Tent thefts - use the lockups!

[wetwipes]

Just a reminder to use the lock ups, folks. http://www.glastonburyfestivals.co.uk/information/advice/property-lock-ups/

I used to have a thing about them.  I think I thought they were some kind of unattended lockers, instead of manned 24h by lovely people.  And nowadays I have a passport with me and I can safely leave all that stuff with lockups for the weekend (just don't forget to pick the stuff up on Monday morning!)

Thefts happen from tents every year, including last year:

http://www.efestivals.co.uk/forums/topic/197638-mass-tent-thefts-in-oxylers/?page=1

Although often thefts from tents are in the first two nights (Wednesday and Thursday), the tent right next to mine in Kidney Mead last year was done over big time on Saturday night/Sunday morning between about 3 am and 6 am.  In that case the thieves lifted a wallet containg £800 (!!) and some foreign currency, and stepped over a self-identified 20-stone man to razor the jeans pocket and wallet off his mate's jeans.  Scary scary stuff which I slept through.  The guys who were robbed said they didn't know about the lockups despite going to Glastonbury for decades.  They reckoned they were followed back from a bar where they had been "flashing the cash" but I reckon it was more to do with the fact that they were snoring loudly and thought to be unlikely to wake up.  So just be careful folks.

Another tip, if bringing a camera or a phone is to take a photo of your "owner details" as the first photo so that if it's lost it can be returned to you.

Enjoy the festival, y'all.

[lyndseyo]

thanks for this! I wasn't aware you could leave items for the duration of the weekend! Will be paying them a visit when we arrive cheers

[Mr Splodge]

Well said, let's hope people use them, would be terrible to be robbed and have a horrible festival.

[TR252]

A question about the lock ups - If i wanted to store some money there how to they look after it? Do they supply a box to put it in etc. ?

 

 

[LeeGalvin]

I used the lookups for the first time in 2014 and it was a great weight off my mind! The only things I'd leave in my tent were things I wouldn't be too upset about losing.

[YetAnotherOldHippy]

Snoring loudly??

I always use the lockups, despite being guilty of that...

[Spindles]

Yup, as soon as the tent is up I get the valuables in the lockup, everything except enough cash, booze and party favours to last til Thursday morning, then go back and remove enough to get me through til Friday morning, etc..  I try to stick a couple of quid in each time I grab stuff from there and then whatever I can spare on top at the end of the festival.

I throw everything valuable into the bag my tent came in and check that in, I've seen them doing some sort of envelope system for wallets/cash, but never bothered with that.

Memorise your ticket number, take a photo or send a mate a text with it in, just in case of lost ticket/soggy ticket/whatever.

[Little Andy]

5 minutes ago, TR252 said:

A question about the lock ups - If i wanted to store some money there how to they look after it? Do they supply a box to put it in etc. ?

 

 

They give you an envelope to put the money in. You have to sign it over the seal, or something like that.

I have no idea if anyone else does this, but I put all my money in the lockups at the start of the festival, then take out a proportion of it every morning.

Edited June 20, 2016 by Little Andy

[TR252]

1 minute ago, Little Andy said:

They give you an envelope to put the money in. You have to sign it over the seal, or something like that.

I have no idea if anyone else does this, but I put all my money in the lockups at the start of the festival, then take out a proportion of it every money.

Great, thank you.

 

The only thing I'd had stolen from me in previous years is my wellies but I think I'll be putting money in the lock ups this year... I've noticed as I'm getting older I want more comforts (sleeping on a pillow rather than a hoody) and also becoming more cautious of my belongings. 

[warriormonk]

I've been turned over.  A few years ago someone nicked bum bag from under my head whilst I was asleep.  Pulled cash out wallet and left everything in porch.  Did the same to neighbours the next night.  Year after cash nicked from a couple nearby.  This was in Dairy (now Paines).  They're not bothered about phones etc....anything that can be identified  (not many people write down the serial numbers of their bank notes). Since then I've never had more than a tenner on me at night.    

[blackred]

Thanks for posting this, surprisingly there hasn't been a theft topic this year.

All newbies, heed this advice. The lockups are the best service on site, all of your stuff safe for the weekend - and manned by lovely groups of people. Splash them whatever you can afford at the end for the service, it's more than worth it.

[rottencrotch]

Hello - lock up worker here!

Money is placed in an envelope (we don't count it or write down anywhere how much there is), sealed with sellotape and your signature is written over the seal. When you go to remove cash, you'll see that the seal hasn't been tampered with and you open it and remove what you need for that day. It then goes back into a fresh envelope and a new ticket is completed. And so on. 

