SPOKANE COUNTY, Wash. — There’s a growing concern about the risk of vehicle break-ins at the trails around Spokane. For some, that risk becomes a reality.
The Trentwood Trailhead in Spokane Valley has had five car break-ins in the past month, and there may have been even more that weren’t reported.
Online trail-goers have shared accounts of these thefts.
The Spokane County Sheriff’s Office said thieves have been targeting wallets, purses and garage openers left in cars.
Galadriel Imbler said when this happened to her, she panicked.
“It’s disheartening. It’s disappointing. I want to be able to go somewhere and feel like I’m safe and that I can go enjoy the outdoors and not have to worry about that stuff,” Imbler said.
Two weeks ago, Imbler’s car had been burglarized at the trailhead. The thieves spent hundreds of dollars before she even finished her hike.
“Besides the cards and that they’re making charges, they have my address, they have my name, they have all of my information,” she said. “It was really scary. My first though was ‘Are they going to come to my house?'”
Imbler said when she was trying to find footage of the break-in, the trail cameras didn’t see a thing.
“We’re going to see who the person is and he went on there and said ‘The cameras aren’t actually working,” Imbler said.
Multiple signs at the Trentwood Trailhead say webcam in use, which Imbler thought meant it was security cameras monitoring the parking lot. To her surprise, they don’t do that at all.
Spokane County said the cameras only take a picture every ten minutes for the website so people can see which trailheads are busier than others.
The county said it also doesn’t keep the photos.
“There’s this false sense of security and safety there,” Imbler said.
If you’re hitting the trails, remember not to leave valuables in your car, even if they are hidden.
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