Security at St. Louis

[CloakAndDagger]

Just a reminder to old teams, and a heads up to teams who did not attend worlds last year:

There were multiple break-ins and thefts at last years competition. The head robot inspector had his laptop stolen, and several teams had their driver stations stolen.

On top of that, a remember hearing about a team who's truck was stolen, along with their trailer and robot, as well as a vehicle with sleeping students inside being broken into.

We ourselves were not subject to any break-ins, but I did want to create this thread as a final reminder to get laptop-locks, and bring vehicles with keyless locks, as well as any other precautions that you deem fit.

To be clear, this isn't an attack of any kind towards other teams, or the people of St. Louis, but these events all occurred last year, and teams should keep this in mind while traveling not only to Worlds, but anywhere

[FrankJ]

St Louis is an urban area. Not really more or less dangerous than any other large city. At least you are not likely to get eaten by a bear or trampled by a moose.

[Trying to Help]

Everyone knows you can't get eaten by a bear! They just eat your food and maybe drink your beer.

And it is good for experienced attendees to remind others or just share their experiences with those of us newcomers.

Is there a thread on best place to park? Decent food nearby? How far it is from one place to the next? What's the best idea you could give someone who has never been to Champs?

Thank you!

[WSlbl]

Originally Posted by Trying to Help

Everyone knows you can't get eaten by a bear! They just eat your food and maybe drink your beer.

And it is good for experienced attendees to remind others or just share their experiences with those of us newcomers.

Is there a thread on best place to park? Decent food nearby? How far it is from one place to the next? What's the best idea you could give someone who has never been to Champs?

Thank you!

For eating, I can recommend two restaurants near the arena. They're next to each other. One is a pizza place (can't remember the name) and the other is a sandwich shop called Snarf's (highly recommended,good prices and service, also has cool sodas, ice cream). Both tend to have large lines so get there early or late. Some members of my team took shifts waiting and texted everyone when they were about to order. We also go food orders for drive and pit crew when the robot needed fixing.
There is also a starbucks and a few convenience stores nearby along with other lunch places that are more of a walk.
My suggestion is to bring some snacks for yourself/your team and some water for the day. If you're going to eat go in pairs or groups and do shifts for waiting in line. The food at the venue is pretty expensive but there are a few interesting kiosks that open for part of the day.

[ATannahill]

Originally Posted by WSlbl

For eating, I can recommend two restaurants near the arena. They're next to each other. One is a pizza place (can't remember the name) and the other is a sandwich shop called Snarf's (highly recommended,good prices and service, also has cool sodas, ice cream). Both tend to have large lines so get there early or late. Some members of my team took shifts waiting and texted everyone when they were about to order. We also go food orders for drive and pit crew when the robot needed fixing.
There is also a starbucks and a few convenience stores nearby along with other lunch places that are more of a walk.
My suggestion is to bring some snacks for yourself/your team and some water for the day. If you're going to eat go in pairs or groups and do shifts for waiting in line. The food at the venue is pretty expensive but there are a few interesting kiosks that open for part of the day.

I second the recommendation for Pi.

[Robomarfa]

Our school van was broken into at the public parking lot across from City Museum last year. Happens every day say the cops. Take care.

[PVCMike]

Thanks for this great reminder. Many teams are coming from rural or suburban areas where the typical sorts of urban crime are non-existent. With St. Louis definitely being above average in petty theft (and dangerous crimes) this is a good reminder that team's should be talking to their students about proper safety procedures and typical city-living practices like not leaving anything in your car, covered or not.

I would highly recommend teams, especially those from rural/suburban areas, hold a safety meeting to discuss these things. It may be unnecessary, but if it educates one member of your team and keeps them from losing something to theft, or saves them from a dangerous situation you've done something good. I'll be putting together out team's "Urban-Safety" briefing in the next few days and would be willing to share the bullet points here if anyone is interested.

