LAKE ISABELLA, Calif. -- Yogi Bear was a favorite childhood cartoon, entertaining many with his mischievous ways and love for picnic baskets, but for folks who have had things stolen while camping, there is nothing fun about "Yogi bearing."

Abby Bryski with Sequoia National Forest said, "You leave your tent up, you leave all your belongings in your tent, and outside your tent, and there’s just a trust that everybody feels with each other. But unfortunately, there are times folks come in who aren’t as honest and they will take things from campers.”

The term "Yogi bearing" may be new to a lot of people but for regular campers, they know all about it.

And they say the most common item that goes missing is a cooler.

Rick Liles, who camps at Lake Isabella, said his cooler has been stolen.

“Kids or somebody sneaks up in your camp, grabs it and runs with it. Throws it in the truck and splits,” said Liles.

For campers like Liles who have had their things stolen, their mentality is better be safe, then sorry.

And that means, locking everything up.

Kimberly Word has been camping around Lake Isabella for over 20 years, she said a few years ago her coolers and many personal belongings were stolen, so now she locks everything up at night.

“You used to be able to put all your drinks, cases of water, generators out, now everyone has to have cables and chains. And you have to put everything inside. As you can see, I have ice chests and things all inside, you can’t leave anything out because if you do, it will be gone," said Word.

Bryski said Forest Service has not seen a rise in camping thefts, but feel many times it does go unreported.

“I think many times people don’t report it because they feel like, well, "I left something out in the open and it got taken," but unfortunately, that’s not the case.”

Bryski said while the term "Yogi bearing" evokes fun and innocence, if anything is taken from another person’s campsite it is theft and it is a crime.

She said, the best way to protect your belongings is to obviously lock them up if possible, but also keep an eye out around not only your campsite but others as well.

If you see any suspicious activity, call the Forest Service or Sheriff's Department.