You can leave anything in the lock up as long as it's picked up by 12pm on Monday. 

It's worth noting that if you put a bag in, want to take something out and put it back in the lock up a new ticket is issued. It only takes 5 minutes and ensures that everything is recorded properly. This can seem like a total pain in the arse but it protects both the customer & the lock up staff - keeping everyone right. 

It's also worth noting that the person who puts an item in MUST be the person who collects it.  Don't be that guy and try and circumvent the system

See you all on Wednesday! 

[6t6o6m]

This worries me, I've been to download and reading and have never had a problem. Although, I sleep light and would go crazy if someone stepped foot in my tent.

[Digital Monkey (Womad)]

I would always sleep with my wallet /other valuables inside my sleeping bag.

What I would hate to have stolen is my walking boots and shoes. And rain jacket but would prefer to have them in my tent so I get up to go to the loo in the night.

[howlin_pete]

I know some friends who worked there in 2008 and 2009, they both keep all their cash in there every year and take it out as they need it. That's more than enough of an endorsement for me

[6t6o6m]

I was going to use the lock ups, but I will look to put money in them now. 

 

[rottencrotch]

3 minutes ago, 6t6o6m said:

This worries me, I've been to download and reading and have never had a problem. Although, I sleep light and would go crazy if someone stepped foot in my tent.

Please don't worry. Thefts do happen, just be as vigilant as you can and put anything of value in the lock up. You can't do anything more than that and once you are on site you won't even need to give it a second thought!

[FuzzyDunlop]

Lock ups are the way forward. They have loo roll there and sun tan lotion there too! (Well they did last year)

Edited June 20, 2016 by FuzzyDunlop

[wetflame]

We used the lock ups for storing our money throughout the festival and took enough for the day out each morning. No problems whatsoever. We also put our tent and backpacks/bags in on the Sunday morning after packing everything up as we were getting the coach at something like 3am on the Monday morning. Really helpful, great service. Some of them do phone charging too, although they started charging for it last year (understandable with the number of people who were using the service beforehand meaning they had to turn people away).

Well done to these lovely chaps and chapettes for giving up their time. A special shout out especially to the ones in the tent near Woodsies who built a GoT iron throne out of toilet roll in theirs one time.

[kaytee...]

Even if you keep stuff in the lockups, if you're worried about any cretins possibly trying to get in your tent whilst sleeping use a carabiner or tie or something to link the zips together on your tent door so it  can't be opened easily.

I usually do this and attach a keyring with small bells on. That way I know if anyone's messing with the tent door I'll hear it - although I am a very light sleeper so might be no good if you're away with the fairies at night.

[mungo57]

31 minutes ago, Little Andy said:

They give you an envelope to put the money in. You have to sign it over the seal, or something like that.

I have no idea if anyone else does this, but I put all my money in the lockups at the start of the festival, then take out a proportion of it every morning.

I do this also - means I budget more my money lasts longer and I always have a fallback if something happens. Debit card and driving license stay at the lockup and I remember the ticket no or take a pic in case I lose my slip. Lockups are a great thing AND they give you free shit roll

[Neal86]

i am a very forgetful/anxious person and the lockups for me a total godsend. Even if in 2014 i lost my ticket every day which caused stress. sorry guys

[blackred]

21 minutes ago, Digital Monkey (Womad) said:

I would always sleep with my wallet /other valuables inside my sleeping bag.

What I would hate to have stolen is my walking boots and shoes. And rain jacket but would prefer to have them in my tent so I get up to go to the loo in the night.

They will have it out your sleeping bags, read the thread linked in op.

The professionals are interested in cash only, not your kit, cards, phone etc. Don't sleep with more money on you than you can afford to lose, use the lockups! 

[Little Andy]

28 minutes ago, 6t6o6m said:

This worries me, I've been to download and reading and have never had a problem. Although, I sleep light and would go crazy if someone stepped foot in my tent.

You shouldn't worry, I'm sure that the vast majority of people don't have anything stolen ... its just that this thread has invited the tiny minority who have to speak up. Nevertheless, use the lockups for peace of mind.

[rottencrotch]

5 minutes ago, Neal86 said:

i am a very forgetful/anxious person and the lockups for me a total godsend. Even if in 2014 i lost my ticket every day which caused stress. sorry guys

It's no big deal - just takes a wee bit longer

Take a photo of the number and we'll find your item much quicker!