ROBBED ON THE HIGHWAY! Lots of Accessories Missing

[simon69]

So we were on the highway driving into Gerlach on Sunday night at the beginning, when I think a bus overturned and everyone was held up for hours. We went to sleep actually on the highway in our RV and got moved on occasionally by police every hour or so.

When we finally got into camp the next morning, the lock on our RV's luggage compartment seemed to be a bit loose or not working properly. I also noticed that I couldn't find some small bike wheel lights I had bought for my bike.

It was only a day or two later when the dust came down that I realised both sets of steampunk goggles I had bought were both missing. Then, I noticed my black Oakleys and a necklace was gone too as well as a zipper with an LED light all along it was gone also. Plus some crystal glasses! Unbelievable! I had been robbed!!!

I reckon this happened along the highway while we were sleeping. At least I like to think this rather than we were robbed on the Playa. Plus, they could have taken our bikes or the rest of our stuff from the suitcase if so, whereas on the highway it was a bit more tricky, especially if on foot.

I attach pics of the most expensive stuff that went missing. I'd love to know if anyone bought stuff like this on their way in, from people on the highway. You can keep it if so. Or if anyone found something similar anyway. You'll see some of the stuff is quite distinctive:

Luckily I was wearing the blue oakleys on my head, and the hat and the scary mask were left behind. I lost every thing else below though. All in, about $250 worth of stuff. I'm pretty annoyed and upset about it, but hey, what can you do.

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[Bless]

I like the Burning Man Style Silver Bohemian Turquoise Tassel Gypsy Tribal African Necklace.

[Sham]

Is it possible that you left this stuff home, or possibly lost it along the way. It's very rare for someone to open a locked compartment in an occupied RV and take decorative gear. I'm not sure exactly what you're asking for. Did someone get a pair of goggles from someone on the way in to the event? Were they sold to someone? Even if bought from a random person, how does this help you?

[simon69]

We were in Vegas for a couple nights before driving up and I went through my case and organised the accessories into a smaller bag, which was accessible from the front of the RV luggage compartment. So I remember seeing those items before we set off in the RV.

Anything is possible. Someone could have accessed the compartment when we stopped for gas. Stuff could have fallen out and disappeared down a gap somewhere. I cannot be sure that what I think happened actually happened. But going on the number of things that went missing, all by the first or second day we were there, and given they were there in the hotel before we left, the most likely explanation I can come up with, is that we were robbed, at some point between Vegas at Black Rock. Its also I think suspicious that the only things to go missing were wearable goggles, sunglasses, small jewellery, and so on. Smaller items of use to everyone going to the burn.

So yes, it would help me to know that someone saw somebody selling stuff identical to the stuff I lost, along the highway driving in, as then I would know for sure that I was robbed somewhere there. It may also help others to know that there are potentially thieves along that road if so. Or who knows, maybe they were found at the gas station in Gerlach on the floor. How do I know? I don't. Hence my post!!

[spacetime]

Did you see anyone like this alongside the road?


I actually believe this is occurred on-playa. I feel naive about theft / outright criminal acts carried out in the city. (such as drilling of UFO camp's speakers)

I had no problems and got my only valuable lost item back last year. This year all I'm seeing is lost stuff not returned and stories of theft. Apparently noticing theft is a thing that happens after attending more burns. Still, if the city breaks 100k I can only see this becoming much worse.

[Token]

Rented RV?

You know all US made RVs have the same key for those storage compartments, right?

You didn't lose that much in the grand scheme of things.

Here is to hoping same thief didn't piss in your fresh water tank.

[maladroit]

It's still impressive that they managed to pull up alongside at 65mph and rob you War Boy style. You got off cheaply!

[Simon of the Playa]

You'll see some of the stuff is quite distinctive:

not really, it looks like all the other store/internet bought crap out there.


good luck on your pointless inquiry accompanied by sensational headline.

[simon69]

@Simon of the Playa your comment could apply to anyone on here thats lost goggles / sunglasses! Perhaps you should petition for this subcategory to be removed then!

@token Well the key had a number on it and was individually cut so its unlikely all other RVs have the same lock, but it still was as flimsy as hell and on day three the screw came off completely leaving us with no lock at all on that compartment, so we just resigned ourselves to fate at that point (with all our beer water and clothes!)

