Security at regionals.

[Jeff Waegelin]

I second the motion to lock. This was a good idea, but I forsee this getting more out of hand than it already is.

[EddieMcD]

What's wrong with a little spirited debate? It hasn't gotten that out of hand.

Oh, and our crate opens up into a workbench. We keep it in our pit.

[E. The Kidd]

Once people start to come up with ideas to stop thieves in the pits someone has to ruin it by saying something that's not necessary. So fine forget it

lock the thread

[nick reynolds]

Great post David and I agree with you 100%. We are easy pickings for some oppertunists who will take advantage of our excitement and lax attitude.
In reply to what every one might think I NEVER said that "EVERY ONE" who visits is a thief. Our team didnt loose a laptop or any other equipment other than a Trunk full of tools, That includes the Steel Trunk that they took too.
The Trunk needed a dolly to move it as it was so heavy and it wasnt in our pit it was between the pit area and the auditorium about 10' from the F.I.R.S.T. booth.
As for you DAN you must be from another planet, You said......"you portray visitors as criminals, thieves waiting for you to step away so that they can take your precious tools and laptops. That is something that visitors are definitely not"............ "WHOA" are you for real, what do you think they do ask permission to take people stuff.
If you dont believe that a Visitor takes things at F.I.R.S.T. regionals then you are concluding that it must be Team or Teams that steal, and that I dont believe for a second, unless you know some thing your not telling.
Next time you try to get on an airplane, you remember to tell the security people that your only a visitor and there for searching you and your belongings is not neccesary. Try singing it im sure they will let you walk straight on board, Your naivety and trusting ways will get you far. By the way DAN there is NO Santaclaus but the TOOTH FAIRY is Real.

[Ed Sparks]

The only think that gripes me about this thread is the constant pleas to "Lock the Thread".

It seems to me that this is a valid subject and if you don't agree with the subject material, exercise your right as a member of a free society and don't read the thread. As long as a thread doesn't violate any posting policies, it should remain intact. It seems Brandon has made the call already.

My 2 cents


It will be nice when the season starts and all we have time for is asking questions and helping each other ........

Ed steps from the soapbox .....

[Matt Attallah]

Team 5's crate doubled as our "work-bench" too! We just lifted the top box, made of aluminum, and there was the robot. 2 years ago, it just fit in there perfectly, with 2 straps. Last year, we had to get our robot in there a little diaginal with, I think, 4 straps to help hold it down. The bottom box was made out of aluminum w/ go-cart wheels, so when we raced down to the playing field from doing our last modifications in the pit, and we had 2 doors, pad-locked. We could fit ALL our tools, labtops, personal items (clothes, food, cameras, etc...) so we didn't have anything stoled. If u are near our pit, and u need to store something, just ask us!! (Well, at-least me...)

The picture was taken when we won the Motrola Quality Award, Sarah, our 2nd in charge driver, is holding it in front. I am the dork behind the robot, in-between the arms...

[Summmergrl2298]

Last year at nationals my team's advisor had his laptop stolen during the final ceremonies. No sooner did we notice that, when a few teams started to come by our pit area and tell us that they too had laptops and video camera's stolen. Nothing was ever found, because of the point stated many times already: how to distinguish a theif from a FIRST person? There's NO way to do it! People all look the same. Now unless they came in with guns and ski masks then nobody could tell the difference. Obviously people should follow Carolines rule of thumb and NOT leave their stuff all over the place, but I do think that since the national competition and all the regionals are such big events, and require a lot of technical equipment, that there should be some form of security. I dont know how they could go about doing this, but even after 9-11, what security measures are being taken?

[smokescreen]

Good advise to new teams and a good reminder to us vets.

Watch your stuff.
If a team around you isn't there, watch their stuff.
If something is stolen, the day is that much dimmer, but the day goes on.

I think it'd be great to mount one of those 3 in 1 machines to a crate so we could have a little milling machine/ lathe/ drill press in the pits.

