Mass tent thefts in oxylers

[phil the shrew]

Agree the advice about lock ups is 100% correct and really advise anyone to put all their valuables in there. But it does knock you about

Got stuff taken in 09 on the Thursday and while it was only a few notes and I had spare the idea of someone being in my tent really freaked me out (was going solo that year) worse still it made me a bit distrustful of my neighbouring campers and made sleeping in the tent tough for the next few days

Do wonder if perhaps the individual camping fields could be fenced off in some way so there is only one way in and out - they do that at V Festival. I know this goes totally against the spirit of the festival but would mean theives ability to go through a field and out the other end would be reduced

Do also fear one year someone might take law into their own hands and implications of that are pretty scary

[Matt42]

See this is what scared me

Friend of mine, she's female and she was sleeping in the tent by herself. They must of come into her tent as her tent was a three man with a porch, and you pretty much have to crawl into the tent.

What would of happened if she woke up and saw what he was doing? What scares me more is that there's some people at the festival that probably can't fend off a 30 year old man nicking from tents. What if she got hurt? It's so un-Glastonbury and it scares me.

[frostypaw]

What if she got hurt? It's so un-Glastonbury and it scares me.

You gotta remember the chances though - there are a vast number of people on site, a vast number of tents. They go for easy chances and passed out people - anyone moves or shifts in their sleep can just move on to the next tent easier than risk anyone shouting or struggling as in a quiet campsite that'll stand out easily

There's excellent advice in this thread, it's well worth following. the number of people i see nonetheless with tidily organised tents with neat piles of stuff to check through and clear areas to crawl into. So easy to make that entry a pain or noisy and unappealing

While Glastonbury is a bit magical it's just a clearer reflection of life in many ways complete with the bad bits. It's not hard to protect yourself, and in the end not scary. Like most things at the festival i guess - everyone's happy to help but in the end it's down to you to take care of yourself, price of such freedoms

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

 

Nope, I'm Greater Manchester CND (although I'm Scottish). 

 

Hats off to Greater Manchester CND contingent for covering the lock ups.  

 

I asked because a few of my friends cover a lock up (or several - I'm not sure how many). Just thought you may be a member of the same team.

[efcfanwirral]

Our biggest concern is that someone is actually in the tent, as we rarely have much money on us and old phones which are a necessity and not a lot we can do about that. Also, there are two chairs a cool box and a trolley in our porch/ living area strategically placed, and two zips to get through to get to that. Then another zip after they've tripped over the stuff in the entrance to get to the sleeping bit. Oh, and to get to us....bags which I've tripped over before. I'd expect to wake up (though not sure I'd actually want to). The phone and wallet with cards and what little money we have in is also in a very private place so good luck with that!

I'm actually more bothered about the idea of the tent being slashed, it's easily the most expensive and valuable thing we have there!! A luxury purchase that makes the festival so much more comfortable.

I'm going to v with some friends and will be in a tent on my own. Think I just need to accept someone will be paying a visit there to be honest

[eFestivals]

See this is what scared me

Friend of mine, she's female and she was sleeping in the tent by herself. They must of come into her tent as her tent was a three man with a porch, and you pretty much have to crawl into the tent.

What would of happened if she woke up and saw what he was doing? What scares me more is that there's some people at the festival that probably can't fend off a 30 year old man nicking from tents. What if she got hurt? It's so un-Glastonbury and it scares me.

 

remember, those thieves aren't interested in possibly vulnerable women. There's nothing to fear from that perspective.

 

They're on the rob, nothing more. While that is in itself bad, it does no one any good to escalate fears.

[Migraine]

You gotta remember the chances though - there are a vast number of people on site, a vast number of tents. They go for easy chances and passed out people - anyone moves or shifts in their sleep can just move on to the next tent easier than risk anyone shouting or struggling as in a quiet campsite that'll stand out easily

I leave my tent an embarrassing shit tip. It is that bad that I would actual be embarrassed if someone tried to rob it. I almost feel like leaving a sign up, 'YOU HAVE FUCK ALL CHANCE OF FINDING ANYTHING VALUABLE PS I DON'T NORMALLY LIVE LIKE THIS'.

