HELENA – The City of Helena has received recent reports of vehicles getting broken into at trailheads in the area.
Officials are asking residents to take steps to help reduce the chance of their vehicle being stolen from.
People can reduce the likelihood of a burglary by locking their doors and making sure no valuables left out in the open.
The Helena Police Department (HPD) recommend putting items like purses under the seat or, preferably, locked up in the truck.
HPD say car thefts are usually crimes of opportunity with the majority being unlocked vehicles.
On Wednesday, MTN spoke with around three dozen hikers on Mount Helena; each group said they always make sure to lock their vehicle before leaving.
Several people did reported having windows broken on their vehicles in the past.
However, most of the hikers said they hadn’t experienced any issues, but were disheartened to hear about trailhead break ins.
“It really bothers me that anyone would do that,” said Janet Erickson. “I did have a friend whose car was broken into. They smashed in the front windshield, so that’s a big expense.”
HPD asks the public to report any suspicious activity at any trailhead or parking lot by calling (406) 457-8866.
