Upper Deck Entertainment Forums

The theift at the hobby league I run has slowly gone down as people are getting to know each other. But it helps that I constanly tell people to watch their cards and don't leave them lying about.

The main problem is theift from the store where the events are held. We keep finding empty packages of boosters and now we're getting starters as well. (But we can't be sure they are stolen, but the remains are hidden under and behind things, which suggests they are) To help with this problem I set up a display next to the tills and placed the easy to take things on the top. So you can see when people pick them up and if they buy them or not.

We don't have the space behind the tills to keep them there. So being next to our tills is the closed we can do.

As for my own personal experiance, I have never had anything stolen from me (That I'm aware of) just because I'm always carful and very protective.

 

But thanks for all the good tips, I can give them out to alot of the younger players that attend.

---

Tournament Organizer: Level 1
Player Management: Level 1

I run the Hobby League at Borders Birmingham, UK.

I get all my cards from packs and trading not the internet!
Never underestimate the power of a carefully calculated ass-kicking!

Have you tried keeping the boosters etc... in show cases, or somthing that is not self-serve. Where you need to hand it to the person after the purchase that is what we do at the store I work at and many other stores I know of, and they never have any product stolen that is behind glass.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Garren

---

LvL 1 Yugioh Rules
LvL 1 Player Management
I work at Walts Cards in Dundalk, Maryland

I think those are very good point 2 things i suggest myself are.

1. Always keep your stuff in a back pack/large carrying case

2. Take the strap/handle of the carrier and wrap it around the chair leg of which your sitting in

I find these very good anti theiving tricks. If you want you can go further by putting a small 2$ lock on your backpacks/carrying cases zippers.

---

You know what hides in the darkness however you dont know what there hiding from.

Level 1 Yugioh Rules
Level 1 Player Management

1757357:

I used to be a really avid player, though I have been judging regionals and locals alot now adays I have lots of ways to prevent theft.

From a judges (any tournmanet official) stand point a few ways to prevent theft are as follows:

1. Announce at the players meeting that there are many people here to not only play but steal your cards or whatever have you ( down to your trash bags).

2. Have the TO put someone on staff that does not play tcgs to just "watch" the event area for theft and suspicious people. (even better if you actually have security at the venue)

3. Ask players to keep their hoods of their hoodies down. (though they are not forced to comply if you tell them why they will usually understand and do it out of courtesy)

4. Impliment name tags or wrist bands to see who the non-players are so you can keep an eye on them.

That is about the max that a tournament venue can do to prevent theft, the rest is up to the players.

Now for the players, your list is alot longer:

1. Keep bookbags secure at all times.
- Dont hang them on backs of chairs.
- Dont carry them with one strap.
- Make sure they are zipped ( some players go as far as pad locks).
- Dont set them next to you.
- Keep them between your legs or wrapped in the chair legs.
- Some players...even myself keep book bags with the straps on their
   back and the part of the bag that holds stuff infront of them.

2. Dont let it on that you have lots of really expensive cards, that attracts the wrong kings of people to you. (I personally know/know of people this has happened to).

3. Bring as little as you need to to the event, unless you leave the "unecessary" stuff in your car etc.

4. Travel in groups, not by yourselves. Even if it is only two people opposed to one. This counts to and from the event and during the event.

5. When you go out to your car to leave at the end of the night if you dont feel safe in the area ask to be escorted to your car by some of the staff.

6. Keep an eye on "suspicious" people yourself.

7. Report any suspicious activities to the tournament staff (preferably the head judge or the TO, maybe even security if available).

Hope this helps,

Garren

 

Edit: Feel free to respond to this post!!!

 When I come up with more fun tricks to combat thieves I will edit my origional post to include them. Make sure you keep an eye out!!!

 

New Additions:

1. I am sure that every area has their known problem people. I suggest keeping a list of them and only distributing it throughout the judge staff, security, TO, and especially the head judge. In addition to this at the start of round 1 or round 2 (during the player meeting is the best time if possible) you need to have 1-2 people dedicated to finding out what these people look like (depending on the ammount of "Watch List" people you need to find) so that you can know what they look like. I did this at the last regional I head judged and it worked out really well as it allowed us to always be "around" the people on the list while not busy with judge calls etc. Which helps greatly to deter problems.

LOL!
If only i had seen this before my entire yugioh collection was STOLEN, at a sneak peek. One second im dueling and the next im frantically looking for the my cards only to find them an hour later in the mens restroom. People some advice if your stuff gets stolen alert security right away then look in the bathrooms thats almost always where they will take your stuff.  Hope that little piece of advice helps :P

I'm a nice guy, but theft of cards at events is unacceptable to me. My sister says I'm full of hidden anger, and sometimes I think I am. If my stuff were to get stolen, I'd look like the Green Baboon. "Ontario, use YGO rage now!"

---

Level 1 Judge
Level 1 T.O.
Level 1 Player Management

I agree with everyone who has so far said to trade with one person at a time. I personally go one further and not allow people to take things out of my binder that they want. I have my binder organized in such a way that if someone wanted something, all they would have to do is remember what rarity and what edition and I would easily be able to find it. I also use a binder with several zipper and velcro closure pockets inside the binder where I can put cards I have received through a trade so as to keep those cards from going missing (as I would not be able to incorporate them into my collection until after the event). This has enabled me to keep every card I own secured in the binder. When I am not trading, my binder goes back into my book bag, which is then locked with a TSA approved luggage lock. This measure has prevented me from losing things out of my bag, not just cards but also any supplies I may have with me (laptop and ebook reader for quick rulings and card errata research, game mat, dice, etc...). I also have been considering using a lockbox to hold my deck and and other supplies I use in a match, as even if a thief were to make off with my lockbox, they would have a hard time getting to my valuables.

842510:

If I lived in a state where I could carry a sword on my body, I would willingly get swordsmanship lessons so that I could carry one at all times, and if someone even looked like he was going to steal my stuff, woops, off goes his hand.

Little extreme, dont you think?

also keep a designated era at regys with extras tables ans etc... for ur stuf fliek lets say a group goes up with a parent hif parent dosnt play have them sit at a table or near buy and keep the bags with them !

 

this is what we do with one of our friends !

 

 

---

YGO LV 1 Judge

Jack " Fat Jacka " Henderson

I know most of the places I play at have secuity cameras. Now I know that these dont always catch the criminals, but they are good tools to have. I actually have a few wireless ones myself that i can set up at locations that I might host a tournament and they will feed right into my laptop and I record the footage onto a portable hdd. Nowadays these cameras are relatively cheaper, so having these as backup is a good idea if you run larger tournaments at a site that isnt where you normally do.

---

ruuku.sama@gmail.com

That is not a bad idea i might have to look into some of those cameras if they are as cheap as you say they are.

 

Theft prevention tip update!!!

One thing that another judge and myself found useful was. Keeping a judge stationed at the main exit during the middle - end of the second to the last round and during the entire last round, that really deters muggings in the parking lot, snatch and runs etc.. (This is mainly for larger scale events *Regionals, SJCS*). During the second to last and the last rounds of a big event such as regionals, is where alot of theft happens. Due to the fact that there are alot of people leaving at that time, and that everyone is tired.

For example:

If there are 7 rounds in the tournament you station a judge at the door starting at the middle - end of the 6th round. All the way through untill the end of the 7th round.

 

Hope this one helps.

 

Garren LaFond

---

LvL 1 Yugioh Rules
LvL 1 Player Management
I work at Walts Cards in Dundalk, Maryland