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James Wilcox
Trad climber
Goleta/Virginia Lakes
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Sep 24, 2016 - 09:15am PT
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Glad the truck and camper shell was recovered. Woot!
All the climbing gear stickers on the shell may have played a role in the vehicle being targeted in the first place.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Sep 24, 2016 - 09:28am PT
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I have a window sticker that says
"I love my poisonous snakes!"
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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Sep 24, 2016 - 09:28am PT
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Hot wiring, slide hammers, slim-jims ... that's some old school sh#t. You have to know something abut how an auto works to use those, too.
The kids are all using Shaved Keys now. Especially for ubiquitous models, such as Toyota trucks and F-150s. They just shop for a vehicle that matches their key - and has an automatic transmission.
Somewhere like Joshua Tree, the average kid on the street is just as likely to have a set of shaved keys as he is to have a job.
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Darwin
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Sep 24, 2016 - 09:37am PT
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RE: FREE CLIMBING GEAR
Is most climbing gear is stolen by climbing aware people and targeted as such, or is it opportunistic: as in "I've broken into this car, too bad there's no wallet, but I might as well take everything". Then somewhere down the line the lightbulb goes off and "holy sh#t, these things are worth $50 each even second hand!".
It sure seems and I hope that it would be difficult to sell in a discrete, "safe" and profitable manner.
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Reilly
Mountain climber
The Other Monrovia- CA
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Sep 24, 2016 - 09:46am PT
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My new truck doesn't even have a damn key but it turns out that just makes it easier to steal.
The manufacturers and insurers have no desire to make it harder to steal cars. It costs more
now to get in the game but it has always taken money to make money. Just be glad you don't
live in Europe where they steal high end rigs every few seconds and ship them immediately to
Russia, the Middle East, and Africa. And, of course, if you're caught you basically get a slap
on the wrist.
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rottingjohnny
Sport climber
Shetville , North of Los Angeles
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Sep 24, 2016 - 10:34am PT
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A neighbor owns a vintage Porsche worth 60 grand...They are being stolen and shipped from LA harbor to china so he's concerned about leaving it anywhere unattended..
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bajaandy
climber
Escondido, CA
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Sep 24, 2016 - 06:42pm PT
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Hot wire? You guys watch way too much TV. 80's Ford trucks can be started with a pair of channel locks.
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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Sep 24, 2016 - 07:41pm PT
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My Grove Truck is a three-on-the-tree.
I'm waiting for the day someone tries to carjack it. I'll just stand aside and laugh my ass off while I watch the punk try to drive it.
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tradmanclimbs
Ice climber
Pomfert VT
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Sep 24, 2016 - 07:43pm PT
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screw driver in the key hole for the old rigs...
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Funky
Ice climber
Los Angeles
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 1, 2016 - 12:36pm PT
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You guys are hilarious. Sorry for the late reply, I had no idea everyone was so consumed by the mystery of how exactly they stole it... I hope you've all been sitting in the same spot, unable to move, gripping the edge of your seat, sweating with anxiety and unable to pry your thoughts from this suspenseful plot. Ready for the twist? Well there isn't one; I left the f*#kin keys in the car. But in the many years I've been living on the edge in this manner nothing has ever happened! I live in Tahoe and I never lock my car or take the keys out. I'm guessing some tweaker saw me leave my keys and jumped on the opportunity. Sooooooo yeah. CHP called me the next morning and said they found it behind the old Ford dealership off Kickapoo in Yucca Valley. They ditched it cuz it ran out of gas. They left it right next to this dudes house and he swears he heard and saw nothing... What doesn't make sense to me though is why they took my license plates, registration info, title, and tried to light my cab on fire... thankfully the amateur pyro didn't realize fire needs air to get stoked and after he lit the bottle of motor oil (which also doesn't burn well) and threw a perfectly good phone book and shirt on top they shut the door with the windows rolled up and the fire put itself out... After burning a huge hole in the floor... They didn't even take the stereo or speakers... Idiots.
I have so very much enjoyed reading everyone's comments. Got some good laughs and I also really appreciate the offers and sympathy from everyone. It's been a weird couple weeks for me. One day you're naked drinkin tequila in a pool exclaiming to yourself how rad life is and the next day your car/house/life is stolen, lit on fire, and abandoned down a dirt road in the desert. Things have only been getting stranger too... waiting to have the meaningfulness of it all revealed as I pass through this threshold of bullshit and mystery into the next phase of life. I'll be out in J Tree guiding a bunch of high school students in the park this week. If anyone wants to grab a beer and hear the whole suspenseful story in quality real-time we could coordinate a story telling time. Maybe I should create a Meet Up for it?