[weberr]

The broke my drivers door lock by inserting a screw driver/crow bar below the lock handle piercing the sheet metal and then they tried to pop the lock up. Destroyed the door. Worst was my two teen age daughters were sleeping under blankets at the time and when they woke the bandits shot off. There was several supposedly security guards watching the parking lot. That was 2015. In 2013 one of the mentors was broken in the same way. So watch your door locks and look for a piercing below the handle! Even the police was disgusted with the security.

I almost didn't want to go this year but since I am not hauling a trailer for the team, I will park in a more secure spot.

As for writing it off as an urban area, poor security is poor security, whether you are in St Louis or Detroit or LA or New York.

[Sperkowsky]

Originally Posted by weberr

The broke my drivers door lock by inserting a screw driver/crow bar below the lock handle piercing the sheet metal and then they tried to pop the lock up. Destroyed the door. Worst was my two teen age daughters were sleeping under blankets at the time and when they woke the bandits shot off. There was several supposedly security guards watching the parking lot. That was 2015. In 2013 one of the mentors was broken in the same way. So watch your door locks and look for a piercing below the handle! Even the police was disgusted with the security.

I almost didn't want to go this year but since I am not hauling a trailer for the team, I will park in a more secure spot.

As for writing it off as an urban area, poor security is poor security, whether you are in St Louis or Detroit or LA or New York.

New York takes offense.

We are not even on the top 10 list of most dangerous major us cities. STL is number 4 with Detroit sitting at number 1. Oakland and Memphis are sitting between the 2. STL also has a claim to fame with the most murder cases per 100,000 residents of any major city in America.

In all seriousness guys just use proper precaution. Make sure to lock doors, keep expensive electronics in hotel rooms and park in secured parking lots. Use proper precaution while walking at night and make sure to never be alone especially if you are a female (Not being sexist you guys are just at a greater risk).

[GeeTwo]

There is an enormous parking area upriver* of the Jones Dome. There are four huge lots with absolutely no markings. They will fill up progressively over the first few days of CMP. I honestly don't know how I managed to back out of a dead-end I found that I had driven into and found a dead end last year; DO NOT DRIVE A TRAILER INTO AN AREA YOU DO NOT SEE HOW TO DRIVE THROUGH AND OUT OF.

3946 had no theft issues in the gravel lots in the big city in St. Louis, but we had our solar panels stolen about a week ago on our own school campus in the small town of Slidell. To quote Alastor Moody: Be Ever Vigilant!

*[Edit]: Probably just an echo of growing up in the New Orleans area; we understand upriver and downriver [especially refereneced to the Mississippi] as better directions than North, South, East, and West. OBTW, I grew up on the West Bank, and regularly drove across the river "west to east" at sunrise using both bridges with the sun at my back, and home to the west bank with the sun in front of me. (For the record, in New Orleans, the river runs largely west to east, but both bridges cross as the river runs from roughly south no north.)

Edit2: For the record, New Orleans is among the worst cities in North America, so perhaps my witness means less than it might otherwise. My only brother was among our region's abysmal 1993 statistics.

[Billfred]

And one piece of security going the other way: expect your bag to be checked when you go into the building. I've even had to unzip my carry-on suitcase, underwear and all, in the front entry of America's Center to get through.

[Trying to Help]

Are there prohibited items? Leatherman tools? Pocket knives of a certain size?

[CalTran]

Originally Posted by Trying to Help

Are there prohibited items? Leatherman tools? Pocket knives of a certain size?

Besides the usual Missouri State Laws, can't say in the 5 years of going to Champs I've ever been frisked while entering, though also can't say I've ever attempted to bring in a knife with a blade over 3".

[electroken]

Originally Posted by Trying to Help

Are there prohibited items? Leatherman tools? Pocket knives of a certain size?

I've carried my trusty Leatherman Skeletool in plain view at champs for the past 3 years and it's never been mentioned.

[BethMo]

Given that the place is full of power tools, forbidding a Leatherman would be remarkably silly.