Stratton Mt Ski Theft

[drjeff]

My skis are locked every time, but do you know how easy it is to get a pair or bolt cutters or electrical dykes that cut through any ski lock? Especially a cable lock. I've had my equipment cut off, have you? What happens then? If I pay 90$ to ski for one day and my lock gets clipped I'm going to be pointing fingers at someone. If I pay that kind of money I expect some sense of security (if I lock my equipment up) It cost me about 150$ to put cameras around my shop and property. You don't need a fancy system. Granted a resort is quite a bit bigger than my shop, it's still pocket change to a ski resort. Point them to main rack that gets the most traffic and put stickers up everywhere. That would bring theft to a grinding halt. Even fake cameras would work. When equipment is stolen it's not like it doesn't cost the mountain any money. They have to pay someone to run an investigation and coordinate with police. It's still coming back to you regardless.

If you have a lock on your gear, well then the reality is that to a potential a$$hole theaf, you're gear is far less attractive than unlocked gear. Heck, I think that we can all agree that a pair of bolt cutters is far more likely to arose some suspicision from someone in the area than the casual look through the racks to find out which of the 1/2 dozen or racks a person left there gear on as they were headed for the lodge 15 minutes before.

Also, if you're talking an area like Stratton in this thread. On a busy weekend, you've got THOUSANDS of pairs of skis and/or board in the base area and all the people associated with them. Not as easy to get a good view of everyone via security cameras by any means.

In an ideal set up, every ski area would have no ski racks available and an ample sized free ski check at every base/mid mountain/summit lodge. But even then you'd still find people not using it and some gear would more than likely still be stolen. The key things are to #1 be very dilligent with making sure that your gear is always more secure than someone elses gear for starters. And to another extent, try and NOT leave your gear on a rack that is closest to a main exit point. Atleast that way any potential a$$hole will more than likely have to walk by plenty more "opportunities" before they get a glimpse of your gear

 

[hammer]

A better idea would be just lock your skis and take some personal responsibility for your possessions instead of wanting the ski areas to jack up prices so they can hire security detail and install a pricy CCTV system (they are not cheap).

I hope the guy that got caught gets the book thrown at him. But that doesn't excuse victims for allowing themselves to be victimized and then blaming the ski areas. Cable locks cost ten bucks and last forever.

Agree...I had skis stolen and I never blamed the ski area. Didn't like the attitude of the rental shop (thought that they could have mentioned about problems with theft out of courtesy to their customers) but I didn't blame them either. Just took the risk to leaving them out made myself an easier target.

My skis are locked every time, but do you know how easy it is to get a pair or bolt cutters or electrical dykes that cut through any ski lock? Especially a cable lock. I've had my equipment cut off, have you? What happens then? If I pay 90$ to ski for one day and my lock gets clipped I'm going to be pointing fingers at someone. If I pay that kind of money I expect some sense of security (if I lock my equipment up) It cost me about 150$ to put cameras around my shop and property. You don't need a fancy system. Granted a resort is quite a bit bigger than my shop, it's still pocket change to a ski resort. Point them to main rack that gets the most traffic and put stickers up everywhere. That would bring theft to a grinding halt. Even fake cameras would work. When equipment is stolen it's not like it doesn't cost the mountain any money. They have to pay someone to run an investigation and coordinate with police. It's still coming back to you regardless.

What would cameras really do? PCMR had plenty of them around and it didn't deter the jerk who stole my skis...

 

[catskills]

I always park my skis where I can watch them from the lodge. Go ahead grab my skis and see what happens. :uzi:

 

[drjeff]

I always park my skis where I can watch them from the lodge. Go ahead grab my skis and see what happens. :uzi:

Hope you didn't just jinx yourself the next time you're sitting in the lodge and nature calls you away from your seat in the lodge for a few moments

 

[snoseek]

Boltcutters, another reason to split your skis up right? I'm not talking a couple racks over but really split them up.

Seriously, Skis are expensive! It's not anyones responsibility to keep an eye on your stuff. If the mtn puts up a camera then great but lets face it, they're working with a very very thin profit margin. It will be reflected in the prices along with all these other amenities that everyone is constantly demanding. I'm personally a big fan of less services (except snowmaking of course) and lower prices.

it's just a matter of a little more walking really. Wat to be really safe then lock one ski and still split them. You are 100 percent. This all requires extra walking....im pretty sure most are too lazy, they would rather leave a 500-1000 dollar item on a rack for a thieve to take and then ask why the mtn didn't do more.
My stuff will never be stolen...

 

[riverc0il]

Thieves aren't going to be bothered with cutting cables. Yes, they could do that if they really wanted a particular ski. But why risk the extra visibility? They want to blend in and look like everyone else. Just another guy grabbing his skis off the rack. Especially if they keep coming back, someone is eventually going to notice and report someone clipping cables. It just isn't worth the risk when they can grab almost any other skis off the rack.

 

[abc]

Thieves aren't going to be bothered with cutting cables. Yes, they could do that if they really wanted a particular ski. But why risk the extra visibility? They want to blend in and look like everyone else. Just another guy grabbing his skis off the rack. Especially if they keep coming back, someone is eventually going to notice and report someone clipping cables. It just isn't worth the risk when they can grab almost any other skis off the rack.

I've had my equipment cut off, have you? What happens then? If I pay 90$ to ski for one day and my lock gets clipped I'm going to be pointing fingers at someone. If I pay that kind of money I expect some sense of security (if I lock my equipment up)

.

 

[Bene288]

Cameras will absolutely work as a deterrent, even if they were fake. If they ever caught someone using a camera system and it got out in the news people would rethink lifting a pair of skis. Am I saying it's going to prevent every single theft? No, not in a long shot. But if all you need is one goon to read about someone getting caught, or seeing a "CAUTION: Surveillance cameras in use" sticker, that's one less pair stolen.

