Thieves work at trade while gym clients work out

Marisa O’Neil

While you’re in the gym working on getting ripped muscles, someone

else may be ripping you off.

A spate of thefts at area gyms has prompted Costa Mesa police to

step up enforcement, looking for thieves targeting valuables inside

lockers and cars. Many of the thefts could be avoided if the

fitness-minded also concentrated on being safety-minded, police said.

“We believe a lot of crooks are passing the word that this is an

easy target,” Costa Mesa police officer Steve Calles said.

One upscale club reported seven locker burglaries and one car

stolen from its parking lot in January alone, police said.

It isn’t a new racket, Sgt. Marty Carver said. Often, people get a

little careless at the gym -- focusing more on their workout than

their belongings -- and throw their clothes and wallet in an unlocked

locker, he said.

That’s prime pickings for a thief, Calles warned.

Thieves know that most people hit the gym right before or after

work, meaning they often have items like cell phones and laptops with

them, Orange County Sheriff Sgt. Don Barnes said. They also know that

most gym-goers will be indisposed for at least an hour, once they

leave their cars or lockers, he said.

South Orange County suffered a similar spate about a year ago,

Barnes said. An organized ring was targeting the fitness centers in

that area, he said.

After a while, things died down, and now deputies in South Orange

County are seeing only isolated crimes of opportunity at gyms, he

said.

Costa Mesa police are investigating the local burglaries and have

not yet determined if one ring is committing them or if the crimes

are unrelated, Calles said. It doesn’t seem that any one gym or chain

is being targeted, he said.

The department is using its community policing approach to try to

tackle the problem, having started a program focusing on gyms about

three months ago, Calles said.

“We go out to the businesses and are working hand-in-hand with

them to eliminate the crime,” Calles said. “It’s decreasing quite a

bit.”

Some gyms followed their recommendations, putting up signs warning

clients to be careful of their belongings and not allowing overnight

use of lockers, he said. Burglars often empty unsecured lockers but

are also cutting the locks off locked ones to gain access, he said.

The best way to avoid any problem is to leave any valuables at

home, Calles said. If that’s not possible, put them in the trunk of

your car before going to the gym, he said.

“They’ll get out and remove a bag from their car and put it in the

trunk,” he said. “Someone’s watching them when they do it, and

they’ll break in and remove it. And don’t put a wallet or purse under

your seat. You don’t know who is watching.”

* MARISA O’NEIL covers public safety and courts. She may be

reached at (714) 966-4618 or by e-mail at marisa.oneil @latimes.com.