[frostypaw]

I leave my tent an embarrassing shit tip. It is that bad that I would actual be embarrassed if someone tried to rob it. I almost feel like leaving a sign up, 'YOU HAVE FUCK ALL CHANCE OF FINDING ANYTHING VALUABLE PS I DON'T NORMALLY LIVE LIKE THIS'.

Exactly this. I often catch myself mumbling an apology as I work my way out in the morning over chairs, food and something that was milk. There's a hidden corner based organisation system going on but I aim for "fucking hell" as a first reaction

Pretty sure I have been done once as I'm zip-position retentive, but never noticed a thing moved

[Matt42]

remember, those thieves aren't interested in possibly vulnerable women. There's nothing to fear from that perspective.

They're on the rob, nothing more. While that is in itself bad, it does no one any good to escalate fears.

Yeah but what would they do if she woke up when they were half way into her tent? I don't think a "whoops wrong tent" would cut it.

[The Placid Casual]

Yeah but what would they do if she woke up when they were half way into her tent? I don't think a "whoops wrong tent" would cut it.

I stumbled into a wrong tent this year when I had no sense of anything. I'd even took my shoes off.

 

I think they knew I was a classic Gillespie case though so all was okay. I tried to go over when I woke up to apologise but they'd already left.

 

ROCK AND ROLL!

[Quark]

I leave my tent an embarrassing shit tip. It is that bad that I would actual be embarrassed if someone tried to rob it. I almost feel like leaving a sign up, 'YOU HAVE FUCK ALL CHANCE OF FINDING ANYTHING VALUABLE PS I DON'T NORMALLY LIVE LIKE THIS'.

This was the first year that I've taken the bombsite approach.  I don't doubt that it makes life harder for the light-fingered, but as someone who likes things to be in order and tidy it did make me twitch every time I went into my tent.  Had to fight the urge to tidy it up for 5 days.

 

Also the first year I've used lockups.  That I can't find fault with. Will also be using the tip I read somewhere on here of taking evening stuff down to a lockup on the morning wander to save a return journey to the tent later in the day.

[eFestivals]

Yeah but what would they do if she woke up when they were half way into her tent? I don't think a "whoops wrong tent" would cut it.

they'd act in the same way they'd always do if rumbled mid-rob, I guess - run away as fast as they can.

[Space Shanty]

I stumbled into a wrong tent this year when I had no sense of anything. I'd even took my shoes off.

 

I think they knew I was a classic Gillespie case though so all was okay. I tried to go over when I woke up to apologise but they'd already left.

 

ROCK AND ROLL!

 

Yeah I did something similar many years ago when I was in a real state and went into the wrong tent at about 4-5am.

The couple lying in there woke up to find me strumming some appalling noise on a guitar while rocking forwards and backwards.

They were very decent as they walked me to the end of their field to show me where I should have been, next field over.

No strangers to getting Gillespied themselves obviously

[eoJ]

I leave my tent an embarrassing shit tip. It is that bad that I would actual be embarrassed if someone tried to rob it. I almost feel like leaving a sign up, 'YOU HAVE FUCK ALL CHANCE OF FINDING ANYTHING VALUABLE PS I DON'T NORMALLY LIVE LIKE THIS'.

 

Same here, I'm pretty sure I heard two people suggest I was robbing my own tent after searching for 10 minutes for something @ 6AM.

[Zoo Music Girl]

These threads always terrify me I use the lockups for the bulk of my cash, doorkey, ID and ticket home these days but the thought of someone coming into my tent when I'm asleep really frightens me. If they did all they'd get was a small bit of cash and a crappy old phone now designated for festival use but still. It's the feeling of violation.

