Thieving Frenchmen.
Discussion
ers....You only hear the bad stuff (with regard to this subject I mean). No one's posted about how they HAVEN'T had anything nicked/attempted to be nicked after all.
250,000 people...that's the population of a town - there's always going to be a small criminal element, whatever the nationality. Just deal with it the same way you would at home, ie don't flash tons of cash, lock valuables in the car rather than leaving them in the tent etc.
That's not to say those who fell foul deserved it or are to blame for not being careful enough, far from it. Just that you can quite easily make life difficult for the bastards with a little common sense.
250,000 people...that's the population of a town - there's always going to be a small criminal element, whatever the nationality. Just deal with it the same way you would at home, ie don't flash tons of cash, lock valuables in the car rather than leaving them in the tent etc.
That's not to say those who fell foul deserved it or are to blame for not being careful enough, far from it. Just that you can quite easily make life difficult for the bastards with a little common sense.
i saw a french bloke put their hand into a womans bag whilst i was going over the dunlop bridge, its almost as though they dont bother with subtlety. some other lad saw it and punched the guy on the arm which alerted the woman to him being there he eventually ended up running off. sounds like there was quite a lot of it going on
It's not so bad you shouldn't go, but like any gathering of 300,000 people you should assume there are theiving b'stards out there and should take appropriate steps.
A chap next to me (we were in Houx) had his SatNav (AND map!) nicked from his car in an empty campsite within an hour of getting there - and noone was around.
I've heard of thefts from different campsites every year so none are completely safe. The worst time is the start and finish of the race as everyone goes to watch. Apparently generators are a favourite, even if chained up.
A chap next to me (we were in Houx) had his SatNav (AND map!) nicked from his car in an empty campsite within an hour of getting there - and noone was around.
I've heard of thefts from different campsites every year so none are completely safe. The worst time is the start and finish of the race as everyone goes to watch. Apparently generators are a favourite, even if chained up.
k all, rather than cleaning them.I had no problems, but had read about the thieving pikey issue before leaving. Forewarned is forearmed, so took appropriate precautions. The friends that I was with had 3 bikes half-inched last year. A few dodgy looking characters were seen walking around Houx Annexe first thing in the morning while most campers were still asleep or in alcohol-induced torpor, but as long as things are tied down you should be OK.
We went out for dinner on the Sun night, returned to find our tent gone!
We had put all the electricals in the car, as we thought they would go into the tent to see if there was anything worth taking. But when we got back there was an empty space where our tent should have been. The guys over the road said they thought we had gone for good, leaving the tent, so when they saw someone walk off with it they said nothing. They pointed us in the direction of the pikeys who lifted it, who denied all knowledge. After a bit of confused arguing, we got into their ven, where we found our mats, sleeping bags and pillows. There was no sign of our tent or clothes, both of which prob ended up in the bin. We looked in some nearby bins but found nothing.
The pikeys seemed to feel guilty, as they thought we had simply abandoned the stuff. Not guilty enough to give us back our stuff or tell us where our clothes had been dumped. We lost some good t-shirts, including my pistonheads Le Mans t-shirt.
The guys who had pointed us in the pikey's direction put us up for the night, and gave us beer!
We had put all the electricals in the car, as we thought they would go into the tent to see if there was anything worth taking. But when we got back there was an empty space where our tent should have been. The guys over the road said they thought we had gone for good, leaving the tent, so when they saw someone walk off with it they said nothing. They pointed us in the direction of the pikeys who lifted it, who denied all knowledge. After a bit of confused arguing, we got into their ven, where we found our mats, sleeping bags and pillows. There was no sign of our tent or clothes, both of which prob ended up in the bin. We looked in some nearby bins but found nothing.
The pikeys seemed to feel guilty, as they thought we had simply abandoned the stuff. Not guilty enough to give us back our stuff or tell us where our clothes had been dumped. We lost some good t-shirts, including my pistonheads Le Mans t-shirt.
The guys who had pointed us in the pikey's direction put us up for the night, and gave us beer!
