Campsite Thieving - What to do about it?

[Andy Zarse]

The main topic of conversation upon our collective return from Le Mans last year seemed to centre on the level of theft from campsites. I recall the general attiude was one of deep disappointment, despair even, at the sheer buggeration factor aused by having car keys, cameras, wallets, passports etc stolen. Many peple were even threatening never to attend Le Mans again, so spoilt was their experience.
From memory, just about every goup suffered to a greater or lesser extent from pilfering by persons unknown. Even Team Zarse was not imune, having our GoPed stolen. Thank God there was nothing else worth pinching on our pitch. The general CA consensus was that things were getting completly out of hand and that the ACO seemed loathed to do anything constructive about it. I personally wrote to the ACO to complain about the level of theft and true to form the rude bastards did not even have the common courtesy to reply to me.

Maybe the time is right to address the problem now rather than on our return? So it looks like we collectively need to do something about it ourselves. I'd therefore like CA members to propose some practical solutions to this problem, both passively and actively.

So to start the ball rolling I think we should produce some posters, flyers and handouts warning the thieves, in several languages, of the potential consequences of being caught. And we maybe need to be our brother's keepers a bit more. Can we organise some security patrols on the saturday night when things are at their worst? Anyway, please all feel free to chip in with suggestions. Doing nothing, it seems to me, is no longer an option.

Your further ideas are welcome...

[Leftie]

Andy,

As you are aware, CA members camp in many camp sites and therefore are widely spread. Some camp alone.
It is obvious that any valuables not taken with you to the circuit should be locked up in the car/van etc.

To mount a lookout, which we have always done and with assistance from our near neighboughs has resulted in no thefts but just a bit of vandalism. The downside side of this is that people miss aspects of the race. The upside is Radio Le Mans.

You start noticing the 'lurkers' on Tuesday. When your group has formed, point the lurkers out and to your neighbours.

Three years ago, we caught a vagrant trying to get away with his swag, the Police were there within minutes. They were VERY persuavive in getting him into the Maria!!!!!

From last year on Expo, the 'lurkers' appeared to be site security, they could hardly speak the lingo and looked shifty. We offered them a beer. No trouble.

[Lord Pig-Pen]

Should you need translation into a variety of Eastern European lingo, let me know.
Lady PP works with a plethora of Poles, Slovaks and Bulgarians who will happily do it.

PP

[nickliv]

Should you need translation into a variety of Eastern European lingo, let me know.
Lady PP works with a plethora of Poles, Slovaks and Bulgarians who will happily do it.

PP

Bloody immigrants 

[Werner]

The new CA guide will have a chapter about this, here is a preview:

http://www.lemanszone.de/c15y-campsite-security.pdf

It was basically done by mgmark and me, suggestions for enhancements welcome

Cheers

Werner

[Andy Zarse]

But Werner, there's nothing in there about beating them with clubs and leaving them bleeding in the moonlight

[Werner]

But Werner, there's nothing in there about beating them with clubs and leaving them bleeding in the moonlight

True Andy, and after consulting my attourney I removed also the paragraphs about the barbed wire and landmines campsite installation and the c*ck and ball torture - damn political correctness

[Kev_mk3]

Ive been thinking more and more about this the last few weeks and its concerning me quite a lot. A few of our advance party suffered from the thieves but this year I shall be at the campsite longer! Im taking copies of the passports and driving licences with me and my spare car key ( trying to get a new alarm fob asap aswell! ) but will it be best to keep valuables locked hidden in the car?

[Steve Pyro]

.... but will it be best to keep valuables locked hidden in the car?

Most serpently.

[Werner]

Ive been thinking more and more about this the last few weeks and its concerning me quite a lot. A few of our advance party suffered from the thieves but this year I shall be at the campsite longer! Im taking copies of the passports and driving licences with me and my spare car key ( trying to get a new alarm fob asap aswell! ) but will it be best to keep valuables locked hidden in the car?

Locking valuables hidden in the car is IMHO the best option - it's easy to raid a tent but not every thief has the skills or tools required to crack a car - especially if it has a noisy alarm system.

[Piglet]

Locking stuff out of sight in the boot has to be the right approach.  On a practical point you are likely to be uninsured for anything in a car that isn't locked in the boot and out of sight (assuming you have All Risks cover on your home insurance)

BUT do it unobtrusively, don't make a big show of putting your camera in your crappy escort (or whatever) and then be surprised when someone has screwdrivered your locks!  (do Fords all still open on the same key as they were prone to some years ago?)

Then make sure you keep your keys safe.  As Mark's lads found out last year locking all your goodies in one place is great unless the scrotes get the keys, keeping keys in a bag inside your tent no longer seems to be safe.  I've always put the keys in my bag and slept with it close to me but I think this year I'm going to get a small plastic box and keep the keys in the bottom of my sleeping bag - I'm worried about loose keys in case I blip the car and unlock it in my sleep! 

Again, practically you should always travel with a copy of your passport, insurance etc., it's also worth making sure someone at home has a copy that they can fax to you if needed.   

[Kev_mk3]

Im going to invest in a money belt later today and also a very small Tupperware pot for the keys and passports to go in the sleeping bag. We are not going to have masses of expensive goods on us and if we do they will be locked hidden in the boot! The car has a bloody load alarm and also a steering lock so that’s going no where! There are no locks on the car so no one will be using a screw driver in locks here!

[knetter]

since we do not cross the channel and don't have to be bothered with passport controls, I always leave it at home, but if you have no choice lock it in the car, somewhere safe and  easy enough to find again once you've sobered up

As we are with a large group we did not have any issues at our site last year, there is always someone around and about, safety in numbers. Patroling on the friday night party with massive Mag-lites in our hands also helped warn the scum not to try anything. This year I am prone to bring my carbon fiber hockey stick to perform cock and ball torture if required!!

I also always keep my money and keys (if I bring any) in my sleeping bag at night, money in a moneybelt works best, some sleeping bags even have pockets in them just for this purpose, buy those if you can find them. Securing your tent zips will usually result in tents sliced open with a knife, if they want to come in they will!!

But I do agree with the text in the CA guide, do not get to paranoid and just don't bring your most expensive stuff to Le Mans, and have a good time with the majority of the good willing people on the sites.

[Andy Zarse]

Im going to invest in a money belt later today and also a very small Tupperware pot for the keys and passports to go in the sleeping bag.

The thieves will never think to look in your sleeping bag for you car keys and passport. 

[Steve Pyro]

Kev, you need one of those little stainless steel cylinders like the prisoners used in the movies Midnight Express and Papillon