Stealing in Parks?

[mom2rtk]

People are stealing electric (in a way) when they plug in their phones and laptops at the parks.

Oy vey. Disney actually added plugs by the Rapunzel bathrooms and Dumbo area for that very purpose.

 

[dsnymomof4]

We leave things in our stroller all the time. The only thing we have ever had stolen was a blanket. It was early Feb and a VERY cold night at Epcot, Illuminations was starting soon and we were coming out of the Land. Saw someone in the distance walking off with what looked like our stroller - turns out it was. They walked it down past the entrance (back when you could park your strollers along the sides) and then started running. Only thing missing was the blanket - not the bags of souvenirs - just the blanket. Told security and they let us pick out a new blanket in Mousegears. It wasn't a big deal, but it did make me feel really bad - like I thought all of us Disney lovers were respectful of each other and that respect had been violated. We do still leave things in the stroller - but nothing of value.

 

[NYDisneyKid]

Oy vey. Disney actually added plugs by the Rapunzel bathrooms and Dumbo area for that very purpose.

Gee maybe someone will set up a whole office.No sign saying you cant right?

 

[huhwhat]

I plunked down the $20 for the sparkly light up tinkerbell balloon ....it was tied to my stroller .... we came back and the balloon was gone but clearly was cut and taken because the weight was still attached at the knot to my stroller.....that to me is just plain mean....... I plunked down another $20 but had a CM write her name on it with a sharpie

 

[siskaren]

Gee maybe someone will set up a whole office. No sign saying you can't right?

As mom2rtk said, the outlets (and USB ports, by the way) were put there specifically for people to recharge their phones. If people weren't supposed to use them for that purpose, why would they make them so easily accessible?

 

[mrssam]

We always leave a bag with changes of clothes for the kids, extra diapers and wipes, snacks, etc.

At DL it was stolen once so I started bringing a bike chain lock to attach the bag to the stroller. At WDW two weeks ago I did the same and we came back from TSM to find the bag pulled out of the stroller basket (still chained) and opened, some contents on the ground, but nothing taken. I thought it was weird because where we were parked is a main corridor. Gutsy thieves, but I'm happy I locked it up.

 

[mgrayar]

I tend to consider that the $0.003 cents it costs to charge my phone is probably built into the ever inflating ticket costs. Disney gets theirs, don't ever doubt that.

 

[KiKi Mouse]

I can see people stealing strollers and other things. I just returned and saw people entering the park with little kids and no strollers. I thought they were crazy. I think these are the types that take the strollers. They may not realize how much walking is involved or how tired kids get.

We have never had anything taken from our stroller but we have lost a couple of items in the park that were never turned in.

One time it was a really nice Chip and Dale sweatshirt.

This trip my six year old had a lanyard with a pouch that contained a few pins for trading. She dropped it in the Aladdin ride line. Another guest saw somebody pick it up, open it and put it back on the ground. When we looked it was gone and never turned in. Somebody in the line picked it up and kept it.

It bothered me for the rest of the day. If I find something I hand it in to a CM. I don't keep it. It's not mine. Even my kids know better.

It was only a few pins but my daughter was upset for quite some time. What bothered us the most is that somebody in the line behind us took it.

 

[HopperFan]

In May we were eating lunch in the Tortuga Tavern dining area when a group came out from the back side of Pecos Bill and stood by us. Two guests, Security and off and on about 5 CMs who gave their descriptions/accounts to the officer. The girl still had a big sling bag on her but it sounded like a person behind her in line at Pecos Bill had either lifted a small purse or wallet. I assume it was in her big bag (open top version). Her wallet and all valuable stuff was gone, they were asking about passport etc. If it was a purse there was a chance room key, car keys etc gone. They obviously were very upset, that is the last stuff you want gone. My question was were they the only ones? Did someone really pay all that money to come in the park and rob one person or were they moving about the crowds lifting what they could? I got the feeling from security questions etc that maybe this was a person that had been described to them before.

