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Gadget
20th-November-2006, 02:42 PM
Ceroc (and especially Ceroc Scotland) is based on a sense of community between everyone. And this is based on trust. People must feel secure that they can leave their stuff in the safety of this community of strangers, while they are on the dance floor enjoying themselves. Otherwise we are back to 'handbag' dancing where we only dance with those we implicitly trust and put our bags in the middle of the floor.

I'm proud to be a part of this community. But this weekend has seen my trust betrayed. Like a friend you've known for years and shared some of your best times with who then turns round and destroys the faith you've put in them.

I've had my I-pod and digital camera lifted from my bag. :tears: To me, this cuts even deeper because of the contents of the camera - I've lost pictures of my kids growing up. And the fact that the I-pod was my Christmas present. (besides the fact that I can't afford to replace them)

I'm an optimist and am hoping an appeal like this will yield something, but at the very least let it serve as a warning about what you take into venues.

{BTW a brilliant weekend of dancing :D - :flower: to all those ladies who were subjected to my dancing.}

El Salsero Gringo
20th-November-2006, 02:52 PM
{snip}A salutary warning; that's horrible.

On the community front, the last time there were some thefts at a Ceroc London venue the culprit turned out to be a non-member who had sneaked in. It doesn't make the loss any better, but is it plausible that it might not be an 'insider' after all?

TiggsTours
20th-November-2006, 03:04 PM
That's horrible, Gadget, I'm really sorry that you had to experience something like that.

Like ESG, the only times I have known of this type of thing happening (only 3 times in 10 years) it was due to outsiders coming into the building, sneaking in side entrances and the like. Personally, although I wasn't the person who was stolen from, I still felt violated knowing that it had happened. Like you, Gadget, I am proud to be part of a community where it is safe to leave your bag, with all your belongings, all evening without the worry of whether they will be safe. It would be sad to think that one day this may not be the case.

All I can say is that it is still thankfully extremely rare in a dance venue, and that (although this is of little comfort I'm sure), you have been extremely unlucky. I do now empty my purse of all but cash when I go dancing, and wouldn't take any valuables that I don't really need with me, but I still have my phone in my bag, and my car keys.

The worst I ever saw was a guy at Chiswick Town Hall, within minutes of arriving and leaving his bag someone had gone through his bag, nicked his keys and wallet, then went outside and nicked his car! The police think he was targeted (he had a nice car), and the theif probably followed him in, paid the entry fee, then wiated till he'd left his bag unguarded before striking straight away.

At least Ceroc has membership cards, which could hopefully limit this thing, but to be honest, if you're that way inclined, the small membership fee is a small price to pay for the rich-pickings at a dance venue where so many bags are left unguarded!


I'm so sorry, Gadget. :hug:

Lory
20th-November-2006, 03:13 PM
I'm so sorry to hear this and understand completely where your coming from!

Your loss has been a real reminder of something, I for one, have taken for granted recently.:blush:

I'd be devastated if i'd lost those two items, as you say, they were precious but not only in the monetary value!

I can imagine how your feeling today, as you start to backtrack over the weekend's events and recount who was there and who it could have been :confused: all that trust you've built up in people over time, is suddenly in doubt!:(

I really hope they turn up but don't hold out much hope! Sorry Gadget! :( :hug:

Trouble
20th-November-2006, 03:19 PM
:flower: So sorry Gadget. :flower: Unfortunately, there are some gross and disgusting people out there does not matter when you are they can invade your life and leave you with a bad taste in your mouth.

i have had my handbag stolen from my workplace a few years back and the feeling of not knowing if it was a colleague or not (people you work with and trust to a point the same as your dance people) is worse than the actual loss sometimes.

I never take anything into ceroc and if i do its normally a camera. So easily picked up on in a hall as your flashing all over the place. I have it insured so if anything happens, hopefully it can be replaced.

Is your stuff not covered on your house insurance, might be worth checking hunny.

