Gear theft

[petedelisio]

An adolescent bear stole my boot at a shelter in the smokies.
I chased it around the camp for a minute, it stopped and let me yank it back out of its mouth.
When I was in the shelter gate entrance, it lumbered off looking depressed of sorts.

[Dogwood]

Uneducated - lacking formal education - does not equal stupidity.


Do not assume criminals are stupid or fit common societal criminal perceptions. If you do you could be setting yourself up to be at higher risk.


In the studies I've seen indicating criminals having an avg lower IQ compared to the avg higher IQ of non criminals of the same region the stats could have been unquestionably skewed. This in turn skews criminology conclusions hence crime lowering approaches...which in turn further influences criminal statistics. I would conclude there are plenty of intelligent criminals with closer to median IQ's under represented in criminological statistical studies.


I too had incorrectly assumed criminals are stupid which opened me up to a higher risk of loss.


Intelligent criminals are less likely to be indicted and found guilty because their crimes are more highly correlated with white collar crime - business, financial, embezzlement, fraud, money laundering, tax evasion, etc which trend towards less overall indictment and prosecutorial rates within the US judicial system. Media accounts makes us aware of the high profile more media worthy cases though. White collar criminals are more likely to fly under the radar because they are people correlated with enjoying higher social acceptances, creating societal assumptions of respectability and responsibility. Additionally, criminals know this too so often attempt to not stand out, to fit in to societal norms. I watch for this on trail and in trail associated activities to prevent against crimes.


The white collar criminal is not the criminal the US public tends to immediately think about when they think of criminals. Street and non white collar crime involving physical violence and illicit drugs, for example, are where US LE has historically focused which influences the public's perceptions of criminals...although those in LE might publicly disagree.



Financial wealth and intelligence are highly correlated so 'smart criminals 'tend to have the financial and intellectual means to better defend themselves and avoid detection of criminal behavior. I became acutely aware of this in business. This affects criminological statistics.


There is also a US focus on prosecuting and incarcerating lower-med level "less serious" illicit drug related crimes which correlates with people less wealthier, less powerful, and lower IQ. These are people - the little fish - easier to catch. Lower to med level drug related crimes represent the single largest percentage of offenders incarcerated in the US prison system. Again, LE and media combine to make us more aware of the media worthy message that crime is being tackled in sensationalizing the "big" seizures and drug busts and cherry picking which crime statistics to report. That approach influences public opinion, and sometimes how and if those within the judicial system proceed.


I once had the perception that it was addicts, defined by non socially accepted illicit drug addicts, to be largely on guard against. After all that defined many in prison. They were the root cause of much of the crime. While I was guarding against the overhand right and straight right jab coming from the illicit drug addicted I got caught cold with the knockout upper cut by the addictive criminal behaviors of white collar criminals and those who I assumed were "fitting in."


The greatest fundamental driver of all crime....is the love of money...in all of money's forms, what money relates, gives rise to. Be on guard against covetousness. LE investigations are aware of this as the prime motive.


Those who take excessive interests in higher priced gear, material possessions - off trail or on, or income, my McGruff the crime dog ears perk up.


When we can be content through guarding against over consumption and Materialism - avarice, to be conscious of need and want, there's less tendency towards crime,...and envy, jealousy, greed, over self indulgence, hate, contention, gluttony... less negative impact. The more these traits become evident in excess the higher tendency for crime...and perhaps greater incidences of avoiding considering one's character, ethics, and morality. These traits can indicate a lack of self restraint; perhaps, a trait on the rise? These traits became increasingly evident the more I LD UL backpacked. Awareness of these traits perk up those McGruff senses.


I became more conscious of behavior the more I backpacked. To surmise, I became more aware of theft characteristics and causes through LD backpacking. LOL. I would never have anticipated gaining these greater awarenesses in preparing for a first LD hike.


In turn so many other aspects were influenced as a hiker spending more time outside of cultural standards that guided me towards greater self control, minimalism, building a Tiny Home, losing body wt, greater awareness of and respect for the Natural world, becoming physically, financially, emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually "healthier", better adjusted, and living a more sober conscientious intentionally directed life. Interestingly, the more the tide lifted my boat the more I became aware that it was a very big boat with many others in it.


That's WHY a hike doesn't have to be approached or organized as a self indulgent it's all about me and my alienated vacation experience - AND IMHO should NOT be! As we lift ourselves we can uplift others. Our own behavior affects the behavior of others. It can have an affect on whether people steal.


Before I started LD backpacking I had no idea how it could affect someone's life path, including my own.

[Another Kevin]

Do not assume criminals are stupid or fit common societal criminal perceptions. If you do you could be setting yourself up to be at higher risk.

