Post-race security on campsites - you have been warned

[ewan]

Last year, our campsite got ransacked as we were away watching the finish line - all the stuff of value was locked in cars, but stupid things like chopping board, bread knives, fold up table, even a washing up bowl... got nicked. The "pikies" (or should I say, local opportunists) were caught in the act and moved on, but even when we got back half an hour after the end of the race, there were several French estate cars/pickups cruising round the campsite (Bleu Nord) helping themselves to anything that wasn't nailed down. They'd even dismantled our gazebo and were about to make off with it...

The issue I think was that there was no access control into the campsite - most of the time, the Controlleés were pretty good at only letting vehicles in that had the requisite camping permits, but I'm guessing the folk who were nicking stuff didn't have a permit [though there was one case of a couple of lads who were camping, and had been on a theft spree for the whole weekend, and their tent was like Aladdin's Cave when discovered].

SO. I emailed the ACO a few weeks ago:

Good afternoon,

I have 15 tickets for Camping Bleu Nord for the 24h du Mans this year, and will be camping with a large group as we have done for several years. Last year, when we returned to our camp site on Sunday after the finish of the race, a lot of our camping equipment had been stolen – and many other people near us had items stolen from their camp sites. Groups who were not camping, were driving around in their cars and vans, stealing from wherever they wanted. Some even were caught and, I believe, the police were called.

Security is quite good for several days before the race, and during the race: access marshals will only allow vehicles into the camp site if they are displaying a camping pass. Last year, however, any vehicle was allowed into the camp site as soon as the race finished, and this allowed a lot of theft from the camp sites of people who were staying on Sunday night.

I would like to request that this year, the access marshals should only allow vehicles displaying a camping permit, to access the camping site on Sunday afternoon/night.

Could you please let me know if this is the plan?

Thanks
Ewan

The response?

Dear Sir,

The 24 Heures campsites are extremely vast and despite the presence of security personnel who patrol these areas, together with controllers checking access points, we are unable to guarantee that there will be no thefts, in view of the large number of tents, campers and caravans on the sites.

We advise all those who camp under tents to lock away their belongings inside the boots of their vehicles, so as not to offer any temptation to ill-intentionned people.

Once the race has finished, a lot of the controllers are deployed by the traffic police. This would explain why you did not find so many controllers situated around the camping areas.

Yours faithfully.

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

[Lord Steve]

Very comforting!

[Bas]

Very comforting!

Sorry forgot to tell you Steve, we always have the team-newbie guard our stuff on Sunday afternoon.
Guess who that is this year 

[Barry]

Last time we were on BN, in 2005, I returned to the site at midday on Sunday, and the people controlling the gate had already buggered off.

[Nordic]

Its been going on for as long as I can recall, so we work on the assumption everything will get nicked.

We pack up sunday morning before a hasty depart asap to our hotel on Sunday and apart from a few chairs (nicked by the english group next to us we think) we have had very few losses.

touching wood hurriedly

[6 Euros - JD]

Once the race has finished, a lot of the controllers are deployed by the traffic police. This would explain why you did not find so many controllers situated around the camping areas.

We got back to BSJ about an hour and a half after the finish last year and the Chief Blackshirts were paying off the rest of them in hard cash before they all disappeared!

The site was completely unguarded from about 7 pm.

'This definitely explains why we did not find so many controllers situated around the camping area'

There were whole bands of 'ill-intentioned' people roaming around all evening. They even had a couple of 7 ton flatbeds!

[Lord Steve]

Very comforting!

Sorry forgot to tell you Steve, we always have the team-newbie guard our stuff on Sunday afternoon.
Guess who that is this year 

Erm, Hans? Pieter? Jurgen?

[Bas]

Very comforting!

Sorry forgot to tell you Steve, we always have the team-newbie guard our stuff on Sunday afternoon.
Guess who that is this year 

Erm, Hans? Pieter? Jurgen?

Nope it's Stev....... just kidding we have a great Dane to watch our stuff on Sunday afternoon.
We don't have to worry anyway as we're on Houx, pikeys usually don't get in until later Sunday evening or Monday morning.

[landman]

I saw two very shifty looking lads looking around the area when I got back to BN at around 4 pm last year.

As I unlocked my car I got an "alarm activated" warning.

Me thinks the b'stards even tried to get in to my car.

Paul / Landman

[Robbo]

Circle the wagons time!

Those of us on the CA campsite on BN should block off the site and do our own security!!

[mike(liverpool boys)]

The Liverpool Boys are bringing security this year.

His names Kev and he is BIG 

[Lord Steve]

I remember the trashed white renault pikeymobile from last year.

[pool pugilist]

For the past 2 years we have been on BN and not had any problems, however we did remain vigilant and we got the distinct impression (following the race on Sunday) had our backs been turned for a moment the tossers would have tried it!! however we are not the smallest sized guys and a few of us have very short fuses (Sorry thats the testosterone fuelled beer monster that used to be a scaffolder surfacing)   and "F*CK OFF" is understandable in any lingo!! Common sense really isnt it folks, if you dont want to loose it....lock it up.
Watch for the opportunist "Snatchers" as well, I got seperated from our guys as I was texting home on my phone just at the perimeter wall of MB on the way to the grandstand entrance, this arabic looking fella was clocking me and started to move in, I shouted as loud as I could for him to " Get F*ucked!!" on hearing this the guys I was with span on their heels and matey boy was faced up by 5 of us...it didnt take him long to consider his options....off he went into the night.

[pool pugilist]

I remember the trashed white renault pikeymobile from last year.

I too saw that Steve...unfortunatly I heard they had stolen the car as well......

Not that I was really bothered about BN I thought as a site it was ok but this term we are going to try HA, can anyone let me know about the security please? Is there a theiving problem?

[nopanic - neil]

Yea the pikes got my generator on friday afternoon, which was ok really because it was broken anyway. (must try and get it running before le mans - only been 49 weeks or so)

Thanks to "SUPER" lawnmower man got it back late Sunday night, not sure what happened to the pikes and their court appearance.

So be careful at all times,

Is it to late to organise electric fence (at 20,000 volts) or a taser gun - (if ACO are looking I was only joking  )