Crime ring targeted Oregon parks and campgrounds in Opal Creek, Detroit Lake area

They came to the forest equipped with lock cutters, crowbars — even a blowtorch.

A team of at least three people allegedly stole from numerous parks, campgrounds and trailheads in the Little North Santiam, Detroit Lake and Willamette National Forest areas last summer.

The team targeted remote areas to steal from fee tubes, often known as “iron rangers,” where people drop envelopes with cash to park or camp, according to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office.

In around 50 different incidents, more than $30,000 in fees were lost and another $5,000 was spent on material, repairs and staff time across Willamette National Forest. Marion County parks officials estimated they lost less than $500 in fees and $2,700 for material and repair.

“It was very frustrating,” Marion County Parks Coordinator Russ Dilley said. “It takes money away from all the maintenance projects and improvements we’re trying to provide to the public.”

Three suspects have been identified.

Lorraine Kanthack, 54, of Gates, pled guilty to three counts, including second-degree theft and methamphetamine possession. She was sentenced to 45 days in jail.

Michael Wheeler, 36, of Salem, was recently arrested on charges related to the case, police said.

Nora Rutherford, 47, of Ephrata, Wash., remains at large and is presumed to be in Washington.

Vandalism and theft are common problems on public lands across the West, especially in remote areas. The difference in this case, said Marion County Lt. Chris Baldridge, is the team planned its actions with more detail.

“It doesn’t appear this was the type of random thing where somebody was up in the woods, saw the fee box and decided to try and steal the money inside,” Baldridge said. “They were headed to specific areas to steal from the boxes. It was much more calculated and crafted.”

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It’s unclear whether more people were involved, or if all the cases are connected, but the number of thefts was up in 2017, compared to past years, officials said. Baldridge said the investigation is ongoing.

The money stolen had been deposited by campers, hikers and people stopping for a swim at recreation sites. In most cases, people would put from $5 to $20 in the fee tubes to get a day-pass or reserve a campsite.

The U.S. Forest Service collected $10.8 million in recreation fee revenues during 2017 in Washington and Oregon.

The thefts appear to have taken place from July to September primarily, according to U.S. Forest Service and police records.

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In the case that led to Kanthack’s arrest, she was observed at Three Pools Recreation Site at 5:45 a.m. on Aug. 10, according to police reports.

“Kanthack was seen standing near a male and female while the male used a metal bar to break into the fee box,” the police report said. “After the male pried on the fee box Kanthack can be seen taking fee envelopes out of the fee box.

“Kanthack was stopped in the vehicle associated with the theft. Empty fee envelopes (total $199), a large metal bar, and other tools were located in the vehicle.”

The Forest Service said that of the almost 50 thefts, 18 involved cutting the lock with a cutter while another 10 included breaking the lock with a pry bar, drill or torch.

In 10 cases, the entire tube was stolen.

"With tightening budgets and increasing visitation, recreation fees play an important role in helping to maintain and improve Forest Service recreation sites," Forest Service spokesman Stephen Baker said.

The Forest Service and Marion County said they would redouble efforts to limit crime at fee tubes in the future.

The Forest Service is planning to pilot use of “electric iron rangers,” which take credit cards instead of cash in 2019. The agency will also look at collecting more payments online, in advance, for more campgrounds. In other cases, the agency will look at hardening the tubes or picking up the money more frequently.

"We're not giving up," Willamette National Forest spokeswoman Jude McHugh said. "We're exploring ideas, working with Marion County and learning from what other forests are doing."

At the same time, Baldridge said police are patrolling the area and will aggressively pursue these type of cases.

"We have a new position that strictly patrols the Little North Canyon and Detroit Lake area, with the goal of having less crime in the forest," he said. "If folks come up here to steal, we're committed to doing our best to identify them and bring them to the courts."

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Zach Urness has been an outdoors writer, photographer and videographer in Oregon for 10 years. He is the author of the book “Hiking Southern Oregon” and can be reached at zurness@StatesmanJournal.com or (503) 399-6801. Find him on Twitter at @ZachsORoutdoors.