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Mark Freeman Commentary Hikers, fishermen can breathe a little easier these days Floating the upper Rogue River and hiking Table Rocks trails has become safer this week -- without anyone doing a thing to the rapids or the trails. This new safety comes to the owners of cars, trucks and trailers parked at upper Rogue boat ramps and Table Rocks trailheads, which have been plagued by an epidemic of break-ins since last fall. The plague, for now, appears over. Police on Sunday captured and arrested two Medford men who authorities say are behind a long rash of break-ins of vehicles parked at the ramps and trailheads dating to October. The Jackson County sheriff's deputies say Aaron Marshal Dewett, 22, and Christopher Eugene Milton Munoz, 23, may be behind 31 known car break-ins at boat ramps and trailheads from TouVelle State Park to Lost Creek Lake -- and possibly more that were never discovered or never reported to police. The two men were arrested Sunday along Table Rock Road after committing one of their biggest heists to date -- a mid-day haul of $1,100 worth of sporting goods and other equipment from a Cave Junction man's truck parked at the TouVelle ramp. Unfortunately for Munoz and Dewett, a sheriff's marine deputy hiding at TouVelle witnessed the crime and eventually arrested the men. Dewett and Munoz have admitted to nine break-ins at the Upper and Lower Table Rocks trailheads as well as vehicles parked at the TouVelle State Park boat ramp, says Jackson County marine Deputy Joe Puckett, who made the arrests. Puckett believes he can link Dewett and Munoz to nine other break-ins. The men are also suspects in 13 other known vehicle break-ins and thefts since October, Puckett says. Catching two thieves and recovering about $3,000 worth of stolen items might seem like small potatoes in crime-fighting's big picture. But wondering whether their windows would be smashed and their cars ransacked at the boat ramp or trailhead has taken a lot of the fun away from area hikers and fishermen for far too long. "I've been running into these poor fishermen trying to have fun, or guides trying to make a living," Puckett says. "It's been getting to the point where guides were saying they didn't want to park down at TouVelle anymore. "In the scope of (all) crime in Jackson County, this is not that significant," Puckett says. "But in my area, this is ransacked at the boat ramp or trailhead has taken a lot of the fun away from area hikers and fishermen for far too long. "I've been running into these poor fishermen trying to have fun, or guides trying to make a living," Puckett says. "It's been getting to the point where guides were saying they didn't want to park down at TouVelle anymore. "In the scope of (all) crime in Jackson County, this is not that significant," Puckett says. "But in my area, this is significant." And so are the charges facing the suspects. Munoz and Dewett have each been arrested on one count of first-degree theft and nine counts of unauthorized entry of a motor vehicle, Puckett says. More charges are pending, he says. The nine counts are misdemeanors. But the theft charge is a felony, because the value of the items eclipses $1,000. "It was unlucky for them that the biggest one they've done is the one we watched them do," Puckett says. Finding the boat-ramp thieves has been a priority of county marine deputies and Oregon State Police officers for the past month, and Puckett has spent parts of the past four weeks lying in wait to nab them. Sunday was his day. About 1:30 p.m., Puckett watched a dark blue Plymouth four-door wagon pull into the boat ramp parking lot and stop between two parked vehicles with trailers. Two men got out. One broke the wing window of the Blazer next to the car and the men stole a compound bow, CB radio, speakers and a tool box from the rig. They jumped back in the Plymouth, and sped away. Puckett gave chase, but could not catch up as the men sped north on Table Rock Road. Police combed the area for two hours before OSP cadet Charles Altishin spotted the men near the Upper Table Rock trailhead off Modoc Road. Altishin spotted the men just after they stole miscellaneous items from an unlocked Volkswagen at the trailhead, Puckett says. Puckett reached the scene and arrested Munoz and Dewett after witnesses saw them driving away throwing the stolen bow and tools out the window, Puckett says. The men later confessed to nine such incidents, and turned over about $3,000 worth of stereos, tools, speakers and other stolen items, Puckett says. The men told Puckett they sold other stolen items to friends and acquaintances for extra money to pay their families' bills. "It would be an impossible task," Puckett says, "to get back everything they stole." Puckett is trying to match break-in victims with the recovered items, and some of the victims either have not made police reports or are unaware they had items stolen from their vehicles, he says. The case is continuing, and Puckett expects more charges to follow. For now, the trailheads and boat ramps likely will be free from puddles of broken window glass. Puckett hopes it stays that way and that would-be boat-ramp criminals take notice that their offenses will be noticed. (Mark Freeman covers the outdoors for the Mail Tribune. Call him at 776-4470.) Outdoor Journal main page Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA