If you go hiking and leave your purse, backpack or wallet in the car, you may not see them again.
Instead, it’s best to leave your personal belongings at home and carry what you need with you, authorities said Tuesday.
That warning comes after a recent rash of thefts at Fryman Canyon in Studio City.
But on Tuesday afternoon, as hikers parked their cars in adjacent Wilacre Park and set off on the hiking trail, some admitted they frequently leave personal items behind.
“I did put my purse in my trunk,” said Christina Ewart, 26, of Studio City. “I wondered when I recently saw cop cars what was going on.”
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Los Angeles police said they are trying to educate the public about leaving valuables in vehicles when going for hikes or to the gym.
“Most people think ‘it’s not going to happen to me,’” said LAPD Detective Tim Shaw. “Statistically, maybe not. There may be a one percent chance it happens, but all it takes is one time.”
The latest thefts occurred between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m. last Wednesday and then twice on Saturday. Fryman Canyon is usually busy on the weekends, but not busy enough to deter thieves.
The Saturday thefts occurred between 7 a.m. and 7:45 a.m. and then again between 5 p.m. and 5:45 p.m.
Shaw said a window was smashed and a backpack, wallet, identification and credit cards were taken in the Wednesday incident. Saturday’s incidents resulted in purses being stolen.
“It’s not like they were only there first thing in the morning. They hit the whole gamut,” Shaw noted.
Despite this recent string of thefts, Shaw said the problem was worse last year.
Between Jan. 1 to May 23 of this year, there have been five thefts in the area, Shaw said.
In the same time period last year, there were 12.
“It’s been relatively quiet so far,” he said.
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On Tuesday afternoon, Andrea Withers, 19, of Sherman Oaks wrapped up hiking the trail with a friend. She was surprised by the recent thefts.
“We felt it was a more affluent area like ‘Oh, should we (carry our items with us)? Does it really matter?’” Withers said.
Instead, they decided to put their belongings in the trunk.
Dash Stolarz, spokeswoman for the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy, which runs the parking area at Wilacre Park, said the thefts are getting more attention because of the Saturday incidents but “it isn’t as if this is happening every day.”
Stolarz suggested park visitors use common sense.
“It’s not any different if you park your car at a mall or anything like that. You shouldn’t leave valuables on the front seat or the back seat,” she said.
Despite the burglaries, Sherman Oaks resident Sydney Jaro, 20, said she won’t stop using the hiking trail.
“I love this place,” Jaro said. “If I don’t have anything in my car, what’s the worst that could happen?”
