Archive for the ‘Crime’ Category
Posted by Muir on
September 25, 2009
A man tossed over 3,000 golf balls from his vehicle into Joshua Tree National Park for more than a year. Douglas Jones also tossed tennis balls and park literature, and left fruit and vegetables scattered along park roads.
Park rangers cited the 57-year-old Jones for abandoning property, littering and feeding wildlife. Rangers spent 370 hours cleaning up after his mess, for a total cost of $9,000.
Rangers finally caught Jones last month and arrested him. Jones claims the golf balls were to honor deceased golfers, and the food was for stranded hikers.
Story at CBS News
Posted by Muir on
August 25, 2009
It turns out that some visitors to Yosemite National Park were getting high on more than the towering granite mountains.
Yosemite Park Rangers and National Park Service Agents eradicated 4,735 marijuana plants valued at nearly $19 million. Two suspects managed to escape, and no arrests have been made.
“Yesterday’s operation reaffirms our commitment that Yosemite remains safe for visitors, that the park will not accept these incursions, and organized growers will not profit from these activities”, said Chief Ranger Steve Shackelton.
Marijuana cultivation is the most destructive illegal activity occurring within national parks. The results are tree and vegetation clearing, chemical and fertilizer pollution, unauthorized construction of roads, ditches and dams, and piles of human waste and garbage. At this particular site, officials removed nearly 400 pounds of fertilizer, 3,000 feet of irrigation hose, and 200 pounds of human trash.
Story at NPS.gov
Posted by Muir on
May 14, 2009
A webcam for the Old Faithful Geyser in Yellowstone National Park captured six men vandalizing the geyser while the world looked on. The group of trespassers stepped off the visitor boardwalk and walked up to the geyser. Two of the men apparently urinated and one dropped a rock into the iconic hole.
Viewers of the Old Faithful webcam were outraged by what they saw, so many of them contacted park officials, who were able to apprehend the trespassers as they returned to the boardwalk twenty minutes later. The six men were employees of the park concessionaire. Park officials cited the men, who must appear before a magistrate on May 19th and face possible fines and jail time.
This is believed to be the first time a national park webcam has been used to report a crime.
Story at Red, Green and Blue