Sorry again and try not to let it get you down. xxx :hug:

Twirly
20th-November-2006, 03:26 PM
Gadget - so sorry to hear about this. Most people are lovely, warm human beings (dancers or not). There are just a few unfortunately who prove the exception to the rule. :hug:

Lynn
20th-November-2006, 03:27 PM
Is your stuff not covered on your house insurance, might be worth checking hunny.If you have personal possessions cover as well as contents, then those items should be covered. Though of course you can't replace the photographs.:(

Beowulf
20th-November-2006, 03:30 PM
I've had my I-pod and digital camera lifted from my bag. :tears:



Is your stuff not covered on your house insurance, might be worth checking hunny

It might be worth checking Mate, my home and contents covers items taken out of the house as well.


{BTW a brilliant weekend of dancing :D - :flower: to all those ladies who were subjected to my dancing.}

Oh don't worry about that.. My dancing (or lack thereof.. how many times CAN I do a yoyo per dance?) would have made you look all that more slick..:blush:

Andy McGregor
20th-November-2006, 03:32 PM
Like everyone else, I've only heard about items going missing because of interlopers. It's horrible when this happens and I really feel for you Gadget :flower:

But, to brighten up your day, I thought I'd recount a salutory story about one of my, non-dancing friends. This married couple had a break-in at their home where many items, including their video camera, were stolen. The problem was that this couple had made a home-made porno movie of themselves and it was still on the tape in the camera :what: For years afterwards they worried that their movie would appear on the internet or some "readers wives" type porno movie :eek:

Did they make another movie? I don't know :wink:

Lynn
20th-November-2006, 04:08 PM
It might be worth checking Mate, my home and contents covers items taken out of the house as well.Its usually an optional extra to get personal possessions cover for items you would normally carry round with you and camera and Ipod would both come under that category.

(I used to be a domestic property claims handler.)

TiggsTours
20th-November-2006, 04:09 PM
Like everyone else, I've only heard about items going missing because of interlopers. It's horrible when this happens and I really feel for you Gadget :flower:

But, to brighten up your day, I thought I'd recount a salutory story about one of my, non-dancing friends. This married couple had a break-in at their home where many items, including their video camera, were stolen. The problem was that this couple had made a home-made porno movie of themselves and it was still on the tape in the camera :what: For years afterwards they worried that their movie would appear on the internet or some "readers wives" type porno movie :eek:

Did they make another movie? I don't know :wink:

Reminds me of a dance weekender I went on where one of the teachers had his i-pod stolen from behind the DJ stand overnight. He said that whoever had stolen it would be in for a nasty shock, as it was full of hardcore gay porn! :rofl:

Seriously though, everyone at the weekender felt so bad about it (we're sure it must have been one of the new kitchen staff, as it was there at the end of the night, and not first thing in the morning) that there was a whip round to raise money towards replacing it.

SteveB
20th-November-2006, 05:03 PM
Really sorry to hear about that Gagdet. I sincerely hope that you get your belongings back.

At a wedding once with an ex, i had a digital camera stolen with all my Falkland Island photos on it from my four month tour there, someone thought that they could just help themselves. It never got returned even though i thought that someone may have picked it up by accident and then in the morning realise their mistake and mention it to one of their family and get it back. It wasn't as though every one has been to the Falklands so they couldn't mistake who i was. Never saw it again sadly.

Since then i have limited my belongings that i take to dancing also, my car keys stay in my pocket, so does my phone (sometimes receiving a comment or so :wink: but it's safer there) and the only other thing i carry in my hand is my dance shoes before i dance.

I hope that you get them back mate.

If not they want their hands cutting off and thrashing with the birch. (Sod political correctness.)

Take care mate.

SteveB

Gadget
21st-November-2006, 02:03 PM
:flower: thank you to all.
I would be more than shocked if it was one of 'the community' :hug: A day has passed and I'm a bit calmer about it, if no less distraught.

Nothing has been handed in as lost at either venue and there have been no other reports of theft... I can't really think on any opportunity where a stranger (well, non-dancer - I call that strange) would not have been noticed. :(

It's only possessions - just need to make some more memories to fill new ones up with.