Since the ski hill opened in early December, at least five pairs of skis and two snowboards and been reported stolen.
In one case lockers at Snow Valley’s day lodge were broken into. But mostly the thefts occurred outside the building, where people put their skis when they went inside for a bite to eat.
Const. Doris Magnus heads up the Ski Watch program for the Fernie RCMP detachment. Ski Watch is a system of protection that includes cards for recording information about your ski equipment, along with stickers and registration as well as engraving specific numbers on your skis.
She said there are some very simple steps people can take to deter people from stealing their skis and get them back if they are stolen.
“Take down the serial number of your equipment and record it on the card. Also engrave your skis with your drivers license number and put a Ski Watch sticker on your equipment, so people know it’s recorded,” she said.
Engraving can be done by bringing your equipment to the RCMP and the office also lends out engravers to use at home. Magnus also suggested taking note of marks on your equipment such as repairs or scratches.
Other preventive measures include locking your skis when possible, avoiding leaving skis out of your sight and never leaving them on a car rack that doesn’t lock.
Separating your skis when you’re away from them is another preventative measure.
If you’re unlucky enough to have your skis stolen, Magnus said to report the theft to the RCMP immediately. It’s also a good idea to report to the ski area management.
For more information on how to protect yourself from theft, contact the local RCMP detachment and ask for the Ski Watch information kit and decals.