Theft in park

[osopecoso]

my 16 year old niece flew in from Italy last Wednesday. We surprised her by taking her to Disney since she has never been there. We go to the park Saturday night. She has a small backpack that she carries personal items in. While my wife and I are ordering food at a counter service restaurant, my niece and my daughter walk around the restaurant. She leaves her personal belongings at table. We get to table and wave her over. She comes and asks if we put her bag away. She starts panicking that her bag is gone. An employee comes over who then calls security. They take a report and our contact info. About 30 minutes later I get a call that they found the bag in a restroom). Her money is gone obviously but they left her Id (thankfully her passport was in hotel) and a few other items. There was only about $100 so not out a lot. Just be aware that there are thieves in the park. There are cameras that they will look over.

 

[zoo2tycoon]

Another lesson besides there being thieves is not to leave personal valuables unattended!

 

[johnsonet]

I'm sorry. That stinks. Thank goodness she found her bag and ID, at least.

 

[Disney_traveler]

Why would you set down a bag/purse/backpack and walk off from it!?!?!? I wouldn't even leave my backpack in an auditorium full of fellow teachers last week.

 

[MikeOhio]

Of course there are thieves in the parks. Anywhere there are a lot of people, statistically some will be thieves. Luckily it's not like Europe where pickpockets are a constant threat but still can't just leave valuables unattended. Sorry it happened though!

 

[twoplustwins]

I took a group of students in April. One of them left his backpack with a laptop enclosed on the ME bus. He didn't realize it until about an hour after we arrived at the resort. The CMs at the resort gave him the number to the Mears people. Surprisingly, they found it! It was delivered back to the resort in two days. Nothing was missing.
Another left a shopping bag with about $100 worth of merchandise near a window at Crystal Palace. She realized it walking out the door and went back. It was gone. She went to Guest Relations. They pretty much said, "Sorry. There's nothing we can do." She was disappointed, but she also knew she shouldn't have left it. She simply forgot.

 

[danikoski]

Sometimes folks get caught in the Disney bubble and forget that the real world still exists. I know I've been caught in the moment and went to walk away from a table and then remembered my bag. It happens.

 

[livyy]

Agreeing with danikoski^^^

So many people believe nothing bad happens at pixie-dust covered Disney, but it sadly does. Whenever I just walk by the sea of strollers, I am just in awe of all the belongings that people just leave in their strollers right in the middle of the park.

Thankful her ID is at least back in her possession.

 

[Jadyreen1282]

This is no surprise. It will continue to happen as long as people are not vigilant.

 

[ucfknight]

At any given time there are up to a couple hundred thousand people on WDW property. Not all of them are going to be good people.

 

[ChristineOH]

Why would you set down a bag/purse/backpack and walk off from it!?!?!? I wouldn't even leave my backpack in an auditorium full of fellow teachers last week.

I have sympathy for a teenager traveling abroad, I guess. Kids often do things without thinking. You work with kids-- I'm sure you understand. As an adult, I left a bag (a diaper bag-- not my purse) within view in my car, and someone broke the window and stole it. I knew better, but I was distracted by the five kids I was unloading.

It's too bad she had to learn that lesson the hard way.

 

[EdmondD]

I was in a Starbucks in Washington, DC and saw a woman leave her purse on a chair and go to the restroom!! A guy was eyeing it, making his way toward it, pretending to look at merchandise while continuously looking at her purse. Finally we made eye contact, which I held, and he abruptly left.

When she came out I walked over to her and pointed to the guy (now walking down the street) and told her that guy was about to steal her purse, to which she elicited a surprised, "What?" I advised to never, ever leave a purse unattended, in a city no less.

Some people just have different levels of...trust?

 

[DisneyWishes14]

Unfortunately, I'm not surprised but certainly sorry this happened. All it takes is about $100 to walk into a Disney park. Not morals, happy thoughts or good behavior. As we saw with the recent stroller thefts, I wouldn't be surprised if some people go there to specifically prey on tourists who think their stuff is safe because it's WDW. I guess I'm a pessimist. I guess rule of thumb is don't present an opportunity to be stolen from.

 

[bumbershoot]

Why would you set down a bag/purse/backpack and walk off from it!?!?!? I wouldn't even leave my backpack in an auditorium full of fellow teachers last week.

Especially someone from, or who has just visited, Italy.

 

[Jdbsfw]

Probably a local and likely because the thief profited $100 from it, they will be back.....Hopefully video will help.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Glad she at least got her bag and ID back. As good as Disney is with security, the property is not immune to thieves, of course. I can see a teen (or an adult!) having the occasional lapse in such a magic-filled environment. Now, to the PP who saw someone leave a purse on her chair in a D.C. Starbucks (distinctly NOT a magical environment!!) when going to the bathroom... wow... crazy!

 

[Disney_traveler]

I have sympathy for a teenager traveling abroad, I guess. Kids often do things without thinking. You work with kids-- I'm sure you understand. As an adult, I left a bag (a diaper bag-- not my purse) within view in my car, and someone broke the window and stole it. I knew better, but I was distracted by the five kids I was unloading.

It's too bad she had to learn that lesson the hard way.

Understand---yes. Have sympathy for---nope.

 

[Pooh2]

There was a security camera video on our local news last week of a woman sitting on a chair in a local pub with her purse hanging on the back of her chair, another woman walked by and grabbed the purse and ran out of the pub. Not sure if they caught the purse stealer but I see women all the time hanging purses on the back of their chair. A little caution goes a long way.
Glad OPs niece at least got her id back and did not loose too much money. The lesson may save her a bigger headache down the road.

 

[tinkerbellandeeyor]

There was a security camera video on our local news last week of a woman sitting on a chair in a local pub with her purse hanging on the back of her chair, another woman walked by and grabbed the purse and ran out of the pub. Not sure if they caught the purse stealer but I see women all the time hanging purses on the back of their chair. A little caution goes a long way.
Glad OPs niece at least got her id back and did not loose too much money. The lesson may save her a bigger headache down the road.

That is what I was taught to do by my own mother not even a month ago so where are you supposed to store your purse when you go out to eat

 

[Disney_traveler]

That is what I was taught to do by my own mother not even a month ago so where are you supposed to store your purse when you go out to eat

I have a little purse hanger that folds up in my purse and I can hang it of the table by my legs. If I forget it, I hang it off my knee. I feel I have an extra chair, I place it on the chair and push it all the way under the table.