When we had strollers we always left the easily replaced stuff in basket but never anything else. We took our own strollers but we wrote out name in bold with sharpie on several prominent places. Even in Disney, even on your person, don't leave your important stuff vulnerable. I carry a "park wallet" with only what I need for that day, inside a bag, inside a zippered pocket.

 

[dmccarty]

Did someone really pay all that money to come in the park and rob one person or were they moving about the crowds lifting what they could? I got the feeling from security questions etc that maybe this was a person that had been described to them before.

Years ago on the DIS there was a story of someone getting their smart phone stolen at Wilderness Lodge. The owner had put tracking software on the phone and was able to find and follow the thief at the boat dock waiting for a ride to MK. I think they waited until the person was going through the bag check at MK to call the phone and catch the thief.

Getting a season pass and using Disney transportation to move around WDW is a very easy and smart way to blend in while looking for things to steal. One would only have to steal a few phones, cameras, expensive strollers or smart phones each day to make a bunch of money not to mention if they go lucky and got someones cash or credit cards. Selling/trading mouse ears, shirts, etc might not get one much per item but if you had 5-10 items per week to sell, it adds up.

We have never had anything stolen but we also do not use a stroller. However, I was leaving the Living Seas on day and a woman was giving a report to a CM about having her stuff stolen from the stroller parking area.

Later,
Dan

 

[LimeCordial]

We always leave a bag with changes of clothes for the kids, extra diapers and wipes, snacks, etc.

At DL it was stolen once so I started bringing a bike chain lock to attach the bag to the stroller. At WDW two weeks ago I did the same and we came back from TSM to find the bag pulled out of the stroller basket (still chained) and opened, some contents on the ground, but nothing taken. I thought it was weird because where we were parked is a main corridor. Gutsy thieves, but I'm happy I locked it up.

See, unless the thief was wearing an eye mask or balaclava, I wouldn't think twice about an average joe bending down looking through a diaper bag.

We usually leave the stroller parked in each section we are touring and don't use it until we hike over to another section or leave the park. We leave a few items in it but nothing valuable. So far so good. I hope it remains that way.

People can be such giant jerks.

 

[rainboots]

I would think the ones that look like the rentals (citi minis and the like) are more likely to be stolen because they all look alike and if it's a true thief and not a mistaken person they assume the person wouldn't care as much if it's a rental.

Exactly the reason we are renting with insurance. If it gets stolen, I will be inconvenienced, but not out $500 for the price of the stroller.

 

[dayvewc]

People are stealing electric (in a way) when they plug in their phones and laptops at the parks.

Can't be stealing when the CM's direct you to plug in, just don't leave phones, cameras, etc. unattended.

 

[Magpie]

People are stealing electric (in a way) when they plug in their phones and laptops at the parks.

It's no more "stealing" than when people plug in their phones and laptops at the resorts. The electricity is there for the guests to use. They "paid" for it when they paid for their admission.



Now, just to brighten things a tad, after all this talk of theft and heartbreak... On my last trip, when I sat down to eat at The Liberty Inn, I hooked my purse over the back of my chair. Then I got up and walked away without it. I was three countries and twenty minutes away before I noticed that it wasn't over my shoulder. Ran all the way back.

There was SO much to lose in there! My wallet, AP, phone, camera, pins from the tours we'd taken...

But when I got to the Liberty Inn, there was my purse, still hanging off the back of my chair.

A fellow sitting at the next table said, "Oh good, you're back! We didn't want to touch anything, but we figured we'd give it to one of the staff if you didn't come back." His food was all eaten up, and his family looked like they'd been just killing time for awhile.

Yes, there's thieves at Disney, but you'll also meet some of the nicest people there, too. We've had an opportunity to pass on the magic ourselves a few times, alerting people when they're about to walk off without their stuff or turning in lost items.

 

[RedHeadedFairy]

People are stealing electric (in a way) when they plug in their phones and laptops at the parks.

You are kidding right? Does that make the charging stations "Entrapment"?

