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Fursuit security when traveling in Cars Panel Idea.
8 years ago
General
Ok, This got me thinking now after this weeks mess that happened to a local friend & fellow fursuiter.
Since the recent sad loss of Clumzy Lion's fursuit head & tail
Clumzy which was stolen by some street scum thief in San Francisco this past week, and other's who have had their suits or luggage stolen from cars, ( as did Zarafa Giraffe did with is in nearly the same way)
I am thinking of putting together a discussion & info panel of helping to make sure your treasured fursuit is safe when left in a car during traveling. I have gathered some very valuable info and techniques to help fursuiters keep their suits more secure when having to park in unknown areas.
Some of these topics would include low-cost portable alarms, locking your suit bin or duffle in the trunk, making your suit less visible to thieves, many ways to disable or "hide" the electric push-button trunk openers, ( also disengaging older mechanical trunk openers so they can only open with a key) other theft deterrents, the list goes on.
sometimes a little knowledge and even cheap low-cost security items can save your most prized & expensive possession that is a part of who we all are, our fursuits.
I feel its worth spending 40 or 50 bucks and some time to make sure our 4000 or 5000 dollar fursuit is safer from the increasing problem of low-life street scum stealing them, ( or the bins & duffles they are in because they are looking ot grab things to sell for drug money or what ever) but sadly like Zarafa's suit when they discover what they have stolen is not sell-able to them, your beloved & expensive investment & fursona ends up in some dumpster in a dark alley.. or in some ditch where we will never see them again.
- I will be working on the panel idea over time, and may try to get it put together to maybe host it at MidWestFurfest this year. If some things can be learned to help save even just one fursuit from a theft attempt, then its worth it.
Some topics that would apply here:
- Methods of locking your fursuit bin or duffle, AND locking the bin or duffle to a frame part on any car trunk. (most cars have places to use & secure cable locks)
- low-cost, battery powered alarm ideas for cars without alarms, or even alarms in your fursuit bin or duffle.
- simple methods how to disable both electronic & mechanical trunks of cars, (so they can be only opened by the key)
- practical theft deterrents.
- hiding & making your fursuit bin or duffle less attractive to thiefs.
- "out of sight & out of mind" methods.
- others to be discussed.
Since the recent sad loss of Clumzy Lion's fursuit head & tail
Clumzy which was stolen by some street scum thief in San Francisco this past week, and other's who have had their suits or luggage stolen from cars, ( as did Zarafa Giraffe did with is in nearly the same way) I am thinking of putting together a discussion & info panel of helping to make sure your treasured fursuit is safe when left in a car during traveling. I have gathered some very valuable info and techniques to help fursuiters keep their suits more secure when having to park in unknown areas.
Some of these topics would include low-cost portable alarms, locking your suit bin or duffle in the trunk, making your suit less visible to thieves, many ways to disable or "hide" the electric push-button trunk openers, ( also disengaging older mechanical trunk openers so they can only open with a key) other theft deterrents, the list goes on.
sometimes a little knowledge and even cheap low-cost security items can save your most prized & expensive possession that is a part of who we all are, our fursuits.
I feel its worth spending 40 or 50 bucks and some time to make sure our 4000 or 5000 dollar fursuit is safer from the increasing problem of low-life street scum stealing them, ( or the bins & duffles they are in because they are looking ot grab things to sell for drug money or what ever) but sadly like Zarafa's suit when they discover what they have stolen is not sell-able to them, your beloved & expensive investment & fursona ends up in some dumpster in a dark alley.. or in some ditch where we will never see them again.
- I will be working on the panel idea over time, and may try to get it put together to maybe host it at MidWestFurfest this year. If some things can be learned to help save even just one fursuit from a theft attempt, then its worth it.
Some topics that would apply here:
- Methods of locking your fursuit bin or duffle, AND locking the bin or duffle to a frame part on any car trunk. (most cars have places to use & secure cable locks)
- low-cost, battery powered alarm ideas for cars without alarms, or even alarms in your fursuit bin or duffle.
- simple methods how to disable both electronic & mechanical trunks of cars, (so they can be only opened by the key)
- practical theft deterrents.
- hiding & making your fursuit bin or duffle less attractive to thiefs.
- "out of sight & out of mind" methods.
- others to be discussed.
an incospicious bin may be a target for crack heads etc but an exposed head is also equally a target for punk kids looking for petty thrills.
Some vulnerable times would be arriving and departing a hotel. For a convention, you have a lot of people with bags either waiting for rooms or waiting for rides who are distracted by meeting each other. Would be fairly easy to disappear into a crowd with a bin or bag.
Also baggage claims at airports are popular. And waiting rooms at bus terminals are another opportunity.
Locks are mainly to prevent people stealing things inside the bags. Alarms and chains sound like good ideas too.
I'll keep the most important things on me. Such as a passport, credit card, money and plane/bus tickets. At least if I do lose everything else, I can buy new stuff.
And I'll try to always have control of bags. Watching them, or at least having my arm or leg through a strap especially if I'm on a bus or in a waiting room.
How to deal with travel insurance might be a topic as well. In the unfortunate event things do get stolen, knowing how to be compensated for it would be good.
You could probably even expand the panel to cover all topics related to safe and secure travel--could be a number of people where they're travelling on their own for the first time and haven't thought of a lot of things.
I usually take stuff out or conceal so people can't see it. Another good idea is something like a Track R Bravo, throw it in your toat etc, basically like a little tracking chip so if things do go missing you can track it via your iPhone or Android and there not too expensive, considering the value of your suit.
Definitely need to invest in TSA type locks etc, I was thinking a pelican case would even be a good idea for suit carrying.
1) Don't leave it in your car.
Out of line of sight at some times.
Could always chain the container its in to the car. If they destroy the case trying to get into it they might just see that it's of no resale value.
My secrets is with totes making them uninviting. I slash them with my knifes to look beat up less appealing less likely to be stolen. Also lock you cars at all times and double check that it is locked. If it is locked it means it is harder to break in and draws more attention if it is tried to be broken into.
Now I know these new cars have a weak security system, As my jeep you have to unlock the driver side door anything unlocked or hit before that is unlocked sets off the alarm. Also if you do unlock the driver side door if you do not lock it again and unlock it. the alarm will not sound but as soon as you start it. the alarm goes off and all the doors lock. This was a standard feature that came with it. and wished all cars still had that.
Finally add a tracking system to all your bags that connects with your phone. If something is stolen having the tracker on it can help it be found quicker. Now yes it can be found and thrown out but its not the first thing these people look for. Especially since most I have seen are no bigger than a dime. It might cost a bit but it helps in the relocating it. Might even suggest having it sewn into your suits so as to be able to recover it where ever it ends up and lessen the worry. Just a few ideas of what I have seen and gone through to solve this problem of having stuff stolen
Toss one of those in the head and no-one's going to know it's there... Unless you are using it to track your suiters :D (not the same as suitors though)
One idea would be a very strong and durable tote that's padlocked, and also chained around the seat frame where it bolts to the floor of the car.