Gutted - thieving b***ards cleaned us out.

[starbar]

I should currently be at Glasto, but came home yesterday after having the tent robbed whilst we slept (i though I was a light sleeper...apparently not), before the bloody festival had started. Woke up to find the tent doors open, but nothing amiss untill I look for my purse...so I started yelling, and didn't stop for a bit.

Weird thing was, they had been in the tent, removed my OH's wallet from his shorts (next to his head), took all the cash out, fastend it back up, put it back in his pocket, fastened it and folded up his clothes...WTF!!!!! Myabe they had a tidy up too whilst they were in there. Launched my purse though. How rude.

I was too freaked at the thought of people rummaging around me whilst I slept to stay. Not to mention the fact we had no money left at all as we had been totally cleaned out, and being at Glasto isn't cheap these days. Despite some nice offers from mates it just didn't feel right.

Our field, the Dairy Ground had been hit really hard with people everywhere coming out of tents after hearing yelling 'we've been robbed' top note. Seems they only wanted cash as they didn't bother with phones & cameras or cash cards. One poor guy did have bag with his car keys in nicked. Poor sod. People were handing in mobiles and empty purses, wallets and bags to the coppers (so not totally lost all my faith in people) We worked out it happened between 3-4am from when our mates got back and noticed the tents undone - but they thought we'd just go up for a bog-stop.

The site staff were beyond useless, advising that they were going in tents via doors, and not slashing them this year (that makes it so much better, no tent slashing, clothes-folding thievery is much more acceptable that the slash and grab) and the police although sympathetic, said it had been insane this year. Over 50 report of thefts in the short shift the copper we reported it to on Friday morning. Virtually every field had been hit except the brown & purple sections. Loads won't bother reporting it as the trek to the onsite station is a feat in itself with all the mud.

Then to add insult to injury we got bag searched on the way out.

Totally pissed on our glasto chips this year. And before anyone says it...as for putting cash in sleeping bags...they have been undoing them whilst people slept and taking them too.

thieving stickyfingered scally f**kwits.

Ok. I feel marginally better now. Just needed to share.

thank you for listening.

[fireballxlarge]

Really sorry to hear that you had such a bad time of it, I'm sure my sympathy is not much use to you, but I can completely understand your feelings.
Thieving bastards!!!

[starbar]

Thanks. Apparently they came back Saturday and tried my mates tent whilst she was in it. Goit the old "sorry, wrong tent" reply when she told them where to go. Apparently security caught one as he was trying to leg it out the gates. Just scum.

[Holesey]

Sorry to hear this news, thankfully this didn't happen to us in the Bushy Ground but... I couldn't help but notice how many more chavs were at the festival... and no disrespect to the honest man/woman from Liverpool but mud sticks, and there were loads and loads of scousers there this year.. in tracksuits at the stone circle!! like I say nothing personal to the honest ones out there but in the early days thats all you used to see... very bad news

[MartC78]

Easy fella we are not cut from the same cloth. i dont own a a track suit.

Although i have to admit as a scouser i hate hate the put on scouse accent it stands out like a fart in a lift.

I was in the bushy ground had no theft in fact we got a Glasto present went we got back to our tent on the Thursday if was full of balloons.

The wife did not see the funny side of it.

[Holesey]

Easy fella we are not cut from the same cloth. i dont own a a track suit.

Although i have to admit as a scouser i hate hate the put on scouse accent it stands out like a fart in a lift.

I was in the bushy ground had no theft in fact we got a Glasto present went we got back to our tent on the Thursday if was full of balloons.

The wife did not see the funny side of it.

Like I did say fella, certainly not aimed at everyone, far from it - but there is a certain image that has set in, but nothing persona pal... my mates did a car run yesterday and a fella from Liverpool was walking out with his girlfriend and security asked for his ticket and wrist band but he had neither... how he scammed it I don't know but his answer was "I'm going home anyway so try and kick me out" - Glastonbury isn't about that.... Thursday night, stone circle, my friend and I were crashed against the stones, 2 shell suit scousers wanted to sell us laughing gas for 3 for 10 when the bloke next to us was doing 3 for 5 - when we told them where to clear off too, they put the 'big one' on... pissed me off.