 

[POOHsie]

I... Now, just to brighten things a tad, after all this talk of theft and heartbreak... On my last trip, when I sat down to eat at The Liberty Inn, I hooked my purse over the back of my chair. Then I got up and walked away without it. I was three countries and twenty minutes away before I noticed that it wasn't over my shoulder. Ran all the way back.

There was SO much to lose in there! My wallet, AP, phone, camera, pins from the tours we'd taken...

But when I got to the Liberty Inn, there was my purse, still hanging off the back of my chair.

A fellow sitting at the next table said, "Oh good, you're back! We didn't want to touch anything, but we figured we'd give it to one of the staff if you didn't come back." His food was all eaten up, and his family looked like they'd been just killing time for awhile.

Yes, there's thieves at Disney, but you'll also meet some of the nicest people there, too. We've had an opportunity to pass on the magic ourselves a few times, alerting people when they're about to walk off without their stuff or turning in lost items.

Similar thing happened to me and DD. We had a treat at Writer's Stop at DHS. After, we went over by Star Wars and watched the end of the afternoon parade. All-of-a-sudden DD told me she'd be right back, and she ran off as fast as she could. A few minutes later she reappeared. She had just remembered she left her purse with everything including iPhone on the back of a chair at Writer's Stop. No one said anything to her when she retrieved the purse and everything was in there, untouched. I was kind-of amazed... and happy that WDW has so much pixie dust floating around.

 

[NYDisneyKid]

http://arstechnica.com/information-...rrested-for-plugging-car-into-schools-outlet/

Yet people charge their phones and computers at McDonalds, Starbuks, Panera Bread, etc and not a thing done.

 

[mikek]

http://arstechnica.com/information-...rrested-for-plugging-car-into-schools-outlet/

Yet people charge their phones and computers at McDonalds, Starbuks, Panera Bread, etc and not a thing done.

Your going to compare pluging in a tiny usb charger to busting out an extension cord for a car that can draw 10-15-20+ amps?

While in the real world it's goofy since the "thief" pointed out it's just 5 cents- people (the cop or more likely school employee that called to complain) probably dont do the math and it "seems" a lot bigger than the few cents it really is. It's not a huge stretch that someone might say to themselves it costs 50-100 bucks to fill their vehicle at the pump so charging the battery must cost a similar amount.

I know my electrical bill goes up noticeably from my Christmas lights so If I saw my neighbor plug into my outlet without asking to run his lights I'd say something to him for sure. If he sits on my deck to have a beer with me and plugs in his cell phone in the same outlet to charge I dont flinch. It's a perception thing.

I'm sure in 5-10 years charging electric cars will be commonplace and the etiquette will be worked out.

 

[HMANSION LOVER]

I understand the sentiment that some may be in desperate need of clothing, food, etc., but I encourage caution in the use of this justification for stealing. This concept really applies only to some very limited circumstances, and it just makes it too easy to excuse criminal behavior. No matter what the monetary value, taking something that is not yours without the owner's permission is stealing, which is a crime, and it is wrong. I would hope that anyone who is in dire straits would seek help from social service organizations such as the Salvation Army or a church food pantry or even public assistance before turning to crime. Anyone who can afford admission to WDW certainly does not fall into this category.

I don't know how much an annual pass for Florida residents costs, but if your a criminal it probably pays for itself after a few good stroller heists (phones, cameras etc...). When we went to Disneyland a CM said it is very commen in the parks there. Strollers disappear and are then found hours later with all contents gone. Contrary to what the owners of expensive strollers are contributing to the discussion, they do not want your fancy strollers, they just want what's in the basket under the seat. Criminals are not stupid, they are sometimes just as smart as you or me, and realize you need to spend money to make money. To them buying an annual pass is not for entrance to a park, it's for access to unattended expensive merchandise.

 

[Cdn Gal]

We come on these boards to ask simple questions and somehow, in every thread someone ends up snippy! What the heck....

I was thinking the exact same thing!