UKC

This past two months I have somehow managed to get my gear nicked at the local climbing wall. What I find curious is who steals gear when they don't know the history of said gear. How many people buy second hand equipment without really knowing the person they are buying it from?

Or is crag swag an accepted thing in the UK, this also makes me think of the American dude that was stealing all the quickdraws off a crag (article in DPM).

Is this naivety on my part or would you take other people's gear if it was left behind?

I haven't stolen anyone's gear nor would I use someone else's gear that was left on crags mainly because I wouldn't know how long they had been there or if there was damage to them.

I justed wondered if anyone else had problems with thefts of their own equipment or how much of a market there is out there for 2nd gear? How trusting are we buying it off this website?

In reply to johns64:
There have been stories in the past where climbing gear has been recovered after a theft having been dumped in a hedge of behind a wall. Obviously some people don't think they can shift it so dump it. There is a market for second hang gear, just look at the "for sale/wanted" forum and the thousands of listings on E-bay.

In reply to johns64: to a certain extent, crag swag is fair game,
i.e. if you get out stuck gear, or find it dropped at the bottom of the route, and the owners are long gone. then its crag booty, and im sure most of us have he odd nut gained that way.

but if you know, or obvious that someones coming back for something, and you take it thats just plain theft.

with alot of stuff its fairly easy to judge wether you trust by looking (wires etc.)
some stuff id avoid using (ropes etc.)

what did you have nicked?
If you Id a full shiny rack at the bottom of the crag, id be hurt if it didnt come up in the lost and found.
If Id left a couple of bits lying around, or in the rock, I wouldnt be surprised if i never saw them again.

In reply to johns64: Which wall was it? Generally I am very trusting of climbers and leave gear out in the open but I'll be wary of leaving gear out at a wall that has a history of thefts!

In reply to johns64: oh it was an indoor wall!
yeah thats your own fault for not looking after it...
indoor walls are too full of non climbers.

In reply to Steeve: probably some chav on a school outing, nicked yor bag hoping for an ipod.

In reply to johns64: Same happened to me at Awesome Walls Liverpool had my bag nicked with everything in , kit, trainers, harness, belay, rope, phone, money and my wallet with all my bank cards and that in.

That was in a locker and me and the staff think it much off been kids from the area because they left my car keys :S

In reply to Thomaslynch:

I had a friend who got her phone stolen at AWL. Seems to be quite common.

In reply to johns64:

Just goes to show indoor climbers are scum of the earth !

In reply to sphagnum: You would think they would put CCTV in at the locker area, your paying around £5 a time for the indoor wall so surely you would expect a level of security to come with that.

In reply to johns64:

Regional stereotypes going to climbing walls, whatever next?

In reply to johns64: climbers stealing? next thing we know it will be well respected politicians claiming expenses unfairly or judges getting done for drink driving!