[starbar]

[QUOTE=MartC78;14189]

I was in the bushy ground had no theft in fact we got a Glasto present went we got back to our tent on the Thursday if was full of balloons.

QUOTE]

LOVe the fact your tent was full of balloons, that's genius! As for the thieving little robdogs, it's irrelevant where they come from. Still the amount they took from us will keep em in Reebok Classics for a while.

[MartC78]

That same fella approached me at the gate. as for the laughing gas fella i heard somebody else talking about them.

I know it is not a pesonal attack mate i hate the fact we make a rod for our own back.

Personally i try and tone down my accent when i am down south not because of i am ashamed of where i come from but because people do think you are on the the rob.

I am really sorry to hear about anybody who got robbed. it was difficult enough battling the elements never mind knob head robbing people.

[Lou's other half]

Starbar, so sorry to hear that, it's just awful. I had my tent slashed a few years ago and although it woke me and I asked him to kindly leave (not sure those were my exact words) and he got nothing, I felt sick to the pit of my stomach. All I wanted to do was go home and see my wife (who hadn't gone that year). It was only the extraordinary kindness of my neighbours, passersby and my friends (who were camping elsewhere but really rallied round me), that picked my mood up. The copper I reported it to said there was nothing he could do (which there wasn't to be fair) but he then said "if it helps he might be there" and pointed at 20 guys in handcuffs! This was before the Superfence and I thought (hoped) that level of crime had diminished hugely. Gutted to hear that you discovered otherwise the hard way.

I really hope you won't be put off coming again (although I'd quite understand) and if you do come in 2013, come to the GlastoWatch meet and allow me to buy you a drink.

[starbar]

Dunno if I could go back now to be honest. The cash is just annoying (not to mention expensive), but for people to be in my tent whilst I slept, urgh it makes me shudder. Bloody loved Glast to as have been going for years and never had any bother and have loads of amazing memories...maybes I'll change my mind in 2013. Especially since I've bought me a new tent to cheer myself up!

[jimbo21]

Sorry to hear about that. Some twat tried to nick one of our soaking wet chairs the first night, the idiot even mentioned it out loud to his friends, sounded like some Aussie. Im a very light sleeper and shouted out'dont nick it actually mate cos Ill come after you' Hope he shitted himself.

On a downer, daughter got ripped of a tenner at a food place and the girl there wouldnt give her the correct change, I was drunk and had to go over an make an arse of myself until she did. Which I would have rather not done. If the girl is here then Ill apologise.

[Miss P]

Sorry to hear about your experience.
I can understand getting over the cash issue but not the thought of someone being in your Tent.
I've always camped in the camper van fields and so far never had a problem, you tend to be surrounded by families which is always really chilled out and friendly.
And at least you can lock your door at night. If you do feel to unsafe to go in a tent in 2013 perhpas consider hiring a camper van or having a caravan delivered

[glastomad]

Thats absolutely disgraceful that is! We had a fair few things nicked of us this year, not as bad as yours just random things (a few pair of wellies, a couple of chairs, my left boot, a pan)

[bobda]

I was done on Wednesday night this year, also while I slept - normally I would have woken up but I had earplugs in. They opened the inner part of my tent and grabbed my day bag, emptied it out into the porch area and took a bit of weed and my mini-guide, presumably because that's where people normally keep money. Mine was in my wallet in my trousers which were right at the bottom end of my tent away from the inner door. On the same night, another tent in our group was done - they took £280 from one wallet and £100 from another. There were loads of reports 'locally' of other peoples tents being done over.

My tent was also done again on Friday night while we were all away from camp (there were 13 tents in our group and about 25 people so a rare occurrence) but apart from going through the pockets of my girlfriends bag there was nothing to take.

First time in 4 years of going to Glastonbury that I've ever even had my tent opened, let alone something stolen. Hell, two years ago in a drunken stupor I left my bag containing wallet, camera - everything outside the tent and when I found it 6-7 hours later it was untouched (albeit a little bit wet).