A thief might target skis with a cable lock. Two main reasons: A) The person whose skis are locked are probably not watching them like a hawk. B) Locked skis are generally much more expensive. But if I were walking around looking to lift a pair of skis, and I saw just one camera ANYWHERE on that mountain, a sticker stating cameras are in use, anyone remotely "official" looking.. I would not be taking anything.

My skis were almost stolen mid week when there was hardly anyone there. Some of these thieves are smart. They're not as dumb as some people make them out to be. If you aren't going to support extra security at a mountain then that's fine. But when you walk to the rack and find your 3/16th inch steel cable lock cut and half on the ground and your $900 skis gone. I'm sure you will change your mind. There is no reason anyone should ever have ANYTHING stolen from them. But I believe after a certain point of doing all you can to protect your equipment, and it still gets stolen, something needs to be done. I keep the mountains in business, they should offer a little bit of assurance.

On a more positive note; if anyone is doubting their cable locks after this whole discussion, I recommend using a U-Lock bicycle lock. 5/8" solid steel cannot be cut by bolt cutters or dykes. Any thief that would want my skis now would need a cutting torch, which definitely does not fit in a ski jacket pocket. Or 10 minutes of going at it with a hack saw. I wrapped foam tape around it so it doesn't damage the skis, it's a pretty good set up. Only con is that it's a little clunkier than a cable lock.

 

[kartski]

Boltcutters, another reason to split your skis up right? I'm not talking a couple racks over but really split them up.

Forget bolt cutters, they're to big. A small pipe cutter for 1/4" pipe. Fits in your hand, it would look like you're working the combo on the lock. Twist and tighten til the cable breaks.

 

[drjeff]

Cameras will absolutely work as a deterrent, even if they were fake. If they ever caught someone using a camera system and it got out in the news people would rethink lifting a pair of skis. Am I saying it's going to prevent every single theft? No, not in a long shot. But if all you need is one goon to read about someone getting caught, or seeing a "CAUTION: Surveillance cameras in use" sticker, that's one less pair stolen.

A thief might target skis with a cable lock. Two main reasons: A) The person whose skis are locked are probably not watching them like a hawk. B) Locked skis are generally much more expensive. But if I were walking around looking to lift a pair of skis, and I saw just one camera ANYWHERE on that mountain, a sticker stating cameras are in use, anyone remotely "official" looking.. I would not be taking anything.

My skis were almost stolen mid week when there was hardly anyone there. Some of these thieves are smart. They're not as dumb as some people make them out to be. If you aren't going to support extra security at a mountain then that's fine. But when you walk to the rack and find your 3/16th inch steel cable lock cut and half on the ground and your $900 skis gone. I'm sure you will change your mind. There is no reason anyone should ever have ANYTHING stolen from them. But I believe after a certain point of doing all you can to protect your equipment, and it still gets stolen, something needs to be done. I keep the mountains in business, they should offer a little bit of assurance.

On a more positive note; if anyone is doubting their cable locks after this whole discussion, I recommend using a U-Lock bicycle lock. 5/8" solid steel cannot be cut by bolt cutters or dykes. Any thief that would want my skis now would need a cutting torch, which definitely does not fit in a ski jacket pocket. Or 10 minutes of going at it with a hack saw. I wrapped foam tape around it so it doesn't damage the skis, it's a pretty good set up. Only con is that it's a little clunkier than a cable lock.

I just don't think that security ski rack cameras will be the end all. be all. Below is the base area cam image from Mount Snow from a few minutes ago

There's 6 racks in that photo. To make it proof "beyond any reasonable doubt" you'd need to have some pretty good resolution cameras focused on each side of each rack from multiple angles to ensure that you can indeed get an image that would legally hold up (if you then are even able to catch the a$$hole that took the gear in the 1st place!!). Not that it CAN'T be done, but not quite sure what the perceived return on the investment would be, given the typical number of ski racks that your average ski area has

 

[hammer]

If a ski area offers equipment checks (for free!) then isn't that enough?

I use a cable lock because it's the easiest deterrent. If I was really worried about determined thieves then I'd use the equipment check. If I was worried that a cable lock would not be sufficient and no equipment check was available, I'd avoid going to that ski area. Problem solved.

 

[gmcunni]

i think i'm going to buy a 2nd lock, split my skis and lock them to different racks.

 

[〽❄❅]

I like the bicycle U lock idea. I'll get one for my next out of town ski trip, any brand/model recommendations? Of the two local hill's i frequent one offers a free ski check and the other is so uncrowded on the weekdays when i go that i just leave them in the line of sight from a window.

 

[deadheadskier]

i think i'm going to buy a 2nd lock, split my skis and lock them to different racks.

you should buy a third. just in case someone steals one of your unused locks attached to the ski racks

 

[〽❄❅]

you should buy a third. just in case someone steals one of your unused locks attached to the ski racks

...that's perfect, he can thread the cable up through his shell's sleeve, out the neck and back down to the lock, don't forget to throw in a little blue LED blinky light by the lock for the full effect:flag:

 

[deadheadskier]

there's a bit of a back story to my suggestion. I'll let gmcunni explain

 

[gmcunni]

there's a bit of a back story to my suggestion. I'll let gmcunni explain

it isn't as funny when you have to explain it

 

[deadheadskier]

it isn't as funny when you have to explain it

I don't know. Having a $10 ski lock stolen is pretty funny :lol:

 

[gmcunni]

I don't know. Having a $10 ski lock stolen is pretty funny :lol:

seriously, what form of degenerate steals a lock?

 

[deadheadskier]

a locksmith trying to hone his skills?