I`m taking this up with the ACO this year.As a member of the organisation they have to listen and I`ve got the official complaint forms from the ACO to complete.Did suggest that maybe we might be bringing our own security in coming years.The young lady I spoke to was certainly not that keen.I wonder why??The ACO actually say that they are not resposible for the controlling of the campsites and the people that run them are contracted in. At the end of the day it`s their name on the event so I feel that it is their problem.Especially when it comes down to public access on Friday night.Did express concerns in Houx on Saturday and Sunday night by coincidence Controlle walking around with a torch very late on......so just maybe.Anyway don`t let it spoil your trip.This was my tenth year and I`m not going again.Well alright then (360 days and counting.)
We were in bleu nord and some dutch bloke came up to us saying he had had most of his stuff stolen from his tent. Felt very sorry for him obviously and made the right precautions.
I basically kept everything in my car boot out of sight. In my tent, even when sleeping, all i had was a sleeping bag, roll mat, pillow and a top. When I went to bed, everything I was wearing/carrying (including tickets, money, camera etc) went under my pillow. Just not worth the risk really.
Didnt see anything on site though, but I would imagine it is going to be like any large gathering of people. I'd be more worried about the campsites as it is easy to wander in and out but even that is not that bad if you tkae sensible precautions.
Do no leave out anything you wouldn't mind leaving basically.
I basically kept everything in my car boot out of sight. In my tent, even when sleeping, all i had was a sleeping bag, roll mat, pillow and a top. When I went to bed, everything I was wearing/carrying (including tickets, money, camera etc) went under my pillow. Just not worth the risk really.
Didnt see anything on site though, but I would imagine it is going to be like any large gathering of people. I'd be more worried about the campsites as it is easy to wander in and out but even that is not that bad if you tkae sensible precautions.
Do no leave out anything you wouldn't mind leaving basically.
Well this was my 5th year and the first one where I actually lost anything, although I did do it in style.
Dad’s camper was broken into in Arnarge on Tuesday between 1 and 4pm. All the windows were closed and blinds drawn, van on the main drag opposite a school and a bus stop. They took a crowbar to one of the windows and made off with about £3-4ks worth of clothes, sunnys, cameras, tabs, ale and keys to 3 different cars (only one in Le Mans and they were too stupid to check to see if it was for the car parked in front of the van…
Totally messed up things for us and lead indirectly to a number of other issues we had during the week. Insurance will cover some of the cost of the loses and the damage to the van but all told I reckon I’ll still be over a grand down.
On the other hand after much wailing and gnashing of teeth a trip to Carfour and things were pretty much back on track. Okay so it wasn’t the best LM ever but I still ended up laughing so much I couldn’t breath an a number of occasions, and am already planning next year’s trip with the g/f.
Also a massive thank you to Estelle (the cheese eating surrender minky), BigM, FUBAR, Towman, Midnight Dub and all those others who offered/helped out and commiserated, and even to the French CRS (escort to the Police Station
) and the Gendarmes who were very helpful.
Dad’s camper was broken into in Arnarge on Tuesday between 1 and 4pm. All the windows were closed and blinds drawn, van on the main drag opposite a school and a bus stop. They took a crowbar to one of the windows and made off with about £3-4ks worth of clothes, sunnys, cameras, tabs, ale and keys to 3 different cars (only one in Le Mans and they were too stupid to check to see if it was for the car parked in front of the van…
Totally messed up things for us and lead indirectly to a number of other issues we had during the week. Insurance will cover some of the cost of the loses and the damage to the van but all told I reckon I’ll still be over a grand down.
On the other hand after much wailing and gnashing of teeth a trip to Carfour and things were pretty much back on track. Okay so it wasn’t the best LM ever but I still ended up laughing so much I couldn’t breath an a number of occasions, and am already planning next year’s trip with the g/f.
Also a massive thank you to Estelle (the cheese eating surrender minky), BigM, FUBAR, Towman, Midnight Dub and all those others who offered/helped out and commiserated, and even to the French CRS (escort to the Police Station
) and the Gendarmes who were very helpful. There must be someone that we all know who has or works for CCTV business.They are not that expensive and it would be interesting just to see how much movement there is around campsites during Start,Finish ,Parade,Mad Friday Night when we`re not all there.There seems to be enough tellies about to record just a couple of hours.Perhaps we should have a word with Bill Oddie and tell him how rare the birds are at Le Mans.!!