We were camped in Park Home this year, in the section behind the 24 hour shop.

I didn't bother reporting my theft.

[magicstarme]

Sorry to hear everyones stories. I too was robbed - had my bag snatched off my shoulder in the dance village, complete with iphone, purse, cards, gear (worth £250), everything on the Thursday night. Utterly sh*te start to the weekend. Luckily we have very kind friends who all pitched in and made the weekend do-able.

I also couldnt help notice the 'different' type of person there either. It wont stop me from going again but i will certainly be a lot more wary and hope it doesnt spoil the glasto atmosphere.

[char40too]

Sorry to hear about all the theft We stayed in the MyHab (well Green Tent Company by the time we got there) and there was lots of incidents up there as well!

The girls in the tent next to us had somebody "accidently" open the wrong tent on sturday night ,just to come back later and slash it open, money ticket etc. gone

On the plus side is that they actually caught them later on sunday morning so they got their stuff back!

[starbar]

At least they caught some of them! I'd have LOVED to get my hands on them! Feckin tossers.

[Mandypants]

We were warned that there had been some thefts in Oxlyers on Wednesday night so we were pretty vigilant after that. I do feel a bit vulnerable because I'm on my own in my tent, and I've been done twice at Bearded Theory so I do take care to keep my stuff safe. As someone else said, they're after cash on the whole, phones are more easily traced and blocked these days and other stuff can be easily identified if they are caught. There's no way of tracing the owner of a £20 note.

I can wholeheartedly recommend money belts, wear one under your clothes and never take it off, then keep the bulk of your money in there, just taking out a small amount as you need it. I swear by it, the most I have lost is £20 out of my purse, which is shit, but a lot better than losing a couple of hundred quid and ruining the whole festival.

[Roo]

Did hear various reports of thefts this year, but also heard quite a few reports of arrests of people for thieving from tents. On the good side did see quite a lot of honest people handing in lost phones and even wallets full of money!

Not sure how to advise here, there is safety in camping in numbers, but if all sleeping at the same time it does leave you all vulnerable to theft, though having a guard over the campfire 24hours a day isn't much fun.

Police and security presence on site was probably the highest I have ever seen! I even almost got physically involved in a drugs bust in the stone circle as 4 coppers tackled 2 dealers and they landed within feet of where I was sitting!

Unfortunately thieves are always going to be attracted by easy pickings, luckily these days it is a fair bit harder for them to get in than it used to be.

Giving this info to victims of theft after the fact is pretty useless, but you are recommended to use the property lock-ups at the festival which are open 24 hours a day. Many people place all their cash in them, and withdraw their daily budgetted amount. Unfortunately many don't make this bit of extra effort until after they have become a victim of crime.

[amcminn]

Pure scum!!! Sorry to hear about all of the thieves ruining everyones festival, I know what most of us would do to them if we caught them!

[rickleach]

Pure scum!!! Sorry to hear about all of the thieves ruining everyones festival, I know what most of us would do to them if we caught them!

this is all such a bummer and is just so against what the whole festival should be about -feel so sorry for everyone who has been robbed-as this is akin to burglary I think anyone would be in a position to use "reasonable force" if they were caught in the act and in fact jazz fan Ken Clarke has said as much today -see this link from the bbc http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-13957587

[ICGenie]

You do have my sympathies but can someone explain to me exactly why the bloody hell you have a full weekend's cash on you overnight? My cash goes straight into the lock-ups with any phones / iPods / car keys etc at the first opportunity.

[Joshkinny]

Sorry to hear this news, thankfully this didn't happen to us in the Bushy Ground but... I couldn't help but notice how many more chavs were at the festival... and no disrespect to the honest man/woman from Liverpool but mud sticks, and there were loads and loads of scousers there this year.. in tracksuits at the stone circle!! like I say nothing personal to the honest ones out there but in the early days thats all you used to see... very bad news

Are you blaming scousers? 200,000 people attend! how on earth can you just point the finger like that? I cant believe people this ignorant go to Glastonbury! do you honestly think people from Liverpool would travel opposite end of the country to rob 60-100 pound? stereotyping people just for what they wear, where they come from is just sickening. Beware scousers, remember not to wear waterproof clothing that's practical for festivals or you'll be branded a thief. Wayne Rooney was there too I suppose he snook Kai into peoples tents while Coleen kept watch?

