Beware of thieves!!

[ksoehrlein]

I am SO sorry for the loss of both your camcorder and your recorded memories. What an awful thing to experience at the Happiest Place on Earth.

The steep price of admission at WDW and DLR always gave me a (false) sense of security. I'd thought, what kind of thief would pay $70+ just to get in to the place they were going to steal from? But I guess the "professionals" do (or -- even worse -- they have cost-effective multi-day passes or APs ) and I guess those high-ticket items they're stealing "justify" the initial expense of their admission media. How sick.

Thanks for the reminder to not let down our guard.

 

[DevilDuckie]

Haha, finder's fee.

I wonder what goes through their heads. I mean, I'm pretty sure people care more about the money inside the wallet than the wallet itself.

It was probably not turned in by the thief. Some good samaritan probably found the discarded wallet and turned it in because for a lot of us the cash is the least important thing in the wallet.

 

[THE_Mom]

I left my wallet on top of my car roof once, long ago, at a gas station. I didn't realize it until I pulled into the driveway.

Credit cards, ID's and about $80 cash - gone. About 9 days later, this young guy rings my doorbell... he found my wallet and looked up my address in the "Thomas Guide".

Everything was still in it, and he wouldn't take a reward. I think of this everytime I find something. Once I found a wallet and purse at the mall. I opened it up to look for an ID (thinking I could just Google her or call a number in the wallet from my cell)... this woman came SCREAMING at me to drop it, calling me a thief.

Karma's gonna bite her in the a** one day. Next person probably won't take the time to look for an ID... they'll stash the purse under a jacket and look for valuables at home.

Then she'll post in a forum board about how this happened to her twice... and Karma will smirk.

There's nothing worse than losing your memories though - I truly hope you get the photos back. Thanks to the person with the labeling idea... I never even thought about it, but I will be labeling our memory cards and camera before we leave. Thanks!

 

[Corpsebride]

I am SO sorry for the loss of both your camcorder and your recorded memories. What an awful thing to experience at the Happiest Place on Earth.

The steep price of admission at WDW and DLR always gave me a (false) sense of security. I'd thought, what kind of thief would pay $70+ just to get in to the place they were going to steal from? But I guess the "professionals" do (or -- even worse -- they have cost-effective multi-day passes or APs ) and I guess those high-ticket items they're stealing "justify" the initial expense of their admission media. How sick.

Thanks for the reminder to not let down our guard.

Well I am an AP holder and I am happy to be. I dont think that AP holders are career criminals who lurk around DL to steal things. wow. what a thing to say. When we go, I always carry my camera in my purse with my wallet and make sure it is zipped. No one deserves to be ripped off and it is terrible and inconsiderate cruel and mean for people to do that ,so dont give them the chance. Last night, I counted LITTERALLY 20 strollers that looked like they had stuff in them,jackets, mickey ears, camera bags , totally visible to anyone ,just by walking by. I stopped counting after I got to 20. They are parked everywhere. They do have lockers you can stow your stuff in.or keep your valubles on you!! I know you may be tired and feet are sore and jr.wants another churro, but nothing will make your trip worse than coming out of POTC to find you have been ripped off. You wouldnt leave your keys in the ignition so dont give those criminals a chance. There is a special place in hell for thieves. They will get thiers. I think it is great that those of you who have had the unfortunate experience to share it on here to help others out and warn others.

 

[CandCMommy]

So sorry to hear this happened to you! I left my brand new camera on Astro Orbiter during early entry and went back right after the park opened to see if it was still there but it wasn't. I hadn't cleaned off the memory stick so I not only lost all of my disney pictures, but also all of the pictures I had taken at easter. It made me so sad! All I kept thinking was if you need to keep my camera, please just give me back my memory stick! Never happened.

Also, we had our CAR stollen with my purse inside while staying at one of the good neighbor hotels in July of 05. We'll never forget that trip either! All I can say is thank heaven the inlaws were there to help us out because we had to cancel ALL of our cards and put a hold on our checking account.

 

[toocherie]

Well I am an AP holder and I am happy to be. I dont think that AP holders are career criminals who lurk around DL to steal things. wow. what a thing to say.

I don't think the poster meant to imply that we AP'ers were career criminals--but that if there was someone out to do regular thievery at DLR it would not be surprising tha they would buy an AP so they could get regular entrance on a consistent basis without having to pay each time . . . .

that said--we noticed the other day that there are cameras EVERYWHERE--so if there is a theft, and it can be narrowed down to a specific time frame--why can't DLR security look at the tape and identify the culprit and put out an alert and stop them at the exit gates? Would it really be that difficult to look at a tape between 9 and 9:15 at the stroller area by POTC for example and see if someone went into a stroller, took something and walked off? If the person could identify the missing property (especially if it had a name or other i.d. on it) I would think Disney security could search someone at the exit and if it was found on them--busted!

I do agree with Corpsebride to not leave anything of value in a stroller (or ECV for that matter). Unfortunately there are not nice people sometimes even at Disneyland . . . .

 

[ksoehrlein]

I don't think the poster meant to imply that we AP'ers were career criminals--but that if there was someone out to do regular thievery at DLR it would not be surprising tha they would buy an AP so they could get regular entrance on a consistent basis without having to pay each time . . . .

Thanks, Toocherie. That's exactly what I was trying to say, it just didn't come out clearly. I'm an AP holder at WDW and certainly not a thief -- no bias against my fellow non-thief AP holders was intended by my post. To paraphase Corpsebride, it's more that "career criminals who lurk around DL to steal things" might possibly be AP holders rather than the inverse.

 

[pixiewings71]

We were there this last weekend too and I saw tons of strollers piled high with "goodies" just waiting to be snaked. I just walked by and shook my head. When I attend the parks I have my AP in my lanyard and in my back pocket of my jeans (the pockets button btw) I have a small wallet with my ID, credit card (disney visa of course) and any cash I've decided to carry. I keep my cell phone in my front pocket. I'm not one that's easy to steal from. Just because it's Disney doesn't mean everyone is in the Disney spirit.

I don't think that watching surveillance tapes is an effective way to catch criminals. Really you would have to know exactly what to look for and who knows if the person rooting around is with the guests who are pushing that stroller or not. Just keep your valuables on you, it's easier that way.

OP I'm really sorry that this happened to you, people like that always get theirs in the end.....hopefully you will be able to make new memories and take another trip with your family. Maybe you'll get lucky and get a package from Disney soon....and inside will be your camera(s).

 

[julieannbabe]

Haha, finder's fee.

I wonder what goes through their heads. I mean, I'm pretty sure people care more about the money inside the wallet than the wallet itself.

thats terrible. i went on star tours at DLP and undeneath the seats where there is that pouch to put your bags - someone had left their handbag there.
i was sitting in the seat, felt the handbag and promptly called the CM before the ride started to give them the bag.

how can people take money out of a wallet, bag or purse then give it in?

thats terrible.

sorry to hear what happened to OP.

xjx