You could rig your locker where a bag or bucket of dye would fall on an unsuspecting punk. That's what I would do. Punks who steal deserve to be marked as such. bartgarst@cox.net wrote: >If you think using a keyed padlock will be safer, guess again. >Lock-pickers learn their craft on padlocks. > >Bart > >On Mon, 2003-08-18 at 11:12, Ed Skinner wrote: > > >> I know of at least one other reader of this list that goes to the same >>gym (Bally's at Cave Creek and Cactus), hence this posting. >> Two credit cards were stolen from my wallet in my padlocked locker at the >>above gym on Saturday the 16th. The locker was padlocked before and after the >>theft and was not detected by me at the time. The theives (I'm assuming there >>was more than one person -- probably a "lookout" in addition to the "lock >>pick" individual) used the two credit cards to chart $269.23 at Sports >>Authority, $1900.00 (odd) at Best Buy, and another $1600.00 (odd) at Best Buy >>(dunno if it was the same store or not), and finally $416.00 at Sapporo >>Japanese Restaurant in Scottsdale (to celebrate, no doubt). These charges >>were all completed that same evening. >> Sunday morning (the 17th), the fraud department of one of the credit card >>companies telephoned us. (This was when we discovered that the cards were >>missing.) The fraud department reviewed the recent charges and we identified >>which ones were fraudulent. (If I'm not mistaken, because we did not know the >>cards had been stolen, we will not be liable for any charges, not even the >>token $50 amount. Anyone know how this works?) I then checked my wallet and >>determined that another card was missing, called that company and, sure >>enough, it was also being used fraudulently. (Half of the above charges were >>on each of the two cards.) >> Here's what I'm guessing happened. >> My wife and I arrived at the gym at about 5:00PM on Saturday evening. >>(Married folks "have no life" on Saturday night.) I change clothes and lock >>(Masterlock combination lock -- I've since learned this is a really bad >>choice because they are so common, and pick-able) my wallet and street >>clothes. I am probably observed by one of the thieves who waits until I leave >>the locker room. >> Probably posting a lookout, or just proceeding on guts (as the gym >>doesn't have a lot of people in it), the thief picks the lock and examines my >>wallet. He leaves the ATM card and, of the stack of three credit cards, >>leaves the topmost one. He also leaves the small amount of cash I have. He >>takes only the two credit cards that are underneath another. Presumably this >>strategy is so I won't notice the theft. (And it works as planned.) He >>relocks my locker and vacates the area. They leave the gym and use the credit >>cards to buy stuff at stores that don't do a very good signature check. >>(Someone suggested writing "ASK FOR ID" in the signature area of the card >>instead of my signature -- would that help?) Finally, they ended the evening >>with lots of celebratory drinks and several rounds of sushi. >> Googling for "How to pick masterlock combination lock" turns up lots of >>hits. Although I was unable to open my own lock using the techniques listed, >>I figure it may just be a matter of practice. >> We're going to change our habits. >>1) When going to the gym, take only driver's license, gym membership card, and >>car ignition key. All other non-clothing items stay at home. >>2) At the gym, keep these three items on my person while working out, in the >>shower and the steam room. (I'm thinking some sort of bungie-cord wrist band >>and sealable plastic bag for the shower, and that in my pocket while working >>out.) >>3) Use a better (keyed) lock on the locker, regardless (and carry the key >>while working out, etc.). [Brand/model suggestions?] >> We're *not* locking things in the car because I don't want to tempt a >>thief to smash my windows. We'll park in a "highly visible" location (and not >>under a shade tree -- bummer!). >> >>-- >>Ed Skinner, ed@flat5.net, http://www.flat5.net/ >> >>--------------------------------------------------- >>PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us >>To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change you mail settings: >>http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss >> >> > > >--------------------------------------------------- >PLUG-discuss mailing list - PLUG-discuss@lists.plug.phoenix.az.us >To subscribe, unsubscribe, or to change you mail settings: >http://lists.PLUG.phoenix.az.us/mailman/listinfo/plug-discuss > >