Equipment Theft at Resorts

[billski]

It seems that the probability of equipment theft increases as one nears major metro areas. The higher the customer traffic the more likely the theft.

One story I hear a few years ago was two men who were seen taking a set of skis to their car. They were followed, and when the trunk was opened, nearly a dozen sets of equipment were seen in the trunk.

The other story that seems to come up a lot is bus trips. Steal a pair of skis, put it in the bus cargo hold. If it's traced, everyone on the bus denies it. When you get back home, it's yours, no questions asked.

I know this was discussed in August, but that was a discussion with rabidly passionate (that's a compliment) writers. Now it's time for the rest of us! What other equipment theft stories have you heard or seen?

 

[tcharron]

It seems that the probability of equipment theft increases as one nears major metro areas. The higher the customer traffic the more likely the theft.

What other equipment theft stories have you heard or seen?

No big! Just go into the management office, report the theft, and they'll gladly direct you to one of the complementary skis on a rack right outside!

Same place they store the skis to replace damaged bases, ironically....

 

[wa-loaf]

Here's my story:
http://forums.alpinezone.com/17447-do-you-lock-up-your-skis-6.html?highlight="ski+lock"#post179642

 

[dmc]

I don't hear of too many skis/boards getting stolen from Hunter(major metro)..
Maybe because NYer's are a little more savy... Since we're generalizing...

I know security keeps a strong eye on it - and the State and Local police are always hanging around...
I know of busts like you referred to in the past where someone has a bunch of skis in the trunk...

 

[frozencorn]

I get more fearful as the day wears on....If it's 2 pm and I'm having a beer at the end of a long day, I'm not that concerned. If it's wearing on toward 4 and the crowd is thinning out, that's more potential for folks walking by. Then I start to worry and do the ol' one ski here, the other there maneuver.

 

[BLESS]

i lock em. I'm not letting someone steal my skis. Spend the $5 dollars on a lock and they wont even look at yours....there's too many assholes out there.

 

[campgottagopee]

i lock em. I'm not letting someone steal my skis. Spend the $5 dollars on a lock and they wont even look at yours....there's too many assholes out there.

I do the same thing......the only place I ever had a pair of skis stolen was in VT @ Smuggs in 1989 (or so). After that I bought a lock and have always used it.

 

[o3jeff]

This article states that some snowboards were stolen at Sundown over the weekend.

http://connecticut.cox.net/cci/newslocal/local?_mode=view&view=LocalNewsArticleView&articleId=3020934&_action=validatearticle

 

[jaywbigred]

Man this is one of those things that is hard to imagine. I know it happens. Back in the day my Mom would make me use a lock. It was bulky. I haven't used one in years. Luckily, I've never had any equipment stolen and never knew anyone who did.

Does everyone think this is primarily other skiers stealing equipment or is it non skiers mostly?

 

[o3jeff]

I'll have to dig out my Ski Tote from junior high school

 

[GrilledSteezeSandwich]

Blue mountain has complimentary ski check at both of their lodges, I'm surprised more ski resorts don't have that. Otherwise I prefer to eat on upper mountain lodges where I don't lock up my skis. It's surprising that golfers hardly ever lock up their clubs when they go in the clubhouse for lunch/beers,,because golf equipment is usually more than ski equipment.

 

[tekweezle]

i don;t think the value of the equipment is a big factor. thousand dollar skis share the same space with less expensive ones in the same rack. i think most skis are taken by accident. similar looking pair of rentals.

as for snowboards, the target audience might be young kids who are looking for a "new looking" board with fancy stickers. then again they may be people looking to resell on ebay since fixing the bindings is a user serviced thing. same with skis with integrated bindings. do what you can to safeguard them.

some might be opportunistic thefts. I saw someone take some skis that were left on the side of the road after a parking lot bus left. i guess they forgot to put them in the ski holders?

my advice-use your equipment to your hearts content. they are not useful unless you are enjoying them. anyone want to steal my beat up skis with 100 plus hard ski days/thousands of miles on them? i think i;ve gotten my money's worth.

also, I tend to eat at the upper mountain lodges. I;m a little paranoid in the lower lodges.

is it a "metro area/big city mentality" that causes theft? new arrivals to an expensive sport? who knows. it could be. over the years i;ve grown to respect my fellow skier/snowboarders and show the proper etiquette on and off the mountain . i can only hope the feeling is reciprocated.

