Several hikers who visited the Kananaskis Country area this weekend found an unwelcome surprise when they returned to their vehicles.
According to one hiker, at least four vehicles at the Heart Creek Trail parking lot near Canmore had their windows smashed out on Friday.
“My kids and I, we were just going to go for a hike in the morning, and when we pulled into the lot we saw a bunch of cars with the windows all smashed out,” said Calgarian Chris Booth.
“I took a look in some of them and they had definitely been rummaged through. The glove boxes were open and things were kind of strewn around.”
Another hiker told Global News that they returned to the Heart Creek Trail lot around noon and found their truck with two of its windows smashed in.
Booth said he called RCMP when he found the vehicles smashed, but this isn’t the first time he’s heard of incidents like this targeting hikers’ vehicles.
“On Facebook, there will be several posts a year of a similar nature around the Kananaskis area trailhead parking lots,” he said.
RCMP confirmed Sunday that it had responded to “several calls” regarding vehicle break-ins at the parking lot on July 24.
In a news release, RCMP said in the month of July it had also been called to similar reports of break-ins to vehicles at the Yamnuska parking lot as well as other “various parking destinations” along Highway 40.
“Police would like to advise the public that if you are parking in these areas, please ensure your vehicle is locked and no valuables are left inside as the incidents reported did happen during daylight hours,” RCMP said.
Booth said he has reached out to his MLA and Alberta Parks in hopes that something can be done to increase safety at the lots.
“It’s been a known issue for quite a few summers now,” Booth said.
“Hopefully, something can be done to improve the situation.”
RCMP are asking anyone with information on the Heart Creek Trail incident on July 24 to contact Canmore RCMP at 403-678-5516, or tips can be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers.