A question to Lego Events veterans about Theft

[SheepEater]

I know it must probably be pretty rare, but when people steal from your layout when you weren't paying attention, by kids or adults, what kind of parts tend to be missing? minifigs I presume? What else?

[SheepEater]

Mods can you please move this to the General forum? Thanks

[tedbeard]

I have never had a problem with theft from displays. Not even when we were doing a public show for hundreds of kids without any sort of barrier to the tables - just some small "DO NOT TOUCH" signs and a couple of LUG members keeping an eye on things.

I did however have a bag of minifigs and accessories (including uncommon BrickArms) stolen from me at BrickCon 2011 during the tear-down when, theoretically, it was only AFOLs in the hall. That was the sixth BrickCon I attended and I was rather upset for quite a while thinking that I had been robbed by an AFOL. Looking back there may still have been some non-AFOLs lingering in the hall (it is pretty chaotic when the public hours end on Sunday) so it may not have been conventions attendees but it still ticks me off.

[Bonaparte]

Once on a BeLUG event a Santa Fee train was stolen from a display

Mods can you please move this to the General forum? Thanks

The event forum is a good place for this topic I believe.

[Darkdragon]

At Brickworld 2012, I had a bag of small tan plates (studs, corners, etc) taken from behind my display. Also we lost some minifigures from the Guilds of Historica display.

[Si-MOCs]

I've been pretty lucky and haven't had anything substantial disappear. I am by no means a convention veteran, but I was given some sound advice: don't put pricey things within reach - and don't display things that you can't replace...

Ironically, I have stolen more than I have lost/stolen from me. I have an awesome Ley satellite that he left on my space station, and at brickworld I stole darkdragon's trans clear panels cause she forgot to ask them back

So you're more likely to accidentally packup someone else's stuff than out right being stolen - as long as there's someone hanging about. That usually helps stop thefts. I should know - I've been trying to steal Ricey's Firetrucks for a year now- and I've been caught every time

[RaincloudDustbin]

Theft doesn't belong in the LEGO hobby. Unless you're Si-MOCS.

[Tazmaniac]

I've only done a few exhibitions, but I've never lost anything....that I noticed.

Parents are usually pretty good at telling their kids to not touch, and I've even seen a minifig returned by parent with the "this was on the floor" story, but with a guilty looking rug rat in toe.

And Si's dodgy activities don't surprise me at all....I knew he was shifty.