Car Break-ins near Damascus

imported
#1

My hiking partner and I were parked in the Creeper Trail parking at Straight Branch on Tuesday night of this week. We had left her car there and gone north on my van some miles and hiked back. We decided to camp about a mile from the US 58 trail crossing Tuesday night, so we hiked out on the Creeper for 20 minutes, and moved my van down and parked it next to hers about 7:30 that night. Then, we hiked back in to the campsite where some friends were waiting. The next day we found that my van door had been forced and they had taken a purple Outdoor products fanny pack, that I no longer use for hiking, and from which all valuables had been removed. There were some personal items in it that I’d like back, but not of value to anyone else. (Like the address book I’d had for years with many, many addresses in it-no other copy). My hiking partner’s car was also missing a number of items, though she had no body damage to her car. They took car camping chairs (used at Trail Days), a good bit of Mountain House and Inertia Foods(some purchased at TDs), and some extra gear that she decided she wouldn’t use on this hike. Among that gear, was a whisperlite stove. They also took a CD player and many of her cherished tapes and CD’s that she has had for years, and some of them are no longer available.

If any hiker is approached and offered good deals on the kind of things listed above, please get a good description of the person trying to sell said items, and contact the Sheriff’s office in Abingdon, VA.
Thanks so much! And beware of parking in that parkiing lot. I think along side the highway might have been safer since it would have more traffic by it. We now have heard that ours are not the first vehicles to be broken into at this location, but we did not know before using the space. So, be forewarned!

Thanks, Swallowtail (who enjoyed TD’s, friends and the hiking), but is angry about the thefts!

Swallowtail

#2

Hey swallowtail,

That is really a shame that your things were stolen from your cars, but even those who live in or near Damascus know not to park where you parked at.Like the saying goes,don’t cry over spilt milk :lol

Treehugger

#3

Hey Swallowtail.

We had heard of a guy whose name is Mitch (Don’t know his last name that lived up that way and he is always getting into things or trouble.You should ask your little friend Screaming Mimi about him,as she seems to think she knows every thing and every one around here.The damascus Police know him as well, might be worth checking into but then why take advice from some one like me who has been called every name in the book from your friends including Screaming Mimi.I caught him one time in her back yard doing some thing and called the police on him.Also he hangs out in Dot’s inn up by the subway and creeper trail and gets drunk there alot.Just a thought.

treehugger

#4

Swallowtail. Thanks for the update. It is sad but true, that when we park close to a trailhead we are parking at a risk. I try not to leave anything in my vehicle when I park close to the trail. However, that doesn’t stop those punks out there. Treehunger, I didn’t realize that the Friendiest Town on the trail had that reputation.

Bilko

#5

Bilko,

When i said that , didnt mean to make it sound like that Damascus has a reputation for troublemakers, just meant that he is one in a few here who are trouble makers here.The rest here are pretty nice folks,just have to remember to lock your things in the trunk if you are going to be parked on the side of the road like swallowtail was

treehugger

#6

Someone from the “Friendliest Town” stole my tent that was set up by the water. I reported it to the police, and they told me that it “wasn’t the first time” that something like that had happened.

max patch