[rickleach]

Are you blaming scousers? 200,000 people attend! how on earth can you just point the finger like that? I cant believe people this ignorant go to Glastonbury! do you honestly think people from Liverpool would travel opposite end of the country to rob 60-100 pound? stereotyping people just for what they wear, where they come from is just sickening. Beware scousers, remember not to wear waterproof clothing that's practical festivals or you'll be branded a thief. Wayne Rooney was there too I suppose he snook Kai into peoples tents while Coleen kept watch?

yep thats it-next year I'll be taking elocution lessions,ditching the North Face tracky,grow my hair long and go as a hippie-that'll throw them all off the scent cos as you say there's f**k all left to rob in Liverpool

[Sindarela]

Sorry to hear about the theft! Never a fun thing.....

It was my first year at Glasto, amazing experience!! Anyways I had a lady come up to me and tell me that her boyfriend had been kicked out and she asked me if she could rent my wrist band of me for an hour so he could come back in? She offered me 150 pounds and her mobile number? It seemed pretty dodgy to me so I kindly declined the offer of the money and her mobile number.

[dannifromdublin]

Urgh. Sorry to hear about all the thefts. That's really shit.

Not to make light of the situation, but thought this story might make you smile..
we (group of 5 in 3 tents) were camped in Dairy Ground. Were pretty unaware of any hassle, though we did notice that the crowd seemed different to previous years.
Early on the Sunday morning though, one of the guys had a 5-litre cider bottle nicked from his tent porch.
The bottle was filled with piss

[Roo]

Early on the Sunday morning though, one of the guys had a 5-litre cider bottle nicked from his tent porch.
The bottle was filled with piss

[Holesey]

You do have my sympathies but can someone explain to me exactly why the bloody hell you have a full weekend's cash on you overnight? My cash goes straight into the lock-ups with any phones / iPods / car keys etc at the first opportunity.

Not everyone is like you, I had cash, cards and 2 phones left in the tent.. yes lock ups are safe, but its about trust... and traps!! its bad enough trying to get across site to see a band, never mind stop at the lock up to "pick up the cash" people carry money on them, lots of.. for a would be thief late at night (if alone) an easy target! if they tried to rob me, I'd smash fuck into them and wouldn't stop until dragged off.

[Holesey]

Are you blaming scousers? 200,000 people attend! how on earth can you just point the finger like that? I cant believe people this ignorant go to Glastonbury! do you honestly think people from Liverpool would travel opposite end of the country to rob 60-100 pound? stereotyping people just for what they wear, where they come from is just sickening. Beware scousers, remember not to wear waterproof clothing that's practical for festivals or you'll be branded a thief. Wayne Rooney was there too I suppose he snook Kai into peoples tents while Coleen kept watch?

Sorry - didn't mean to offend your cheap fake clothes. I'll remember in future not to comment on the scroats and chavs that are nothing but thieving little fucks!! more scousers at glasto this year and an big increase in arrests. Its like being back in the 90's, when the scousers used to hang outside and hassle you for beer or give you shit walking back to site....

Its all about opinions and that's mine...!!

[punkeddiemurphy]

First time I was at Glasto but I noticed the vast amount of our North Western friends. My tent was surrounded by them. That said they were the nicest bunch of people.

[Mandypants]

There are good and bad people in every place you go, stereotyping is bollocks. There were some folks from Belfast camped next to us, should I have assumed they had a tent full of Semtex?

[stinkywitch]

There are good and bad people in every place you go, stereotyping is bollocks. There were some folks from Belfast camped next to us, should I have assumed they had a tent full of Semtex?

I had a squaddie next to us, does that mean he was on the piss the whole time?? Oh wait, he was!

