Stealing things from strollers

[Oceana]

y'all make me worried about taking my stroller this winter!

Several years ago I got a cute double stroller for Disney and decorated it. Not like removable stuff but fabric paint and the sun visor.

I got a Mcdonalds mickey mouse toy and tied it to one side and my son's spiderman action figure to the other. I used serious knots and while at It's a Small World someone untied the spider man and took him. My son was so upset. It was easy and inexpensive to replace but in that moment it was hard for him.

I no longer need a double stroller as I only have 1 of stroller age but my single is kinda fancy dancy. I do wonder if i should use a lock or borrow a less nice one =(

 

[BigTikiDaddy]

I'm assuming you know this, but others reading this might not. You can put a lock through the back tires of the stroller (to make it harder to push), but you can't actually attach it to anything. The CM's need to be able maneuver it a bit to rearrange strollers as needed.

Oh, I knew that, it's not an incredibly long one either, just enough for one rear wheel and maybe a small bag w/ diapers, wipes and a change of shirts for my DD's. We have enough customization to the stroller to find where CM's move it to.

 

[Tink Mick Koda Miles]

LMAO One year we were at Sea World and my dad was riding an ECV. We were waiting outside a show, the kids had left fries in the basket of his ECV and this brazen squirrel kept jumping in and stealing fries and leaping back out. We couldn't believe it showed no fear of my dad sitting in the ECV. Needless to say we dumped the rest of the fries. LOL

Regarding the OP's post, some times kids grab things on strollers without the person driving the stroller noticing. It's only later that it's realized the child has something they shouldn't have, and then trying to find the rightful owner is next to impossible.

I'm not condoning stealing, but living with three kids I have seen them snag stuff off shelves in stores, etc. It's definitely possible to miss, especially in a crowded theme park with lots of other people getting strollers at the same time.

If my child told something with out me noticing we would march our butts to security and I would make him say sorry and give it back. I would hope the officers would scare him too... alllowing a child to keep something they took even if u cant find the owner is just teaching them they can

 

[jak07]

Quote:
Originally Posted by jak07
True, but they could ALWAYS turn it into Lost and Found or a CM. There really is no excuse.

How do we know that they didn't do that?

I am not sure what you mean by that.

Someone mentioned that by the time a parent saw that their child had something that didn't belong to them, they wouldn't be able to find them. I agreed and said that they could always turn it in. I am certain some don't turn it in. I know that someone took my son's umbrella and didn't turn it in. Just because you don't know who it belongs to is no excuse to keep it, was the point I was trying to make.

 

[kaligal]

bump

 

[cm8]

We are taking our 17 month old to disney for the first time next month and I am very ambivalent about the whole thing.
I hope no one feels the need to take her stroller. There is no way I can walk with her and my o2 and my rollator at the end of the long day just because someone else wanted a 5 finger (or in this case a 10 finger) discount We will be using the buses and monorail to get around, but I am thinking about driving to avoid getting "the Look" with her stroller, my rollator and our bag. Since we are taking her this time, we will only be using her mini diaper bag and my husband will be taking his camelbak, I'm forgoing a bag since I will have her diaper bag.

I guess I should just lock her stroller up with my rollator, that way someone can't make off with it, but if they want it that bad, I may be out of luck too My rollator is purple/pinkish and I would be more upset if they took her stroller than my rollator, I can suffer, but I don't want her to suffer too

 

[TDC Nala]

People will and do take stuff, and so do squirrels and birds. I don't ever recommend leaving anything (including small stuff) that is either valuable or means something to you or your children unattended anywhere. If you just want to decorate your stroller with cute toys that you won't miss, you may have to be prepared for them to disappear, but I wouldn't use anything that will cause distress if it goes missing.

There's also no way to know if the item was taken "by accident" by a foraging child, or on purpose by the parent because the child wanted it. There just isn't any way to know unless one confronts the supposed perpetrator (should they be locatable).

As far as a whole stroller going missing I am willing to bet there are a few who get around the high stroller rental fees by snagging another guest's stroller, pushing it around all day, then leaving it in the park.

 

[squirrel]

Not a big loss but someone took my park map from the stroller. Yes I am quite sure it was taken -not blown away, etc.

I thought it was odd that my stroller was moved about 3-4 inches away from the fence and the parking brake was released.

 

[PrinceCharmingsMom]

Ok after reading this stroller I have just purchased an item called BuggyGuard. It's a lock designed for strollers. They have their own website. It is genius and is easier than a bike lock. We have annual passes and are at the parks alot, I have lost some simple things from strollers, but don't want to chance it.

They come in Panda, Hippo, Pig and Monkey. I found mine at Buy Buy Baby for $19.99 but some select Babies R US have them and you can get them online at Amazon and several other places. I can't wait for shipping since we leave on Tuesday, but it's just one more thing not left to chance and give me piece of mind...

 

[M-J's Mommy]

My solution to this dilemma is zip ties. Since I'm renting a stroller I don't want to mess it up by putting something on it that may not come off or damage it so I plan on zip tie-ing something to it as a marker for me to find it. I could also use the zip ties to lock the back wheels as well as secure a bag to the stroller plus they make great backpack locks. My Dad always carries little scissors with him so if we need to cut them we can, then just reuse them until they get too small.