Totally kidding about the meet up. Very serious about beer. Thanks again everyone.
Victoria
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rwedgee
Ice climber
CA
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You should have a "Go Fund Me" page. I would chip in, more so than the guy with the busted rat dog.
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Funky
Ice climber
Los Angeles
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 1, 2016 - 02:05pm PT
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Oct 1, 2016 - 01:36pm PT
Wait 20 years and try answering everything you've just stated, Victoria !
You show good spirit in the face of adversity.
Right? Everything in retrospect I guess... thank you :)
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Funky
Ice climber
Los Angeles
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Topic Author's Reply - Oct 1, 2016 - 02:09pm PT
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page. I would chip in, more so than the guy with the busted rat dog.
Hahaha! That's very kind of you. I'm incredibly stubborn and not allowing myself to be vulnerable enough to make a Go Fund Me page. A lot of people have suggested that. I dunno, it just feels weird. I'm even having a hard time accepting gear people are trying to give me. I know I need to accept it and allow people to help...hey maybe that's why all this happened; so I could learn to accept generous offers ;)
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John M
climber
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I couldn't imagine leaving my keys in my vehicle in Tahoe, and especially not in Josh. Plenty of tourists and opportunist out there. I lived in Wawona in southern Yosemite for 25 years and mostly didn't lock up my cabin, or my vehicle at my house, but did lock my vehicle most everywhere else. Wouldn't dream of leaving my keys in it. I also lived in south Tahoe 30 years ago. I locked my vehicle even then. Not at home, but everywhere else.
I hope things work out for you.
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zBrown
Ice climber
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Will submit your story to the pimp my ride guys if they're still in business.
You've been lucky. People steal
Stuff
All the time.
Some (many) times just for the 'thrill' of destroying something .
SuperTroupers not exempt.
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cuvvy
Sport climber
arkansas
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Nothing wrong with innocence, thinking the world is a wonderful place full of caring, considerate, loving people..BAM!!!!
The truth sucks
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blahblah
Gym climber
Boulder
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I couldn't imagine leaving my keys in my vehicle in Tahoe, and especially not in Josh. Plenty of tourists and opportunist out there.
Yep, I know whenever I go on vacation, first thing I do before I head to the beach or whatever is check for any cars with keys in the ignition--a nice joyride and arson attempt really lets me unwind and get away from the rat race, it's a great way to kick off a vacation!
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John M
climber
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oh good grief.
If the keys are in it, then the doors are unlocked.
its not usually car theft in a place like Yosemite. But they will rummage through your vehicle looking for things to steal.
I lived in Yosemite for 25 years. Yes.. the tourists steal. Even thieves go on vacation.
sometimes its employees.
Sometimes its tourists
We had one thieve break into the gift shop in Wawona. Didn't get much, except caught on video. He wasn't a local. Plenty of other stories. Phones, cameras, computers. Yes..people travel with their computers. all kinds of sports gear. It happens.
In Wawona we rarely had homes broken into because the thieves have to be around long enough to feel comfortable to break into secluded homes. If homes were broken into, it usually turned out to be a local. The tourists are usually opportunistic thieves.
Edit: and its not like there are hoards and hoards of them. Is just that it happens often enough that I learned to lock my vehicle. With 4 million visitors a year, there are bound to be a few less then honest people.
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steelmnkey
climber
Vision man...ya gotta have vision...
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You guys are hilarious. Sorry for the late reply, I had no idea everyone was so consumed by the mystery of how exactly they stole it... I hope you've all been sitting in the same spot, unable to move, gripping the edge of your seat, sweating with anxiety and unable to pry your thoughts from this suspenseful plot.
For what it's worth...
I realize that having your vehicle/life/house stolen is a huge life-altering deal, and you seem to have handled it with grace, but I wouldn't read too much into people's desire to know the details about how it all went down. It's sort of like reading ANAM...you get the details about how something happened, and then (if possible) use the detailed information to take steps to avoid having the same thing happening to you. I don't think anyone was out to poke fun at you as much as they were a little worried the nature of someone driving off in THEIR ride if they visited JT.
I see the same thing on a mountain bike forum I read from time to time. People post up about how their bike was ripped off and then everyone's clamoring for details. In general, the victim doesn't want to give general details on the heist (house, off the car, general part of town). But it's kind of a public service to share at least some of that info in case there's someone working a certain part of town, or if they've stumbled on a loophole/trick that allowed them to snag someone's ride.
Thieves suck huge.
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Chaz
Trad climber
greater Boss Angeles area
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When I park my bike, I un-do the quick-release on the brakes. If a thief decides to take off on it, he had better not plan on stopping.
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