[subtitlesonly]

sorry to hear of your loss, I was camped in Dairy ground too, and we were warned by police on Thursday morning of a number of thefts. I know it won't make you feel any better, but in the overall picture, the number of thefts over the weekend was quite miniscule. I have been going to festivals for over 30 years, robbed and cleaned out once at Reading, and one attempted theft at Glastonbury. As a percentage risk, it's far less than 1%. As for blaming scousers, that's just plain daft. Why don't you blame a particular race......oh that's not acceptable is it

[belfast_rifle]

one of our group had his tent opened, got the usual answer of "sorry wrong tent" the guy was in a coca cola tent, bright red and not something you would mistake for your own as there were no other coca cola tents in the whole diary ground !

sorry for your losses ... it was our first glasto ... had an absolute wonderful time .. only time i was robbed was at the bar, but i think that was just the price of things !

[gerrardspetal]

We were in the Dairy Field and i didn't hear of any thefts. But then we were near the stewards.




Oh and this scouser bashing isn't on IMO

[rickleach]

We were in the Dairy Field and i didn't hear of any thefts. But then we were near the stewards.




Oh and this scouser bashing isn't on IMO

with you on that-we are NOT all the same & I am saddened that there has been an element (in part) on this board presuming that we are-I thought that the feeling was always that we are in this together irrespective of who we are or where we are from-I am pleased to think though that it is merely a minority of posters-I would hate this to degenerate into a forum slagging ANY group of people off.Lets just draw a line under it and leave those with stupid petty prejudices to get on with it.We are all bigger than that. Surely.

[Glasto oldie]

with you on that-we are NOT all the same & I am saddened that there has been an element (in part) on this board presuming that we are-I thought that the feeling was always that we are in this together irrespective of who we are or where we are from-I am pleased to think though that it is merely a minority of posters-I would hate this to degenerate into a forum slagging ANY group of people off.Lets just draw a line under it and leave those with stupid petty prejudices to get on with it.We are all bigger than that. Surely.

I'll second that!!

[exstockwellgooner]

We were in the Dairy Field and i didn't hear of any thefts. But then we were near the stewards.




Oh and this scouser bashing isn't on IMO

Agreed-well out of order. As mentioned in an earlier part of the thread people wouldn,t post crap like that and refer to someones race/gender or sexuality. Also not an excuse to say "It,s my opinion-It,s only banter".

[KarenEH]

On Thursday night my 17 year old son and my mate had their tents entered whist sleeping. His jacket and jeans had been rifled and were thrown outside, her bag was outside and had been gone through. Luckily all that was taken was a pack of fags, some paracetemol and a Tesco club card!! Thank God we all decided to sleep with bags strapped across our chests with our valuables in! Told some coppers the next day and they said about 70 had been done in our field that they knew of. We were in suggs ground near john Peel. Also heard (Don't know how true tho') that a couple of security guards had been caught after being paid to let some scallies in! It is a horrible feeling knowing someone has been there when you're at your most vulnerable! We're going for a cmper next time if poss! There def were a lot of 'trackie' shaven headed types there though- couldn't care less where they came from- thieves live everywhere! A couple of times I actually felt a bit intimidated- never had that before!

[rickleach]

after reading all this thread whilst only having been last year and this time is the general feeling that there was more robbing and hassle than ever this year?(last year I camped in the family field and this time was in a crew camp so maybe I don't have an accurate picture).Next time I am hoping to go with with my better half-who's never been before- and my 17 yr old daughter & her mate(who were in the family field with me last year).I want my other half to have as good an experience as I have had (and bored her senseless about!) the last 2 yrs with no hassle etc.All the above thread leaves a sour taste and make me a bit uneasy.Would the consensus be to use a camper van if poss? Is the general air of hassle & intimidation this year something that is unusual or a trend that is getting worse? And(dare I say this..) considering all the expense of going for 4 of us & a campervan etc does anyone consider that fact that it may(whisper) just might not all be worth it? Should I just leave the last two years as happy memories and not run the risk of having those sullied? I genuinely would like to hear any helpful opinions & views.Cheers!