ROBBERY

[M Buck]

Had a first yesterday in 34 years of officiating and I only post it here to warn others of this danger in hopes that others do not suffer the same demise. I drove my truck to the Middle School for two seventh grade games. After the game I went home and prepared for the Varsity game, did some laundry, took a nap, etc. Just before jumping in the shower a person appeared at my door and handed my wife my wallet (minus the $207) that they had found in a garbage can at the Middle school. Somebody had broken into my truck and located my wallet.

My question of you is do you carry your wallet with you when officiating games? (Nobody that I know does). If you leave it in your vehicle have your vehicle every been broken into? I have the sneaky opinion that somebody was waiting in the parking lot for official(s) to work the games knowing(?) that wallets would be left in vehicles and that the officials would be too busy to return to their vehicles should the alarm sound off. I'm not sure what I could have done to prevent this from happening but I would not have wanted to be the person(s) that decided to do this if I had caught them in the act.

[AlUpstateNY]

Point well taken, thanks for the heads up based on your unfortunate experience.

[TxSkyBolt]

If you have the chance, take your D/L, a few bucks and maybe a credit card and leave the rest at home.

[M Buck]

I will now....why didn't anybody say that during the last 34 years?

[Magician]

I will now....why didn't anybody say that during the last 34 years?

Because what happened to you is very rare.  I would rather lock my stuff in the car than leave it in the locker room.  At least I have some control over when it it locked.

[Roscoe]

I lock my wallet in my glove box hidden in the back. I keep my car clean so there is nothing visible when you look in my windows

[TXMike]

Dude lives in S Texas and thinks he is safe!  C'mon Man!!!   

[M Buck]

Only two times I've ever called the Cops in 37 yrs down here was for my wife's stolen car from her parking space at a school district office and my stolen wallet from a Middle School parking lot. Notice any pattern here? The common factor...schools. Lesson learned...don't take wallet to a game even if you leave it in your vehicle. Purchsed a Magellan shirt today with a plastic license holder in the pocket. this holder will now go with me to each game in my pants. Seriously, I felt like calling the FBI. Violated big time!!!

[Welpe]

Sorry to hear about that.

For the future, one of these under your seat and cable locked to the seat frame will prevent a quick smash and grab.

http://www.amazon.com/Stack-On-Portable-Case-Combination-Black/dp/B0058DHXBS/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1378996099&sr=8-5&keywords=nanovault

[Etref]

Sorry to hear about that.

For the future, one of these under your seat and cable locked to the seat frame will prevent a quick smash and grab.

http://www.amazon.com/Stack-On-Portable-Case-Combination-Black/dp/B0058DHXBS/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1378996099&sr=8-5&keywords=nanovault

Jeff Foxworthy: Of course, she's not much better. You know what she bought me for Christmas this year? A *portable* safe!



Jeff Foxworthy: [like a product advertisement] "To save thieves the hassle of gathering up your belongings, it's the portable safe! With an easy tote handle so they can take it back to the thieves' den and figure out the combination at their leisure. The portable safe, by RonCo."

 

[Ralph Damren]

My spiffy new pole cat britches have a buttoned flap over a back pocket and I carry a small waterpooof LL Bean wallet onto the field with me. Some of the schools still pay at gamesite, and it gives me a place to put their check. I limit the items in it to : (1) driver's licence & proof of ins. card; (2) silver dollar for coin toss; (3) Medicare -I'm 67- and supp. ins. card. I want to make it easy if I should tip over on the field ; (4) a few crumpled up dollars in case umpire needs for the trip home. Word to the wise... if your wife/girlfriend/whatever was to buy you vanity plates  with "ref", "ump" or anything identifying you as an official as a gift, politely decline and request a wild tie or something theresuch. Don't leave anything hanging in your car or it it's back window that could identify you as an official. That will attract three types of people : (1) guys who hate officials; (2) guys who know where you are during the game and want to rob you; (3) guys who are both #1 & #2. Those are my thoughts for today, now it's time for some lobster chowder !

[M Buck]

Thanks for the comments. I check my Magellen fishing shirts and I actually came up with 4 waterproof pouches which will work just fine. On the way to a field now and we are currently tracking a tropical depression. Got my DL and $5. Have a GREAT night all.

[JasonTX]

I don't believe in car alarms.  I have an easy solution.  Diamond Back Rattlesnakes.  For some unknown reason these things like to curl up in the floor boards and wait until startled.  Better than any car alarm.  Something about that distinct sound they put off that scares off most any would-be thief.  They are normally owner friendly.

If you don't like that idea, try putting your wallet in a less likely looked location like crammed under the seat but up into the cushion.  You'll have to plant in there before leaving your house.  I guess we have it pretty good up here as all of our fields have parking to where our vehicle is highly visible, typically right next to the field so there are lots of eyes on it.

[RD88]

   I use a small wallet insert for games (it's that extra segment that comes with new wallets).  It's small enough that it fits comfortably into the back button pocket of my game pants or shorts.  In it I carry my flipping coin, license or TASO ID (depends if I'm driving) plus small amount of cash.  My wallet stays home protected by my wife and my 12-year old Lab.  That's all I take to games.  Years ago, I had $10 stolen from my bag from a "locked" locker room during a Varsity game.

[Jim D.]

For most games we dress in a locker room.  I bring along a small combination lock and we find one of the empty lockers and put all our stuff into it and lock it.  I put a tee shirt or towel on top of it to hide the stuff.  It looks just like any other locker with misc. clothes in it.

If there is no lockers, then I carry my wallet in my pocket on the field.