-smokescreen (who hopes not to be emotionally referred to in following posts)

[Summmergrl2298]

yea, from previous experiences, i second that...btw, i was reading the manual today, and it specifically states to not leave valuable stuff around. i think a lot of people just assume everybody at FIRST is honest, when in reality, u can't trust anybody. so watch ur stuff guys, and dont leave it sitting on the tables

[s_alaniz]

Hey all, I've been reading this thread with quite a bit of interest. I'm one of the regional directors for the Lone Star Regional so I can understand the problem there is with the issue of theft.
What can I tell you? We are very concerned with the idea that cameras, tools, equipment and laptops sprout legs and walk off with someone they don't belong to and believe me, F.I.R.S.T. takes it all very seriously. (Plus it's embarassing to have things stolen at "my" regional event, that makes it very personal.)
As part of our deterrent process we have security personnel and we have rules that are meant to protect the pit area. Logistics prevent us from leaving crates in the pits, but crates can act as a screen for someone to lift an item unseen.
Yes we could limit access to the pits, but in the end, we can't strip search everyone who enters or leave and short of that we could never be 100% sure nothing will get misplaced.
I think many of the suggestions that were made are good and help with the overall problem. I would add, MARK your stuff clearly. It makes it less attractive and easier to spot. Help us by watching out for each other and don't leave computers, cameras, tools or $20 bills where some misguided soul might be tempted.
ALSO please follow the local regional's rules (with smiles please). Some of them are inconvinient but they are part of the security procedures. I won't tell EVERYTHING we do for security or why for obvious reasons, but we spend a lot of money on security that I wish we could spend on the regional events.
Just wanted to let you all know, that we WILL do everything practical to prevent theft, but you all need to watch out for yourselves as well.

Thanks! Off my soapbox now...



Steve Alaniz



"Forget it... I already feel like my life is a comic strip" - Sally Forth

[Sean_330]

I think the best way to avoid the problem of getting all your valueable stuff stolen is prevention. Keep it locked up. While some regionals do have good security (The LA regional, for instance had several LAPD officers there at all times walking through the pits and numerous rent-a-cops as well, and the Silicoln Valley regional had CSU San Jose Police at it at all times) However, security and the police, no matter how numerous and hard working they are can not be everywhere at once. While one would like to think that everyone at a FIRST competetion is an honest, law-abiding person, the truth is they are not.

I would encourage every team to keep a student in their pit at all times. Not only will this increase security, but it will increase awareness of your team when people stop by to look at your bot. It may even help you win an award if the judges stop by for a surprise visit.

Everyone should slso lock up their valueables when they go or simply take them with you. Simply locking one of the red or green crates with a tie wrap may be enough to keep your stuff from being stolen because it is not in plain view and theves like stuff that does not require any work to get too.

Because we are all in this together, i would hope all teams could also help by keeping an eye on their neighbor's pits. Sort of like a "neighborhood watch" program. This way if someone steals somehtign at least there is a witness. And if you do see anythign, call a FIRST official or police/security officer over to investigate.

While we can not stop theft, we can all do our part to reduce it by keeping our stuff safe and looking out for our neighbor.

[Tom Fennell]

I would tend to agree with Nick R...Have faith, folks. With a little teamwork we can all watch out for eachother, And when the atmosphere in the pits is that of 'Neighborhood (sp?) watch', I think that's all the discouragment a would-be laptop thief would need

[Curtis Williams]

During the 2001 nationals award ceremony, I left my backpack at the pit area. It was stolen along with the laptop in it. (Stupid on my part.)

I think that closing off the pit area is NOT a reasonable solution.

I think FIRST should give us a more specific size of our pit area so that we can keep our shipping crate w/lock OR bring our own large locking toolbox. The only info on pit sizes/restrictions that I have seen have been indecisive and vauge.

I think that keeping your crate or having a large locking box would be the best solution. It would not be very fun to have to stand guard over my team's equipment during the award ceremony outside.

Teams, it would also be a good idea to ask your neighboring teams to watch your pit area if it is ever unattended.

[Doogan]

I'm sorry, in a way, to post to this thread after so many days of peaceful inactivity. Unfortunately, although many pieces of good advice were repeated many times to ensure agreement, a couple key issues were left unaddressed:

1. Nick's theft of $1000 involved a large, heavy, locked crate, much more secure than a kit crate tied by a ziptie. If that was not safe, how can we rest with the main piece of advice being, "Lock things in big boxes or crates when you aren't with them?"

2. Nick's theft also occurred during the awards ceremony. It has been commonly and wisely suggested that someone be with your stuff at all times. This, in its manner, solves #1. However, I don't think anyone is seriously suggesting that every team leave a member in the pits during the award ceremony. If so, no one has expressed it so clearly, and someone did say that this would be a bad thing. I think the answer to Nick's problem, as best as I can perceive it, is to have locked things under team guard as much as possible, but to essentially close the pits during the award ceremony. What need is there for visitors to go there then? If a team needs something from it, they can send someone who has an SME card.

This is just off the top of my head. What do other people think?

[Joe Pernick]

All I can say is.....it must have been a rough six weeks and everyones getting a little punchy and venting.

$.02