Car windows smashed at Maston Trailhead

At least seven car windows were smashed at the Maston Trailhead north of Bend over the weekend.

On Monday, the Maston parking lot was littered with glass from smashed car windows.

According to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office, there were at least five reports of broken car windows on Friday at Maston and another two on Saturday. A purse was stolen out of one of those cars, Sgt. William Bailey said.

“If you’re recreating out in nature, and you’re at trailheads and there is no one around, it does leave the opportunity for someone to break into your car,” Bailey said. “So we would encourage you to not leave any valuables in your car while your hiking or recreating in Central Oregon.”

On Monday, there was a flyer hanging on the trail sign, warning visitors to keep an eye out for a man and a car. The flyer said the person may have stolen a credit card from a car parked at Maston in March.

Mountain biker Dave Shaw said car break-ins are just part of life.

“You know, you do your best and don’t leave stuff in your car, the cops do what they can,” Shaw said. “If it happens, clean up the glass, try not to let it affect you too much and move on,”

There was also a break-in reported at the nearby Juniper Trailhead over the weekend.

The sheriff’s office said aside from one car break-in in March, there haven’t been any previous break-ins reported at Maston since 2014.

Shaw also noted that increased crime can come hand-in-hand with a growing population.

“The population is growing, and it’s going to grow with a great variety of people,” Shaw said. “And just because it being a vacation area, it’s going to lend itself to probably to a little bit of predatory attraction. It’s a place of opportunity.”

Officials encourage you to not to leave any valuables in your car — especially overnight.

The break-ins are being investigated, and we’ll update you as we learn more.