Stealing in Parks?

[MaryKatesMom]

I don't think the PP was trying to diss Florida residents. I think they were just saying that it would be easier to make a career of stealing things in the parks if they lived close by.

Correct. The cost to travel to WDW from outside the state JUST to steal would be prohibitively expensive. It would be hard to make a career out of it.

However, most thieves are opportunist. See an unattended bag, steal a bag even on vacation with Grandma.

However, if your cost to go to the park were minimal, you would be more likely to go there just to see what you can pick up.

 

[bumbershoot]

I don't think the PP was trying to diss Florida residents. I think they were just saying that it would be easier to make a career of stealing things in the parks if they lived close by.

True. Like when people make the same comment about locals to dlr and the thieving rings there. Not all locals. But some. If you were a criminal, what a bonanza!

Just be careful leaving ANY kinds of food in the stroller without proper container (opened boxes, plastic sandwich bags, etc.). The squirrels at the parks are pretty brave (like one of the PP posted pictures). I have seen many strollers with those critters perching eating popcorns, opened bag of sandwiches, cookies, you name it.
I always wondered about putting a note on the strollers to NOT eat the food because squirrels got to them.

Yes. I've seen squirrels gnawing on the caps of water bottles in stroller trays. All I can think of is a little child doing the same later, since little kids do tend to do that kind of thing. Squirrel spit. Ew. We have a pic of a squirrel licking the mayo out of a packet someone left at the clown pool at BW. Never thought about squirrels having tongues until I zoomed in on him with my camera, but they do!

 

[jtowntoflorida]

We have a pic of a squirrel licking the mayo out of a packet someone left at the clown pool at BW. Never thought about squirrels having tongues until I zoomed in on him with my camera, but they do!

Gross, but cute at the same time. Post it!

 

[cseca]

...Never thought about squirrels having tongues until I zoomed in on him with my camera, but they do!

That's a sentence worth of a tag fairy right there!

 

[baileybrad]

I'm surprised you didn' see them out in the park later.

We looked but it was a little more difficult dodging the rain. Never saw hide nor hair of them.

 

[dragon23]

My husband one night while at MK, was by the stairs to the train by the front waiting on me and our friends. He had my backpack, which had everything in it, wallets, my 2k camera (I'm a professional photographer) Some how, he managed to have taken it off the stroller and when I arrived and we left he forgot it was on the floor.

We made it all the way down to Caseys corner and I looked at the stroller and him and was like where is my backpack? Mind you the parade was about to start and its packed everywhere.

I grabbed the stroller and my husband made a b-line back to the front. Long story short, the CM at the kiosk had it.

I truly believe that the majority of the travelers are not looking to steal, but you really need to slow down and make sure you have everything. Never leave anything that you will miss if stolen in the stroller.

 

[KatieCharlotte]

Correct. The cost to travel to WDW from outside the state JUST to steal would be prohibitively expensive. It would be hard to make a career out of it.

However, most thieves are opportunist. See an unattended bag, steal a bag even on vacation with Grandma.

However, if your cost to go to the park were minimal, you would be more likely to go there just to see what you can pick up.

Are there enough cameras in the parking lots to deter opportunist thieves there? I learned my lesson not to leave a purse sitting in view when our car window was smashed in broad daylight in a local parking lot. I had my wallet with me, so the thief got away with a cheap purse containing a change of clothes for my toddler, coupons, and some pennies. I got to have my window replaced and kept finding glass shards months later.

 

[PrettyFlower2]

Id rather eat squirrel spit than human spit...

 

[PrettyFlower2]

Did I really just post that?

 

[jk2006]

We had the opposite of theft happen at DHS this fall. We got out of TSM and it was pouring so the kids and I waited under a roof while DH got our stroller so we could put rain gear on.....in our stroller basket was a small bag of someone else's kid stuff-clothes, sippy cup, I didn't look further in it at that point. I assume someone sent a relative to stash the bag and our stroller must have looked similar. We put the bag on a fence post in the stroller area hoping they would recognize it. In hindsight I should have given it to a CM but in the moment we thought we did the right thing.

 

[LilyWDW]

Most of it comes down to just being smart. Do not leave items of value unattended. Do not leave bags or purses in plain view of your car. Don't keep all your cash in a single place (like a wallet), but split it up. Just a few things can reduce the risk SO much.

But the biggest of all when it comes to Disney... don't let down your guard just because it is Disney. Pretend it is a large city you are visiting because, in reality, it is very much like one. Would you leave your camera on your stroller in New York? Most likely not. Then don't do it at Disney.

Does that mean you have 0% chance of theft? No, but you are making it SO much harder for thieves... and they don't like to have to work for their money.

 

[HMANSION LOVER]

I don't think the PP was trying to diss Florida residents. I think they were just saying that it would be easier to make a career of stealing things in the parks if they lived close by.

Thank you for your post. Did not intend to diss FL residents. But criminals look for opportunities wherever they may be. I am from long Island New York and go to the Thanksgiving parade every couple of years or so and I will just as readily say that there is a a certain group of people who, living within the five boroughs, will be there just to pick pockets and steal things from unobservant parade veiwers. I truly find it hard to believe that people would travel hundreds of miles to steal when there are almost always plenty of opportunities in their own backyards.