In Colorado, stealing someone’s skis or snowboard is the equivalent of stealing someone’s horse in the old West, and law enforcement wants the general public to know.
“It’s serious, and often a felony, and those responsible should be held accountable,” Summit County, Colorado Sherriff Jaime FitzSimons said in a statement. “Ski theft is a crime of opportunity, so take precautions and don’t be a victim. If you are a victim, work with law enforcement.”
FizSimons released the statement after reports of ski and snowboard thefts at Breckenridge Ski Resort have been on the rise.
There have been at least eight reported cases of snowboard and ski theft in Summit County since November, according to a report from the Summit Daily.
Most recently, a pair of skis were reported stolen at Arapahoe Basin Ski Area on December 14, 2024, and another coulple of pairs from Copper Mountain on December 11, 2024 and December 6, 2024. Two pairs of skis and two snowboards have been nabbed at Breckenridge Ski Resort so far this season. They were taken from outside the Peak 8 base area, the Peak 9 base area, the Riverwalk Center and outside a hotel, according to the Summit Daily’s reporting.
Anecdotally, it feels like there are more reports of stolen gear so far in this very early snowboarding season. A quick search in the Sugar Mountain North Carolina Skiing Facebook group turns up several calls to action for help finding a stolen board.
Same goes for the Reddit channel r/snowboarding. Right now can be an good time of year for thieves to make a small fortune by stealing new setups immediately after Christmas. Here are a few tips to prevent that from happening.
1. Lock your gear up
I don’t frequently lock my snowboard up, but Dakine does make a micro lock that they sell for just $15 at most local shops, REI, Backcountry, and other retailers. It’s not a foolproof lock – any thief with a sharp knife, lighter, or a decent amount of time can certainly outsmart this device, but for $15, it provides enough of a deterrence to encourage the offender to move on to the next untethered board.
2. Make your board distinguishable.
Stickers are a great way to express some individuality out on the slopes, and an even better way to show some love to your local shop and favorite brands. They’re also a great way to distinguish your Capita Mercury from your friend’s Capita Mercury and a complete stranger’s Capita Mercury.
It’s also one more step that a thief needs to take if they’re going to try to turn around and sell the snowboard. I can attest to this one from personal experience: I had my 162cm Nitro Team stolen out of my car when I lived in Boston.
The local police were great, but they had no luck finding it during their initial search. Then, months later, officers raided an apartment on Massachusetts Avenue after getting a tip that there was thousands of dollars worth of stolen merchandise inside. Just as they were about to leave, they saw a snowboard poking out of a closet. It was pretty indistinguishable, except for the Adidas stickers I had put on it years earlier. Long story short, I got my board back.
Photo: Josh Sullivan
3. Keep your gear close
Of course, most ski areas discourage bringing your boards inside, but if you’re headed inside for lunch, a beer, or a bathroom break, try to keep it visible from the inside area. That means find a rack near a window.
4. Protech DNA
The Summit County Sheriff’s Office offers an adhesive gel with microscopic dots that contain a PIN or serial number. This will help in the recovery of stolen boards.
5. Take a ton of photos
Photos of your gear can be extra helpful when police are trying to recover it. The detective assigned to my case said he came across dozens of stolen snowboards in his recovery efforts. He was able to determine which ones weren’t mine because I had provided a recent photo.
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