Stolen kit – what to do about it?

[goose]

Due to the recent rash of stolen items during Millennium events, I am trying to come up with ideas about what to do.

First - could people please chime in and tell us what was stolen and when. I want to see if there is any "pattern" to the event layout maybe contirbuting to this.

Second - if anyone has any ideas please let me know.


My feeling on this is as follows...

There seems to be more theft from the events where the players area is crowded.

I.D. card checking doesn't really help stop it 100% nor will it ever - especially if the thieves are either players or support staff.

From now on I know I will be locking my bag whenever I am not around it.


So let's hear it people - open the flood gates.


goose

 

[A.B]

perhaps issuing players with cable tie esq tags with their players number or team name on at registration. these tags could be put on markers, goggles etc and be checked that they match id cards when leaving the staging area. i realise that checkin tags adds another task to the security, but maybe this could be addressed by randomly checking every other

i personnally locked my kitbag and if i'd thought about it a bit more i would of chained it to the seating at the edge of the staging area- Campaign.

i realise my suggestion above will only apply to larger tournies such as millenium's but possibly in a different format could be applied to smaller events.

So sad that tea leaves are abundant in what otherwise is a very friendly community.

 

[sjt19]

Followin the thefts on friday night, i had a Blue C+C Angel LCD stolen from my bag that was in the back of the admin tent.

Its quite extreme, but there are a few options.

1. Employ a few honest kids (i work at Campaign and know that there are lots of kids who work there who would gladly do this for a few boxes of paint for team training) and have them be in charge of a few tables each in the players area watching the kit. They will of course know who are the teams that are staging on those tables and can therefore prevent unauthorised people getting access to the kit. For Campaign you would need about 25 kids to do it, but it would be wholly worthwhile.That would cost a bit, but adding a few Euros to the cost of the ID cards/entry fee would cover that cost. After all, who would complain about the cost of a few extra pounds to secure their kit when they are not with it?

2. Have a small wire mesh box under each table with a padlock, and give one player from each team the corresponding key for their box. Kit could be secured in the boxes and would be safe from theft. These boxes would only need to be 1m by 1m to hold spare guns, goggles and packs while teams are not playing. It shouldnt cost that much to make these boxes and they could be transported around the Series with the fields.

Thoughts?

p.s Nice to finally meet you Goose

 

[Mark Toye-Nexus]

Sad innit?

I just dont think it can be stopped. Mind you leaving kit in a tent overnight is asking for trouble - security or no security - and I know this is how a few guns and kit bags went.

Stealing from tables cant be avoided. Sticky fingered ballers have big bags with them - it doesnt take much to drop anything into them.

I put a pair of goggles on the floor and they went walkies. I NEVER left my gun alone all weekend - its not nice but we have no choice I fear

Mark

 

[Andy]

i think we should have cleaning crews that clean up at the end of the day not during, so they dont throw anythign away that we could need from the players tent.

 

[T.B.F.K.A.T.L.]

For a start I suggest banning all unaccompanied children from the site. How many times have I seen little kids walking around with bags full of balls, petty I know but later on I saw the same kids with barrel condoms in thier hands, so where did they lift these from, and when does it stop. If they can get into the players area theres a chance they would try to walk away with something more expensive and as long as they walk out of the doors with a bigger group of ballers theres a chance they would get off the site with a marker.
So I say ban the sprogs we don't need them.

 

[weedave]

It is pretty simple to steal popular markers.

Take the Angel Speed for example. Loads of people use them at big tournaments like Campaign Cup.

All somebody has to do is lift one while walking past a table in the players area go to a stand for free stickers. Put a few one. Get an allen key or something, Put a scratch on the body and maybe even throw a new barrel on it and you will think that this speed is definatley not yours.

So yes something needs to done. Sam came up with two good ideas. The best one i think is hiring some honest kids. If you get some adults to do it they will want alot more money for it than the kids would.

The padlocked box under the table is a very good idea but what if a key is lost?
Good ideas that just bring small problems that we just need to work around.

An idea is lockers. People will pay 20p to use a locker to keep their gear secure if they cant be bothered to walk to their car to put their gear away when their finished played if they want to watch some games first. I know i would.

Dave

Nice to meet you goose at campaign.
Sam I hope you like the Camo headgear.

 

[jahlad]

ive come up with something, i carry my kit in a large rolling tool box, so its quite simple to wire up an alarm on it......gonna lock the box and fit it with an alarm on the lid and a tilt sencor so that if the box is moved it makes a hell of a noise.....remote control so that only i can disarm it.


also we were talking about modifying our team gun stand so that the markers can be locked into it and the stand immobilised by locking it to something like a table etc.....

failing that we could get a team pit bull!

 

[Sean]

Why not just add your marker and serial number to the players pass and ensure every single on gets checked!

This will stop someone wandering off with your kit during the day While playing or just finishing etc! And if you are borrowing a marker let the organiser know at the beginning of the event and get like a guest marker pass

As for stuff being taken outside playing time! I havent got a clue

 

[camsmith]

Sean, not a very practical idea. With the number of times a player goes in and out of the area, multiplied by the number of players... This is a monumental task.

Couple that with people's markers breaking down and then legitimately borrowing another marker... could you police that?