous posters it's better, I think, to be safe than sorry.

One precaution I always took was to make sure that I always had my wallet on me if my pack was out of sight. My reasoning was that at least that way I'd have money to go home.

**Jack Tarlin** · 01-31-2007, 20:43

Oh, one thing I forgot.

Avoid leaving your lady friends unattended around Jester.

He steals hearts.

**The Weasel** · 01-31-2007, 20:45

Originally Posted by Jack Tarlin

The reality is that there wil be many times on the Trail when you leave your pack unattended.....when you go to get water, or go to the outhouse, or leave it in your tent while you go up to the shelter or fire pit to hang out with other hikers. ***

Jack's advice is good, but I pretty consistently didn't leave my pack unattended unless it was in a locked room or under the eye of a close friend that I was confident could be trusted. That included water runs or privy trips. Beyond that, it wasn't out of my sight. Even took it to church in towns.

The Weasel

**trlhiker** · 01-31-2007, 21:47

How about when you go into town and get something to eat or grocery shop? Do they allow you to take packs inside the resaurants or stores?

**RAT** · 01-31-2007, 21:49

I all my years of hiking, I only had some snacks taken once when we left everything at Jerry Cabin one night to walk up to the grassy balds a mile away to enjoy the full moon and visuals, it was gone when we returned and only some thru hikers from canada were camping nearby.It was too big for mice to pack off, lol. No biggie, but I NEVER EVER leave my pack out of my site, not for water runs, privy visits, nothing unless I have a friend with me who can watch it. Only behind locked doors will it be left unattended and my cash is always on my person.

RAT

**RAT** · 01-31-2007, 21:51

How about when you go into town and get something to eat or grocery shop? Do they allow you to take packs inside the resaurants or stores?

No, but they will allow you to leave them at their service desk where they will watch it or at least be responsible for it while you shop. There is a sign in our local grocery store saying to do so since it is a college town, says please leave backpacks at service desk as they are not allowed in the store.

RAT

**trlhiker** · 01-31-2007, 21:54

Thanks for answering my question Rat. I had always wondered about that.

**rafe** · 01-31-2007, 21:55

Odd. I just haven't had any problems, with theivery... in thirty-odd years. Maybe there's an advatage to that geeky looking Camp Trails pack, after all. The pack's often unattended, for minutes at a time. I just don't worry about it much.

**The Weasel** · 01-31-2007, 21:55

Originally Posted by trlhiker

How about when you go into town and get something to eat or grocery shop? Do they allow you to take packs inside the resaurants or stores?

Usually, yes. If they do not, I ate or shopped elsewhere.

The Weasel

**handlebar** · 01-31-2007, 22:27

Originally Posted by Jack Tarlin

Towns are different. Likewise, never "stash" your pack in the woods while you go into town or down the road to a store.

There was a guy on the AT this summer that stashed his pack in the woods just above the roadwalk into Kent CT and had it stolen. He thought it was well hidden, but either someone saw him stash it or he hadn't hidden it as well as he thought. Towns really are different.

While I occasionally left my pack in a shelter while going to the privy or getting water, it was at a time when I was hiking with a group some of whom stayed behind. It was also well into my hike when I tended to know about everyone at the shelter.

There are some places that you'll have to leave your pack behind --- supermarkets or restaurants that won't let you bring the smelly rock inside. In that case, I tried to leave it where I could see it from inside and I always removed my hiker wallet and camera (as those were the most valuable things that could be fenced).

**Footslogger** · 01-31-2007, 22:28

There was a hiker on the trail in 2003 (and I use that term loosely when it comes to him) who had several trail names, one of which was "Elwood". He was stealing things out of hikers packs. Ended up getting caught at the Blackburn Center. They dumped his backpack and recovered a load of other hikers property.

Long story short ...it happens. But the trail community is close ...VERY CLOSE and it doesn't last very long.

'Slogger

**hopefulhiker** · 01-31-2007, 22:46

One thing about slackpacking is that you have to send your pack ahead somewhere sometimes basically on trust..

It is one thing that the purists have over the slack packers. They always know where their packs are..

I saw some instances of theft in 05. Two had their packs stolen during Trail days.

99.9% of hikers, i think are honest people...

**Lone Wolf** · 01-31-2007, 23:25

Originally Posted by hopefulhiker

It is one thing that the purists have over the slack packers. They always know where their packs are..

i ain't a purist and i've never slack-packed. watch your s**t.

**rafe** · 01-31-2007, 23:51

Originally Posted by L. Wolf

i ain't a purist and i've never slack-packed. watch your s**t.

So touchy...

**Blue Jay** · 02-01-2007, 01:21

Originally Posted by The Weasel

Jack's advice is good, but I pretty consistently didn't leave my pack unattended unless it was in a locked room or under the eye of a close friend that I was confident could be trusted. That included water runs or privy trips. Beyond that, it wasn't out of my sight. Even took it to church in towns.

The Weasel

This is because as a lawyer you would be crazy trust yourself, therefore you cannot trust anyone else. You don't have to worry about anything being stolen at all, if you are more than 2 miles from a road.

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