Oh and you could probably zip tie a shower curtain to the stroller without worry of it getting taken off.

I have already put aside a couple of zip-ties to hold down the rain cover on my stroller for our upcoming trip. Fortunately, the stroller still is able to fold with the rain cover on it. But I just recently invested in a nicer stroller, so the thought of someone stealing it makes me a little uneasy. But you can only do so much. What is going to actually happen is really up to the rest of the world and I've come to terms with that.

 

[chartle]

Ok after reading this stroller I have just purchased an item called BuggyGuard. It's a lock designed for strollers. They have their own website. It is genius and is easier than a bike lock. We have annual passes and are at the parks alot, I have lost some simple things from strollers, but don't want to chance it.

They come in Panda, Hippo, Pig and Monkey. I found mine at Buy Buy Baby for $19.99 but some select Babies R US have them and you can get them online at Amazon and several other places. I can't wait for shipping since we leave on Tuesday, but it's just one more thing not left to chance and give me piece of mind...

I know you probably know this since you have AP's, but I'm posting this for others.

I Googled Buggy Guard and watched a news story video about it.

The video pointed out that you could lock your stroller to a fence post or other stationary object.

If you do this at WDW security will cut your lock. I'm not sure what they would do with the stroller then, they may just park it in the right spot or they may take it and you may have some splaning (not sure how to spell explaining with a Ricky Ricardo accent) to do.

Besides that it looks like a good product as long as you have wheels with spokes or can drill a hole in one of them.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Maybe the fact that I use a fake poopy diaper hanging off my stroller handle has always deterred the thieves from my stroller

That's actually a good idea. I think I will conduct an undercover experiment next week when we are there and stakeout my stroller to see if anyone takes the bait!

Eh, not so much. The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World has been suggesting this for quite a few years (I keep the 1993 edition for reference, it may go back at least that far), and few people - thief or not - are going to believe that any parent/stroller user is going to walk around with a soiled diaper hanging from the stroller handle. Really?

Instead: don't leave anything in the stroller you're not 100% willing to lose; and if you're truly concerned about the stroller itself being stolen, get a cable bicycle lock and lock two diagonal wheels to each other whenever you leave the stroller. Just don't lock it TO any fixed object, or you'll likely come back to find the cable cut. By a Cast Member.

 

[A Mickeyfan]

It is sad to say but this is not anything new.. It is terrible how a parent, even if the child reached out and took it while strolling along, allowed their child to keep it. If I saw my child had something that didn't belong to us, first I would ask where it came from, then have him/her show me.. then I would have him/her return it. If the person could not be found, I would have my child take it to the lost and found department. I am not going to let them keep it.
As far as stealing stroller's, again, nothing new. My youngest is going to be 18 in 2 weeks. When I would take her as an infant.. and I say infant because the stroller I had was actually a full size Aprica Stroller/Carriage. Way back then the price was a hefty one... so when I had that one with me, I would bring a bicycle lock with me and lock it so it could not be stolen. It could be moved, but not pushed as in wheeled.. When I took the umbrella strollers with me, sometimes I locked them, sometimes I didn't. I would never leave anything in them.. not even a bottle of water. You never know if some fool will put something in it. Call me paranoid, but I take no chances with my health or my children's health.
It is sad that we have to be this way, but face it, Disney is no different than going to anywhere else. You will be around many people that you don't know, and you don't know what they are capable of doing. It is suppose to be the Magical most happy place on Earth.. but we all know in reality, anyone can get into there as long as they paid for their ticket.

 

[dan-tot]

Maybe the OTHER little kid just reached out and snatched the skeleton as she was rolling by...

looks like you were the one?????

 

[Shir Kahn]

See, this is why you leave an armed bear trap in your stroller when you park it! Stops the first thief at least!

 

[Rememberingthe70s]

I just wanted to say that I'm sorry somebody took your kid's toy. I know that it really hurts a child's feelings when something of theirs has been taken. Or is just plain gone. Or whatever.

 

[DisneyFansInLINY]

The girl probably took the item for herself. I doubt a parent would do that. However, you never know. But since her parents didn't teach her not to do those things, they are still at fault. Last weekend we took my 3 year old daughter to a pumpkin festival. She was on a slide and her bracelet fell off. She then started yelling my bracelet my bracelt. And I noticed the girl next to her wearing it! She saw my daughter drop it and immediately put it on and didn't care that my daughter was yelling for it. This girl was older too; about 6 years old. Now my daughter is only 3 and knows not to take things from others so how this girl didn't know just goes to show you that some parents either lack manners themselves or just don't bother to pass them on to their children.

 

[PrinceCharmingsMom]

Actually the reason I purchased it was because unlike a regualr bike lock it stays mounted on the stroller and you can loop it from the side of the stroller through the wheel and back up. That way another castmember can move it but it can't be rolled at all. I am a former cast member so I know all too well about moving strollers and that you can't attach them to objects in the park. However I have tried the bike lock thing and it didn't work for us too much hassle so this looks like a good easy solution that locks to and from the stroller. Hope it helps someone else as it has given me great piece of mind today. Enjoy your trips everyone!