Losing something important is one thing, but having it stolen is a lot worse and possibly scary. Festivals can be a hotbed for pickpocketing, and a lot of people at Coachella this year left thinking that they lost their stuff when it was stolen quicker than they could blink. Sadly, the only resource that currently warns about these things right now is just a Reddit thread that also details best practices for avoiding any trouble at next weekend and at festivals in general:
- Be careful in very cramped areas / the side entrances to Sahara when the big performers go on get very packed with a lot of people going in and out / Also at the waiting area for the yellow line to get on the shuttles at the end of the night (I saw like four or five of them there at the end of day three) / the silent disco place is another one / the outside stages at night because it’s such a big area and it’s so dark it’s easy for them. Pretty much if you’re in a crowded area be careful. (/u/atraxlife)
- Report it. “The only way they’re going to take this seriously enough if they have actual reports from actual victims. Even if nothing’s going to help you get your stuff, it’s important that GV knows that there’s been a significant upswing in crimes targeting the crowd.” (/u/Pretty_Good_At_IRL)
- Be wary of “security” that have wandered too far into the crowd, especially if they’re wearing a bandana obscuring their face. “I was watching the Sahara live stream last night. I think it was during either Thomas Jack or Baauer but there was someone who looked like security standing towards the front of the crowd. Looked like he had the event pro staff shirt on. He had bandana over his face. I kept wondering why security would be standing that far into the crowd, I’ve never seen that a festival before. Now wondering if this could have been one of the pick pocketers you described?” (/u/slicecrispy)
- Fanny packs are not always 100% safe. Neither are camelbaks.
We’re sure there’s no reason why festival organizers would ignore this issue, but it would be nice to see a little bit of material (be it a video or article) from a promoter that helps bring a little more awareness to the issue. The police don’t seem to have an issue talking about Molly and it’s dangers, so why not some pamphlets on the danger of having a 5.5 inch smartphone in an unzipped backpack (or worse, hanging out of your side pocket) while getting through a crowded area?
Check out the full thread here.
Leave a Reply