Anyone who'd steal my gear is pretty stupid by definition. It would be nearly worthless if fenced, even though some was unquestionably overpriced when new. There are surely better pickings elsewhere!

Yes, white collar criminals can be smart - and psychopathic. Nevertheless, they're smart enough to realize that bringing about the downfall of society would also totally ruin their rackets. And their profile is nothing at all like the profile of a bindlestiff, which is what the original poster was concerned about.

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(Those who care only about gear theft, feel free to stop here.)
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I find it hard to follow you into the "alienated vacation experience" rant, but maybe that's that we're coming to the same place from different angles. Of course my behaviour affects the behaviour of others. What goes around comes around, and as it goes, it grows. If I live ostentatiously, I'm living by Envy - keeping up with the Joneses. If I live by Envy, I'll excite the envy of others. I do that more than enough in spite of myself, just by being overeducated and endowed with some unearned privilege - both facts that are impossible to cast off and hard to hide.

But that's not the real reason that I have unprepossessing gear. I have stuff that works for me. I haven't much reason to replace it while it works. Most of it ain't pretty, but who cares? The fact that I don't have to worry much about someone making off with it is a side benefit that I never really considered.

[Dogwood]

High financial value is but one way to view the value of something. Value placed on something is subjective. Thieves who act in stupidity will carelessly risk reputation, arrest, and a criminal record resulting in loss of job opportunities, credit and integrity unconscientiously depriving others of their goods and services for something as little as a pack of cigarettes, can of fish, $20 Frog Toggs rain jacket if they don't have one and it's pouring rain, a hat if their head and ears are numb from cold, a $30 tent, snag someones' drying wool socks because theirs are worn out or they don't have as nice of ones, stiff a hostel for $25 in services rendered, stiff the NPS instead of purchasing a $20 GSMNP thru hiker permit because that's a law they are disenfranchised/offended. People will steal a $1 candy bar or 79 cts Bic. How many illegally stealth camp as ATers in the White Mountains to avoid a fee? People will falsify their backpacking accounts just to attain something as simple as the perceived social value associated with doing a thru hike. What, are you saying you've never caught these accounts here on WB?


I find it hard to follow you into the "alienated vacation experience" rant,"


I suspect that might be because I strongly suspect you don't backpack with that mindset striking me as one who is highly conscientious of others, and a larger whole, including your impact on the Natural world, your family, friends and strangers exhibited many times in your posts and PM communications so perhaps it makes it more difficult to notice it in other backpackers/hikers. Even then you should be able to notice it occurring in some posters perspectives on line.

You leave clues as to your character, exhibited and confirming what was just said, here: "...but maybe that's that's we're coming to the same place from different angles. Of course my behavior affects the behaviour of others."

[blw2]

i was reading a trail journal yesterday. The guy wrote about leaving a water bottle at a trail intersection when he hiked a spur trail over to a waterfall or something....presumably so that his hiking partner would know if she passed...

to any random person passing by.... is this trash someone dropped by accident?....should I do the world a favor and pack out the trash?
then later, when the owner returns.... "who stole my water bottle?"

[Dogwood]

"Alienated vacation experience" is my way of referring to how some folks perceive or approach or define backpacking.


We don't hike within a bubble alienated from everything. You understand this phrasing it differently, "of course my behavior affects the behavior of others." Not only do you understand you live it out. You're conscientious of others, showing empathy. You consider your impact. You have repeatedly displayed a consideration of a larger whole, thinking beyond yourself. You're not a highly self centered person. That's what I was getting at with the word alienated.


A vacation is the way some perceive a hike. I do not recognize a hike has to be defined or approached that way. Nor do many others. I'm of like mind with Muir, Aldo Leopold, Richard Louv, Japanese culture, Australian Aborigines, Native American culture, and many others that maintaining connection with the natural world, which is what can be accomplished on a hike, is not a vacation but "a fundamental necessity to human health, well-being, spirit, and survival." As Louv pens in Nature Deficit Disorder "there are human costs of alienation from the natural world."


Some have said this is philosophical declaration...a worldview. Maybe it is. But so are core drivers that U.S. culture arose. U.S. citizens tend to ignore a deeper examination of this. Not every society ignores the historical and philosophical core beliefs - worldview - origins fundamental to their societal evolution.

[kestral]

i was reading a trail journal yesterday. The guy wrote about leaving a water bottle at a trail intersection when he hiked a spur trail over to a waterfall or something....presumably so that his hiking partner would know if she passed...

to any random person passing by.... is this trash someone dropped by accident?....should I do the world a favor and pack out the trash?
then later, when the owner returns.... "who stole my water bottle?"

I would have packed out the trash. I guess I would have been wrong, hopefully the injured party would reaquire it if / when a future common stop occurred. I guess I would be branded a theif?

”The road to hell is paved with good intentions “. Mom used to say that.