Grayland Beach State Park thieves

Lincoln4 wrote:
We've been here for a week now. This is occurring every night but one as far as I can tell. It happened again last night to at least three campsites in our loop. Some are asking why I would believe these petty thieves are armed... Well, they are stealing knives along with everything else.

I just want others to know what is going on here so they won't get taken advantage of.

No one has the balls to stay up ONE night? Geez, in some parts the rangers would come in the am to find the thieves tarred, feathered, and hanging upside down by their ankles :D

Heck of a deterrent. Watch the crime rate plummet.

Sorry to hear this. We have camped in many WA state parks with no issue. We lock the bikes and genie and that's it. Although the coolers by end of day have only a beer or two and a few pops in it.

We've been here for a week now. This is occurring every night but one as far as I can tell. It happened again last night to at least three campsites in our loop. Some are asking why I would believe these petty thieves are armed... Well, they are stealing knives along with everything else.

I just want others to know what is going on here so they won't get taken advantage of.

Yes, a letter to HG in Olympia might help. The state parks here are very understaffed. If those who live here remember, several years ago many rangers were laid off and they are closing or trying to close many of our state parks. At Fort Worden, there are no rangers living on the fort now where they used to have 3. Why? The group that took over management wanted to turn the ranger houses into rentals, so parks said sure - go ahead. If you go there and have a problem at night or see something that shouldn't be, just remember 911. But, I must say that we feel pretty safe at the state parks. I would imagine that most of the ice chests taken and gone through are by kids who want to party. Like I said before, we have locked our stuff up for probably 30+ years and it does not make our stay any worse. Just have that peace of mind.

Joy

Desert Captain wrote:

Lincoln4 wrote:

poncho62 wrote:
Anyone call the police?

Yes. It was reported to the rangers, who are LEOs. They laughed that we had been hit twice... I've been talking to the neighbors in our loop. Every one's finding out they're not the only ones being hit, as well as the fact that this has been bad here for the last few years.

If I was reporting a theft to the Rangers and they laughed they would soon be looking for employment. No excuse whatsoever for their behavior. :(

sounds like a letter to park HQ in Olympia would not be amiss.

I just want to back up a second here. If I'm understanding the posts correctly, Washington State Parks have a general problem of random thefts and the OP is saying its gotten really bad at one park? Or am I misreading the posts? It happens in WI state parks as it does from time to time every where, but in WI its VERY rare. in 30 years of camping we have never felt the need to lock anything up.

Maybe the bad attitude of the rangers has something to do with the issue. The thieves are probably local kids and know that no one is going to pursue any investigation nor step up nightly patrols.

DiskDoctr wrote:
Bear traps and buckshot ;)

And Claymores for good measure.

We have been camp hosts at Fort Worden State Park for many years, and yes there are those that will steal ice chests, beer, liquor and sometimes food. It really does suck when you get hit. We try to remind people to keep the ice chests locked up. It usually only happens on the weekends, and nice ones at that, but you never know. Most of the time it happens early in the morning. If the ice chest is close by the RV or tent, they usually take it to the edge of the site and then take the stuff inside. Occasionally the ice chests disappear as well, to be found later in the bushes or trails. It really makes us mad as it does the rangers, but it happens. We used to live in an area where we locked up everything at night, and we have always done that at the campsite as well. It is very frustrating. The police patrol, as I'm sure they do Grayland. Locking up the ice chests and anything you don't want taken makes sense to me. It is too bad that a few bad apples can ruin a great time. If things were taken in the daytime when campers are awake it would be a lot easier to catch the bad guys.

Joy

First of all shame on those rangers for making a serious matter a joke is like ok thieves come on back and do it again so we can laugh one more time . Next time rangers do your job and don't laugh at the expense of honest campers.I would report them to a higher authority hoping that will make a difference if there is a next time. We were there 3 years ago and the surroundings didn't give me a good impression .Sorry about your bad experience . Ok Washington state parks get with the program and do something about it I am one upset camper because this rangers they get paid to take care of the parks an instead they laugh I don't think is funny at all

We camped there about a year and a half ago in March.
We always lock up everything, but someone close to us had their cooler swiped. Didn't know about it until we were walking the dog and a Ranger came out of the bushes with an empty cooler.
Asked him about it, and he just rolled his eyes and said something like, "pretty sure we know who did this again."
My eyebrows raised and I responded, "Lemme guess, that "lovely" looking mobile home park everybody has to drive past to get in here..."
Ranger nods...

Too bad, it's a beautiful park, especially if you can get a spot in one of the circles that backs right onto the beach.
One of the "few" Washington parks we have been impressed with.....we either KOA it in Washington or just make a break for Oregon.

Too bad the problem is still occurring. :(
Lock it up, and enjoy I guess is the mindset to be in while staying there.