While not exactly a trailhead break-in, my wife (a former Seattle area LEO and homicide detective) told me that if ever a B&E shows up in the house, don't bother trying to subdue him and hold him for the cops. Just go ahead and kill him, drag him in the house if he isn't already inside, and swear up and down that you came across him inside the house and you felt your life was in danger. The key to the cops "letting you go" is that you HAVE to say something along the lines of "...I felt my life was in danger..." . That's why we keep a piece in the bedroom, the living room, and the kitchen. Always close at hand.
Doesn't matter if the creep was trying to rip you off or not; it's good enough for the Law. Case closed. NEXT! crooks!