At least one family's camping trip was cut short by brazen thieves who reportedly broke into 17 vehicles at E.C. Manning Park over the weekend.
Kelly Terris' family checked into the park's Buckhorn camp site on Friday, July 4 with the intention of exploring the park's wilderness for a few days. However, the trip had to end when they were informed by another camper the following morning that multiple vehicles in the parking lot had been broken into.
After packing up and making the four-kilometre trek back to the parking lot, the family were dismayed to discover that their vehicle's three windows had been smashed, and that the lock on their rooftop cargo box had been destroyed.
By the time they arrived, there were still others vehicles in the parking lot with smashed windows. One of them had five windows smashed, Terris said in an email to The Hope Standard on Monday morning (July 7).
"It's disheartening to think that visitors of a provincial park should feel unsafe leaving their vehicles while enjoying the beauty of nature," Terris wrote. "This shocking incident not only cut our trip short but also left us with the financial repercussions and such a negative outlook on the provincial park. Not to mention how it left our kids feeling unsafe while camping in the back country."
The damage to the windows, Terris said, will cost the family $1,461 in repairs. Additionally, the culprit, or culprits, stole a blanket from the vehicle that belong to Terris's late grandfather.
Though signage is posted at the park warning people of thieves, Terris said it's not enough and that more needs to be done to keep campers and their belongings safe.
"They (park rangers) mentioned they have been fighting for years for more funding to upgrade security measures," Terris said. "The frequency and scale of this incident highlights a pressing need for immediate action and improved security measures, such as surveillance cameras, locked gates and or increased patrols. Additionally, the parking lot is a good 30 minutes from the highway, making it even more concerning that visitors are left unprotected."
Terris and her family were asked to contact the Ministry of Environment and Parks and issue a complaint with them. They also filed a police report and incident report with Manning Park's visitor centre.
"There's been thefts, involving vehicles in the same parking lot," confirmed Sgt. Neil Potter, Princeton RCMP detachment commander. "It's a remote area in Manning Park. Not all the complainants have called in yet. So, we'll probably get a few more."
Terris is hoping that sharing this story will help to raise awareness around "the alarming reality of vehicle break-ins at Manning Park." She also hopes it will prompt immediate action from the Parks Board, Manning Resort, and the province in acknowledging "the severity of this situation and take meaningful steps to prevent future incidents."
The ministry said they are taking the matter seriously and that BC Parks will continue to work with the RCMP, and the park operator, "to determine what options may be available to help mitigate this risk in the future."
"Planning is an essential part of a safe and successful outdoor adventure," the ministry said in an email to The Hope Standard. "Before heading out, please ensure you check the park web page section to view advisories that might impact your plans and check the plan your trip section for more tips.
Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact the Princeton RCMP at 250-295-6911.