I've been lucky so far which only makes me think my turn must be coming.

[waynewdk]

I know this theft does happen, and it's a minority, but I've always wondered how many of the 100+ or so each year, have actually been robbed by a friend or a camping buddy, I'm lucky enough to have close friends who would never ever do anything like that, who I av known for years, but I'm guessing there will be some people out there who are not as close, and some people who will turn up skint, also I wonder how many people have spent some of there money unknowingly when drunk, high? No blame here just a curious thought

[waynewdk]

Same here, I'm pretty sure I heard two people suggest I was robbing my own tent after searching for 10 minutes for something @ 6AM.

note to robber if you find my wallet in this shit tip, you can have half,please leave it on the side lol

[Cheesey]

It's the feeling of violation.

 

You've got that right. I was pissed off about the money when it happened to me, but much more shaken up by the fact that some scumbag had been rummaging around in my tent while my GF and I were asleep in it. Not a pleasant feeling at all.

Edited July 9, 2015 by Cheesey

[ambientcoast]

ThIs year I woke up Thursday morning in Bushy with my tent door wide open and a bag dragged over to the door and emptied. Nothing taken - all the good stuff was in the lockup.

Most disappointing thing about it was that I missed my chance to follow my own advice from last year...

http://www.efestivals.co.uk/forums/topic/186893-tent-thefts/page-5#entry4429093

[eoJ]

Oh, one really weird tent theft I had this year, no idea what was going on with that (park home).

 

Brought a box of Oreos with me, felt like one one morning, they'd all been eaten, and there was some oreo covered toilet paper/tissue stuffed in the box. Also one box laying outside my tent. There were cereal bars nearby, there were drugs, was really odd. Had myself wondering if I'd somehow been sleepwalking on the benzo I'd had the night before to get me to sleep

Edited July 10, 2015 by eoJ

[cjuk87]

We've camped in big ground the last 3 years and had no problems. This year was our first fright...

 

We got back to the tent and both the porch and the inner tent was unzipped and wide open! Panic set in and when i checked, everything was still there. Then i remembered my gf asked me to zip it all up while she nipped to the toilets.

 

I didn't zip it up....

[cjuk87]

I know this theft does happen, and it's a minority, but I've always wondered how many of the 100+ or so each year, have actually been robbed by a friend or a camping buddy, I'm lucky enough to have close friends who would never ever do anything like that, who I av known for years, but I'm guessing there will be some people out there who are not as close, and some people who will turn up skint, also I wonder how many people have spent some of there money unknowingly when drunk, high? No blame here just a curious thought

We were actually robbed by my (now ex) best friend at Leeds 2 years ago.

 

We had a mini fallout during the headliner because he was ridiculously drunk and being a pain. He stormed off. When we got back to the tent at like 1am, all my gf's drink had gone. We assumed it'd been stolen but when packing up on the sunday he had some empty ones in his tent! 

[mungo57]

We were actually robbed by my (now ex) best friend at Leeds 2 years ago.

We had a mini fallout during the headliner because he was ridiculously drunk and being a pain. He stormed off. When we got back to the tent at like 1am, all my gf's drink had gone. We assumed it'd been stolen but when packing up on the sunday he had some empty ones in his tent!

Wow.

You sir, win the award for the first efester to have been robbed by a mate at a festival! Never thought people would stoop that low

[darrenleanne77]

On Thursday, June 25, 2015 at 7:19 AM, Matt42 said:

Gonna be reported to police now, last night multiple tents were robbed last night, including one of my mates... A lot of people around me are saying that pretty much all their money was taken.. A lot of very unhappy people, some people even reckon they must of been in the tent asleep when it was stolen!

Can children attend the Bulldog Bash 

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

38 minutes ago, darrenleanne77 said:

Can children attend the Bulldog Bash 

LMFAO. Talk about not developing from the play ground.