Herstory Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 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 :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jid1993 Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 Ahhhh no I really hope it turns up or someone finds it and that it hasn't been stolen, although I guess some are out there such a shame! Fingers crossed it returns to you. Thanks for the heads up though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannycarroll2007 Posted November 16, 2013 Share Posted November 16, 2013 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 :-( We found a wallet on the floor and handed it in. Just thought it had been dropped but makes me think again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coles84 Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 That's the only problem with free entry I guess, any opportunist may walk in :-( I am sorry to hear about your camera. I will keep everything crossed it did drop somewhere and that some kind person has handed it in. It is probably worth checking on here in a few days time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Queen_Sindel Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 Ouch. That's the first time ever we've had pickpocketing reported. I'm really sorry to hear about that. I'd say drop the office a line after the show. There is an off chance it was handed in after all. Hopefully the camera just slipped out of the bag when you put it down somewhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannycarroll2007 Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 That's the only problem with free entry I guess, any opportunist may walk in :-( I am sorry to hear about your camera. I will keep everything crossed it did drop somewhere and that some kind person has handed it in. It is probably worth checking on here in a few days time. Funny you should say that because when I was at KFC Mondays guess for Jeremy Kyle were in there ripping into people. They'd been wandering around in the hall before and had no intenstion of buying anything. Maybe in May there should be a token enterance fee of 15 pounds but you get a voucher of that vaule back. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BLACKKNIGHTS Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 Good idea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herstory Posted November 17, 2013 Author Share Posted November 17, 2013 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! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herstory Posted November 17, 2013 Author Share Posted November 17, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 I am so sorry to hear about the theft. I don't know if charging an entrance fee would make much difference. MK Stadium is not in the city centre and I think almost everyone there is going or collectormania, sure there is an ASDA and IKEA nearby but still I don't think it would make a huge difference in terms of pickpockets. It is still far more likely to happen in the MK:Centre or a busy store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herstory Posted November 17, 2013 Author Share Posted November 17, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gmorris2504 Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 Sorry to hear about your camera my dad is a police officer for Hampshire police, he says there are gangs that target these events and festivals such as the isle of white festival. They go round looking for bags etc and take everything. I really hope you manage to get it back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannycarroll2007 Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 The Jeremy Kyle family that were taking the **** out of people in KFC were back there again today. Thought that was a bit strange. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laz Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 Sorry to hear of your missing camera. It doesn't necessarily mean you've been pickpocketed though. And if it was dropped/mislaid, it doesnt actually go hand in hand that someone would hand it in although you would hope so. If there was a pickpocket there you would/will have a fair few people who will have been targeted Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OurDek Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 At the previous event this year there was a family straight out of big fat gypsy weddings patrolling the car park. Sadly because of the positive feedback these events generate and the publicity surrounding them the scumbags have started to realise that they are prime targets for thieves. We'd be more than happy to pay an entrance fee, I know we can't name specific events on the forum but other non-SM events don't seem to get the problems, at least they aren't reported. I do think that a permanent event security force is now a sad necessity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbyknobler Posted November 17, 2013 Share Posted November 17, 2013 This ties in with the cold/venue thread for me. It was an absolute disgrace to stage a show in that hall. A frozen and dingy room, lit by a few floodlghts and emergency lighting would have been an absolute paradise for thieves. As per the other thread, I dread to think what the talent will go back and tell their peers. The concourse was a joke, this was even worse. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kirbinator Posted November 18, 2013 Share Posted November 18, 2013 It is unfortunate to hear that you have been a victim of theft at this event. I believe the organisers of this and other events will never prevent something like this from happening as it is very easy for a thief to work in these conditions because, 1) the victim is easily distracted by guests, cosplayers, etc. 2) the lighting is poor (especially at this event). 3) a large number of visitors present (especially passing through the narrow aisles). 4) there is little or no security on show to act as a deterrent. 5) no CCTV cameras in the hall. 6) Free entry means anyone can enter the convention. Even if security was tightened and the above points addressed, if an opportunity presented itself to a thief then the thief will inevitably take it. I attended another show (non-Showmasters), paid for entry, a few years ago when the late Richard LeParmentier was setting out his guest table; within minutes he was complaining someone had stolen his belongings which goes to show it can happen on both sides of the table. I think the lesson here is the same for any other situation, always keep an eye on your valuables and if attending with friends/family ask them to look after your belongings if you want to visit a guest table to prevent being distracted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kuato_Lives Posted November 18, 2013 Share Posted November 18, 2013 The Jeremy Kyle family that were taking the **** out of people in KFC were back there again today. Thought that was a bit strange. LOL Well you are in KFC, it's their turf lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoldenGreen Posted November 18, 2013 Share Posted November 18, 2013 Sorry to hear that, it's horrible to have stuff stolen. I had a whole load of stuff stolen from me back in the late 1990s at the Reading Music Festival and it is very upsetting, not least because it was my first night there and they had stolen my wallet, with all my cash for the weekend, plus all my cards, my rail season ticket and my sunglasses, all of which straight out of my tent whilst I was asleep in it, they had cut the side of the tent with a knife and just reached in. As you can imagine, when I woke up and also found a number of my friends had also had the same thing happen it wasn't a great start to the Festival, however, I can forever be grateful that "Monster Magnet" were on stage in the morning and I'll always have a soft spot for them as they helped me forget what had happened and start to enjoy the festival when I was really ready to go home, fortunately my friends grouped round and kept me going in food , drink etc and paid for me to get home ! Unlike at Music festivals though, I've never heard of collecting events being targetted before, so that is quite a worry, but a good wake up call for everyone that attends to be vigilant in future, particularly where there is always a risk where anyone literally can walk in off the street. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigBangPenny Posted November 18, 2013 Share Posted November 18, 2013 Gutting when something like this happens as it ruins the whole weekend for you. Although I do disagree with the entrance fee however as I bring my 70yr old mum and disabled brother and wouldnt be able to afford £10 per person entrance fee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herstory Posted November 19, 2013 Author Share Posted November 19, 2013 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Showmasters Admin showmasters Posted November 21, 2013 Showmasters Admin Share Posted November 21, 2013 we have never had many issues with theft at any of our events and we put this down to prosecution we will take anyone caught steeling to the police and prosecute them, and the word is out that we do this and this helps put them off. we have a help desk for anyone to report any issue they have at the event , we have plain clothed security at all our events as well and normal security, when ever there is many people you will get people that will try to steel , we are on top of this and do take action, i am sorry you lost your camera if it was found it would get handed in to the organisers booth and thats the best place to ask . hope that is of help jason Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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