 

[Plowboy]

I put mine base side out, with my bent poles.

 

[dmc]

I think it more locals preying on the "metro area/big city mentality"...

 

[severine]

Here's my story:
http://forums.alpinezone.com/17447-do-you-lock-up-your-skis-6.html?highlight="ski+lock"#post179642

That's quite the story!!!!

This article states that some snowboards were stolen at Sundown over the weekend.

http://connecticut.cox.net/cci/news...iew&articleId=3020934&_action=validatearticle

That really sucks. Though I can't say it's the first time. Any time places get busy (as is common during Christmas vacation) the chance of theft goes up.

I did lock my skis...when I could find my lock. These days I'm a little paranoid about leaving anything unattended though and since my trips to the slopes are short at the local hill, I tend to never leave my gear unattended. It's either on me or in the car while I'm driving there or away - period. I think theft is an opportunistic thing. I doubt there are many who come to the ski area to steal equipment... it's just a chance circumstance that some idiot decides to take advantage of. Even a cheap lock is a deterrent, IMHO. Skis that are easy to swipe would most likely be grabbed over something that requires some fiddling.

Then again, my car was broken into years ago while at a night college class. The thief took a crowbar to the back driver's window to swipe a $35 radar detector. Nothing else was taken (not that there was anything of value in the vehicle) but I was responsible for the smashed window because it was a cheap older VW Jetta that had no comp/window coverage. Totally sucked. Ever since then, I've been a bit more concerned about deterring theft of my stuff in all circumstances.

 

[billski]

I put a small retractable lock on my skis starting in mid-afternoon when people start leaving. I used to run a large ski club, we ran buses to Wachusett (MA) and Crotched (NH) weekly for night programs and weekend trips. We were often losing equipment to theft - I'd venture to say, on the average, 4 times per season. It always happened either when it was dark, or there was anonymnity in masses all leaving at the same time. My small lock does not prevent theft, it deters the snatch-and-grabbers only, the predominant form of theft. As my alarm guy always said, if someone really wants to steal your stuff, they will get around any alarm. It's the opportunistic theft that is easy to prevent.

I do as others indicate - when the skis are new - always locked, starting around 2pm. Old gear, well, who would want it anyways.

maybe the 480 volt electrified edges help a bit, I don't know :lol:

 

[OppositeGeorge]

My small lock does not prevent theft, it deters the snatch-and-grabbers only, the predominant form of theft.

Yeah, that's the philosophy behind separating skis too -- you don't need to make your skis impossible to steal, just harder than some other poor chump's. I've found the same to be true for bike locks -- they don't have to be perfect, just better than your neighbors' (of course, having ugly skis/bikes helps me out too )

 

[thinnmann]

I used to pride myself on using old beat up poles that I got for $5 at a ski swap and had to size them myself with a hacksaw. Now that I have some Goode composite poles, I worry more about my poles walking than my skis. Mine haven't walked yet, but my son's have, right after we bought them new. There were another pair left at the rack; same Scott aluminum, yet a different color trim & the wrong size. Luckily, after telling them the story, the Belleayre ski shop right inside Overlook lodge took them in for an exchange for the right size.

PS - I am not paranoid enough to take my poles inside like those dweebs :smash:

 

[snoseek]

Split skis and put on different racks-problem solved.

 

[ERJ-145CA]

I just lock them with the retractable lock. I know the cable is easy to cut but I figure that there are many unlocked skis for the taking around my skis.