Stayed in the airtrack campsite and never heard a single case of this but then it is a fenced off campsite with a guard vetting who comes in to the site ...
still it comes down to common sense with these things and also the number of people who are there - like others have said wherever you go where there are 235,000 people you will get this element so dont let it put you off by any means.
still it comes down to common sense with these things and also the number of people who are there - like others have said wherever you go where there are 235,000 people you will get this element so dont let it put you off by any means.
I wimped out of the race and took a nap in my tent (Karting Nord) between 1am and 530am on the Sunday morning. I fell asleep next to my rucksack, when I woke it was gone. I was lucky enough(?) to find it dumped amongst the group of tents pitched next door to our plot. They left my wallet and cash card behind but took the Euros and Sterling, they left my passport and driving licence, but I lost my mobile and my camera, sunnies and radios.
What surprised me the most however is that the circuit is not equipped to deal with this. The campsite "security post" simply directed me to the team of gendarmerie directing the traffic oustide the main entrance - a 20 minute hike from K Nord. The police told me I had to report it at the main station in the city centre, so another hike back to camp, in to the car and then fighting the day tripper traffic etc etc. It was 1pm before I was back at the circuit with the all important police report that my insurance company want to see.
For me it is a lesson learned - next time it will be with me in my sleeping bag or locked in a car. The insurance will cover the lot except for 3 days worth of photos.
What surprised me the most however is that the circuit is not equipped to deal with this. The campsite "security post" simply directed me to the team of gendarmerie directing the traffic oustide the main entrance - a 20 minute hike from K Nord. The police told me I had to report it at the main station in the city centre, so another hike back to camp, in to the car and then fighting the day tripper traffic etc etc. It was 1pm before I was back at the circuit with the all important police report that my insurance company want to see.
For me it is a lesson learned - next time it will be with me in my sleeping bag or locked in a car. The insurance will cover the lot except for 3 days worth of photos.
BeeGT said:
I wimped out of the race and took a nap in my tent (Karting Nord) between 1am and 530am on the Sunday morning. I fell asleep next to my rucksack, when I woke it was gone. I was lucky enough(?) to find it dumped amongst the group of tents pitched next door to our plot. They left my wallet and cash card behind but took the Euros and Sterling, they left my passport and driving licence, but I lost my mobile and my camera, sunnies and radios.
What surprised me the most however is that the circuit is not equipped to deal with this. The campsite "security post" simply directed me to the team of gendarmerie directing the traffic oustide the main entrance - a 20 minute hike from K Nord. The police told me I had to report it at the main station in the city centre, so another hike back to camp, in to the car and then fighting the day tripper traffic etc etc. It was 1pm before I was back at the circuit with the all important police report that my insurance company want to see.
For me it is a lesson learned - next time it will be with me in my sleeping bag or locked in a car. The insurance will cover the lot except for 3 days worth of photos.
What surprised me the most however is that the circuit is not equipped to deal with this. The campsite "security post" simply directed me to the team of gendarmerie directing the traffic oustide the main entrance - a 20 minute hike from K Nord. The police told me I had to report it at the main station in the city centre, so another hike back to camp, in to the car and then fighting the day tripper traffic etc etc. It was 1pm before I was back at the circuit with the all important police report that my insurance company want to see.
For me it is a lesson learned - next time it will be with me in my sleeping bag or locked in a car. The insurance will cover the lot except for 3 days worth of photos.
that sounds a bit British that they had the heart to leave your passport and card!
a.christie said:
I`m taking this up with the ACO this year.As a member of the organisation they have to listen...
You might as well talk to my dog mate! You'll get more sense out of him than an organisation who supply about one bin for 1000 people on the bottom of Maison Blanche. Incidentally, we caught a theiving pikey bastard at a mate's camp on MB. After a mild kicking and general roughing up I had just gone back to our van to dig out a large tin of Waxoyl underseal and a pillow so we could tar and feather him. Unfoprtunately the security people turned up, and all they did was to remove the stolen goods from his bag and wallets from round his neck and throw him out of the curcuit. A disgrace but you won't get anything dome about it.
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