Herstory

Update: A very nice local police person called me, and asked where it had happened, if it had been on the concourse then they could have checked the CCTV, but of course the unfinished arena doesn't have CCTV. Thanks to everyone for their support. Anyone questioning if I was pickpocketed you don't know me so I won't take it personally that you don't believe me. I suspect many people at such event don't report being pickpocketed because they get asked many times could you have dropped it or left it somewhere, leading them to doubt themselves. Then there is taking the time to report it, I did try to at the time but the information desk just got me to write on a piece of paper to write my details on in case it was found and said I could call the police, not giving me the 101 number, the dismissive attitude when I was a in bit of shock wasn't helpful, then it took me at least 20 minutes to find an actual security guard, who took me back to information and tried to get hold of the collectormania organisers, with no luck. I don't know if anyone went Sat and Sun, but I did and there seemed to be more security on Sun (manly MKDon's security), now that can't be just because I reported being pickpocketed.

I live a few minutes walk from the The Centre MK, working and living in the area, until yesterday when a stall holder at Collectormania said he had been pickpocket there half a decade ago I have never heard of anyone having issues at The Centre MK, the big differences are visible security and CCTV. Yes people in the past have been mugged at the underpass near xscape late at night, that's why I get a taxi the whole half a mile to my front door from xscape if I am there after sunset. I think if your not local it is very easy not to be aware of how close the stadium is to a significant amount of residential housing, yesterday there were quiet a few people who wouldn't go to the event if there was a fee on the door, I would guess 99.9% of them where just having a day out, but as I found out some weren't.

That's hardly the point, is it? At the first Collectormania at the stadium (2009), the air was so damp that the 8x10's were sticking together. My photographic poster crackled as it was unrolled. There is still no overall improvement. Why are these stars of stage and screen expected to sit "happily" all day just a few degrees above zero? No, it isn't so bad for us walking around with the opportunity to move and warm up but it is still disgraceful to put the event on and treat people like this at all. they sit in temperatures a few degrees above zero because they are getting paid for it. I bet when all of them walked in and saw the layout none of them said 'No thanks not for me' and gave their fees and money back. I bet none of them realised how cold it would get, especially in the afternoon, if you didn't know better you could think you had walked into a homeless shelter the number of people in multiple layers with blankets wrapped around them.

If you have a thermal vest / t-shirt wear it, especially if you are getting pictures, which are done in rooms off the concourse. After you have queued on the concourse you maybe unwilling to part with your coat for the photo. Seeing peoples pictures most guests were wear coats and scarfs for the shoots, some had hats on, all of which I fully understand, cause even by my tough Yorkshire standards its cold! Just one query were did the heaters and gazebos from previous years go? In a large room like the areana the gazebos would help keep the heat nearer the guests and in the concourse rooms heaters would take the edge off the cold, or do the guest all get free collectormania thermals? Although there is an really obvious thing, if people could shut doors, especially ones to outside after going through them it would make a difference, by reducing the number of drafts.

I wouldn't mine paying a small entrance fee, say £5 - £10 with some it going towards a charity, sadly I think even a higher fee wouldn't put off professional pick pockets, but it will put off the Jeremy Kyle wannabe stars. A friend told me they had read the stories about gangs of pickpockets targeting such events, but until yesterday suspected they were a bit of an urban myth. It is nice to know my friends think I am aware enough that they agree I was pickpocketed. I am normally the one telling friends their bag is open/unzipped, not one of them could remember ever having to tell me mine was, even yesterday I was the first to notice my bag was open. It does leave me thinking that a lot of people that have been pickpocketed are due to friends, family and security questioning them, are you sure you didn't drop it or leave it somewhere?, never report it as they have been made to doubt themselves. I would be quiet happy to be proved wrong, would never live it down, but if I got the camera back it's a price I would be happy to pay.

Thanks for all your lovely replies. I will keep in touch with the organisers, I had to report it as lost yesterday and was advised to ring the police. By the way the none emergency police number is 101. I rang the police to report it this morning after I had stopped being so annoyed about it, after all I couldn't give any useful info about the person(s) that did it. The lady who logged the call did say I could have rung 101 at the time and they can log it and possibly send a community constable to the event. I hope everyone going today has a great time, but do keep an eye on your valuables!

I had my camera pickpocket from my handbag today at the areana, now it was a small bag so it hadn't gone missing in my bag, I didn't take it out of my bag and leave it anywhere and if it had fallen out of my bag it would have made a loud noise when it hit the floor as it was a compact but not light camera. So the half unzipped bag and missing camera leads me to believe a professional lifted it. I was lucky my purse and mobile were in my jeans pocket or they would have been taken too :-(. Please everyone be aware, clearly not everyone attending the event is there to enjoy the event :-(