HELENA – The city of Helena has received recent reports of vehicles getting broken into at trailheads in the Helena area.
Officials are asking residents to take steps to help reduce the chance of their vehicles being stolen.
People can reduce the likelihood of a burglary by locking their doors and making sure no valuables are left out in the open.
The Helena Police Department (HPD) recommends putting items like purses under the seat or preferably locking them up in the truck.
HPD says car thefts are usually crimes of opportunity, with the majority involving unlocked vehicles.
On Wednesday, MTN spoke with around three dozen hikers on Mount Helena; each group said they always make sure to lock their vehicles before leaving.
Several people did report 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.
-Reported by John Riley/MTN News
