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Reports of ski and snowboard theft on the rise as winter season gets rolling in Summit County

The Breckenridge Police Department says there have been 4 reports of ski and snowboard theft at the resort and in town

A statue of Ullr, the Norse god of snow, points its arrow at the skies above Breckenridge Ski Resort on Saturday, Nov. 9, 2024. There have been at least eight instances of ski and snowboard theft reported in Summit County so far this winter season, including thefts reported from base areas at Breckenridge.
Andrew Maciejewski/Summit Daily News

With ski season in full swing, ski and snowboard theft is on the rise in one of Colorado’s premier ski destinations.

Since ski resorts began spinning their chairlifts around the start of November, there have been at least eight cases of ski and snowboard theft reported to law enforcement in Summit County, where four ski resorts are located.

“Ski theft is a crime of opportunity, so take precautions and don’t be a victim,” Summit County Sheriff Jaime FitzSimons said in a statement. “If you are a victim, work with law enforcement. Bikes and skis hold a special place in our mountain culture. It’s like stealing someone’s horse in the old West. It’s serious, and often a felony, and those responsible should be held accountable.”



On Dec. 14, a pair of skis was reported to have been stolen at Arapahoe Basin Ski Area and, on Dec. 11, another pair of skis was reported stolen at Copper Mountain, according to the Summit County Sheriff’s Office. Another pair of skis was reported missing from a rack at Copper Mountain on Dec. 6.

In another instance, a man reported to the Sheriff’s Office on Dec. 7 that his vehicle had been broken into at Copper Mountain and a pair of skis was stolen, along with other items such as a designer handbag and credit cards.



At Breckenridge Ski Resort there have been four reports of theft so far this season, including two pairs of skis and two snowboards, according to the Breckenridge Police Department. These pieces of equipment reportedly went missing at the Peak 8 base area, the Peak 9 base area, the Riverwalk Center and outside a hotel.

“Whenever possible, keep your skis locked,” Breckenridge Police Department administrative supervisor Colleen Goettelman said in a statement. “Many ski resorts provide stations to lock skis, but bring your own ski lock too. Lock skis to the rack.”

If possible, skiers and snowboarders should keep their gear within sight while not using it, Goettelman said. If there is not a place to lock the skis, another option is to separate the two skis on different ski racks to make it harder for a thief to find the matching set, she said.

“Most thieves don’t have the patience to search for the other ski,” Goettelman said. “However, be sure to take careful note of where you place your two separate skis.”

The Summit County Sheriff’s Office also offers Protech DNA — an adhesive gel embedded with microscopic dots that contain a unique PIN or serial number — that can help deter thefts and aid in the recovery of stolen items. Summit County residents and visitors can find out more about Protech DNA at SummitCountyCO.gov/services/sheriff.

Having recent photos of the equipment and keeping a record of the serial numbers on the equipment can also be helpful in the event that ski or snowboard equipment is stolen, according to the Sheriff’s Office.


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