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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Fitness club parking lots healthy targets for thieves


Jill Andersen and her husband Rick Golay had their car broken into a couple of weeks ago in the parking lot of the 24-Hour Fitness in the Spokane Valley. The thief took Golay's wallet and keys. 
 (Liz Kishimoto / The Spokesman-Review)

Athletic club parking lots are a “target-rich” environment for thieves because that’s where people are likely to leave personal items in cars.

Spokane Valley residents Jill Andersen and Rick Golay, both 39, found that out the hard way.

When the couple went to play racket ball recently at the new 24 Hour Fitness on East Sprague Avenue, an extra set of keys and a wallet were stolen from their car.

“I talked to three different employees in two days who told me about six other people who had had their cars broken into,” Anderson said. “If we’d seen a sign posted about the recent thefts, we would have brought it all inside.”

The couple was already dressed for the racket ball game when they arrived at 24 Hour Fitness on Aug. 13. With the new facilities, they didn’t know where to stash their stuff while they played, so they left it in the car. Golay put his wallet under a seat thinking if it was out of sight, it would be safe.

Police say thieves often watch people getting out their car and can tell, based on body language, whether they are hiding belongings.

Crooks also know they usually have at least 30 minutes before people will return, though they don’t need that much time. “Thieves can be in and out of a car in 30 seconds,” Spokane County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Cpl. Dave Reagan said.

Fitness clubs are “target rich environments because that’s a business where the customer doesn’t need to take their purse or wallet inside, so they don’t.”

Two athletic clubs on North Division are also hit as often as two or three times a week, Reagan said. Cars in mall and movie theater parking lots are also commonly broken into as well as at trailhead parking lots where people park and then go hiking.

“Vehicle prowling is a difficult law to enforce,” Reagan said. “That’s why we preach not to leave valuables in the car” and only take what’s absolutely necessary with you to a location, such as a driver’s license.

Golay and Andersen were horrified when they discovered the theft.

The wallet contained debit cards, credit cards, a driver’s license, Social Security card and a key card. The keys were to the couples’ house, mailbox, a padlock on a trailer and both their cars.

The couple thinks a thief used a slim jim, a burglary tool, to break into their car because they had locked all their doors and all the car’s windows were intact.

The couple wasn’t sure when they’d return to 24 Hour Fitness. Andersen said she was disappointed with employees’ response to the theft and unwillingness to post a sign warning other club members.

“We’ve got a sign coming from the manufacturer,” said D. Fromviller, regional operations manager for Oz Fitness, which owns 24 Hour Fitness. “It’s a new location, and it takes a while to get these things in place and there’s a policy against posting handwritten signs.”

Several athletic clubs in Spokane County have surveillance cameras aimed at their parking lots to help deter thieves. The 24 Hour Fitness in Spokane Valley has cameras on order. The fitness clubs also offer free day lockers, but people need to bring their own padlock.

Mark Whiting, an owner of Gold’s Gym, said they tell all new members not to leave personal items in their vehicles.

“The businesses do what they can, but it doesn’t always work,” Reagan said. “The lion’s share of the responsibility falls on the person.”