The remains of a broken window that had been smashed by a brick at Cape Arago State PArk on Friday afternoon, covers the interior of the cap. Oregon State Police said car clouts at the beaches this summer are bad. Trooper David Timm, who has responded to several of the incidents, say three or four cars have been stolen and 10 to 15 car clouts have been reported in on month. World Photo by Madeline Steege

NEAR SUNSET BEACH STATE PARK - It's a simple scheme: Break a window, snatch a purse and charge up the credit cards.

It only took 15 minutes for Medford resident Marjorie Jameson to become a victim.

A pleasant afternoon at Norton Gulch, among the hermit crabs, starfish and sea breezes, quickly turned sour when she, her husband and another couple returned to their vehicle.

“I just looked at the car and I thought, ‘Why did he park on top of that glass?'” Jameson said, recalling the May 30 incident when she and her friend had their purses stolen. “It really made me angry because I thought, ‘I can't even come to the coast and take an innocent hike for a half an hour without worrying that someone is going to break into my car.'”

The number of these types of crimes - called car cloutings or unauthorized motor vehicle entries by police and park authorities - have risen dramatically at state parks in Coos County this summer.

Since late May, authorities have received reports of about two dozen car cloutings and two stolen vehicles at day-use areas from Sunset Bay to Cape Arago, as well as at Bastendorff Beach County Park.

“It's happening more frequently than what we've seen in past years,” said Larry Becker, the Oregon Park Department's South Coast district manager, adding that car clouting is not an uncommon crime in tourist areas. “I would suspect that it may be related to some of the methamphetamine problems we have in the county ... because people are wanting to get something fast that they can sell for money,” Becker said.

The break-ins are nothing new during tourist season, but authorities agree this is likely the worst year yet.

Thieves rely on tourists who don't take precautions and leave goodies such as cameras, surfboards, video recorders, or wallets and purses in plain view.

“They prey upon that, they know tourists are carrying stuff that they can get rid of,” Becker said.

Hiding your valuables under a seat or covering them up isn't enough, said Oregon State Police Lt. Steve Smartt. The best way to prevent vehicle break-ins is to not make it easy.

“Lock it up in the trunk or don't bring it,” Smartt said. “Prevention is the best deterrent.”

And as Jameson learned, tinted windows don't do any good either.

“I adore the coast, so I couldn't stay away, but I will never leave anything in my car again,” Jameson said.

Motives

Everyone has a theory about why thieves are becoming bolder.

“Truth be told, I think it's due to the lack of police presence - from the county and us,” Smartt said.

Due to the cuts to law enforcement, Coos County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Pat Downing said, remaining deputies only have time to focus on higher-level offenses, rather than small-time crimes, such as theft and drug peddling.

“I think any officer is going to tell you that the illegal drug activity in our county is responsible for 90 percent of the crimes that occur,” he said.

It's been 15 years since the Sheriff's Office had a special investigative team that set up stings to nab summertime thieves in South Coast parks, Downing said. While the Legislature passed a bill this session to increase the number of OSP troopers statewide by 100, none is destined for the South Coast. That, along with the loss of about 40 sheriff's deputies due to the federal timber payments crisis, has made jail time unlikely. Most suspects are only cited and released at the scene, Smartt said.

Sheriff's Office Sgt. Dave Hermann said the cloutings are related to other growing crime trends, such as identity theft.

“That's huge and growing in popularity,” Hermann said, adding that the drive to steal someone's ID has increased the number of clouts. “It's almost professional in the way they are going out, casing cars, casing beaches and popping windows.”

Crime near the beach

A nighttime excursion at Cape Arago ended in frustration for Tomi Francisco and her daughter, Carmen Widenoja.

On June 15, Francisco parked her Nissan Quest at the entrance to a beach trail. She and her daughter hid their purses beneath a seat and hit the sand.

“We just didn't want to deal with them down at the beach,” Francisco said. “When we got back ... (glass) was all over the car.”

And her daughter's purse? Gone.

“I certainly won't leave anything valuable in the car again,” Francisco said. “I grew up here and that's one of my favorite beaches in the world. There is no way I'm not going to visit the beach.”

Whether those who broke into her car were out for a quick thrill or to fund a drug habit, Francisco said she thinks little can be done.

“Even if the police could catch the people who did it, whatever punishment they get, won't equal the hassle that we had to put up with,” Francisco said. “Whatever motivates people to do things like that sure wasn't the way I was brought up to be.”

The areas that are being hit the worst, authorities said, are small or secluded pullouts to hiking trails, where only a few vehicles can park. Becker said the pullouts are not heavily trafficked, so thieves view a lone vehicle's contents as an easy take. Smartt said most of the break-ins occur before noon and criminals aren't choosey about their targets - the window of a battered jalopy or a slick ride all shatter from the force of a well-aimed brick.

Some have suggested the clouters are sophisticated.

“I think that they were even watching and they knew we had walked down and they just took that opportunity,” Jameson said.

Preventative measures

To try to deter crime, parks and law enforcement officials are making efforts to inform the public and patrol the parks. But that's easier said than done.

At a car clouting on Friday, OSP Trooper Dave Timm said only two troopers are keeping an eye on hundreds of miles of state roads. Catching someone in the act isn't likely to happen.

“It's getting to the point where you don't even want to take your family here,” Timm said.

Becker said his staff tells visitors to be aware and have been instructed to patrol the facilities on foot or by car. Signs also warn visitors of the ongoing problem.

He said the best policy is: If you don't need it, don't bring it.

Smartt agreed.

“If we can prevent them - that's the best way to make them go away,” Smartt said.