@maladroit no we were stopped on the highway all night long to sleep! People went to sleep in their RV's cars vans etc! Roughly every 45mins to an hour the traffic was pushed forward a mile or so and there was this calamitous situation where most cars had woken up and started driving yet a few drivers were out cold and could not hear the engines starting up and the beeps. So we'd swerve and overtake rows of stopped cars with no lights on in the middle of the highway! And then, an hour later when we were out cold, the same thing would happen to us!!!

The police came driving by flashing headlights putting their sirens on to wake us up! This happened halfway up from Pyramid Lake to Gerlach, from about 9pm with roughly 30 or 40 miles to go. We entered the site at 5am finally! Nightmare!!!

[simon69]

@spacetime the highway became a hangout, there were people wandering around between vehicles as there was nothing else to do. Some drivers broke out beers and sat on the side chatting and drinking. We met loads of people, some Mexican guys selling stuff, some eager foreigners travelling in a group all the way from Germany without passes. It was quite an excited, convivial atmosphere. Not so much as the night dragged on though.

@Simon of the Playa your cynicism belies the the community of this forum! How can it be pointless if it helps establish that there are highway robbers out there? If one person reads this and chooses next year not to keep anything in the luggage compartment, then I feel it will most certainly have a point.

[Simon of the Playa]

"highway robbers"




how dramatic.

[simon69]

Well yes I am trying to evoke a sense of drama here. You're right to say its mundane what I've lost, but hey it amounts to a fair bit of money and I'd like to see you without eyewear in the sun and the dust and get you to brush it off, mind the pun.

Indeed to be highwaymen they would have probably had to have held me up with a weapon of some sort. They are therefore highway burglars, which doesn't sound nearly as dramatic. Incidentally, highwaymen were often revered as anti-heroes, some of whom stole from the rich to give to the poor (see Robin Hood, or this from Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Highwayman).

Is it because I'm British?

[maladroit]

Is it because I'm British?

No hard feelings really, we won the war.

[Sham]

Since this is turning into a discussion on losing things or getting them stolen, I am moving this over to Experiences. This will free things up for people who lost cameras, passports and glasses.

[Token]

Sorry about your drama. Really.

It's just such a grand title yet so much of a let down when you read the post.

I mean, no zip tied hands and bruise or wrists, stories of the nasty taste the duct tape glue left on your face ...

You're selling Fury Road but instead got pick pocketed while sleeping.

It happens. Next time have your mates sleep in shifts.

And btw, the key thing is true. Same key unless owner changes and on rental fleet vehicles guaranteed to be the same so they only stock one replacement key number for all their RVs.

Edited to fix spellllllling.

[Bless]

Is it because I'm British?

No hard feelings really, we won the war.

Don't mention the war.

[media]

[EspressoDude]

commented earlier almost all rental rvs have the same storage bin keys.
the tab on the back of the lock is usually tweaked. the aluminum frame that the lock tab engages is flimsy and usually bent from putting gear in and out of the bin. about half the time one or more locks wont latch. Did you test every storage bin door to see if it was latched? seal those that don't lock with gaffer tape?

this sounds like something bounced out of an unlatched bin to me. bump in the road, door flips up a bit, loose bag falls out.

if someone 'robbed' you, that is not what they would take

[Captain Goddammit]

Simon is spot-on about this ridiculous thread. And I DID see him without eyewear on the playa.

[simon69]

@EspressoDude Sorry for the confusion. I didn't lose a whole bag of accessories. I still had other things such as hats bike lights and so on remaining. This is stuff that went missing from a carry on suitcase. And it wasn't at the back of the RV. It was at the side. The side compartment had three latches, only one was a key lock, and of course the other two were kept closed.

The reason it is suspicious is that only eyewear predominantly went missing from my suitcase. Nothing else. I understand it is unlikely and rare, but I can only tell you what happened, you can form your own conclusions. Nothing else except eyewear (and the other few small items) was missing from my case. Anything could have fallen from it. All my clothes were there. Other bike lights. Other items of clothing. Just eyewear went. And it wasn't on its own in a single bag!!! There was other stuff in the bag and there was other stuff in the luggage compartment.

The compartment was still locking when we arrived, it just seemed weakened compared to the previous day when we had driven up. and a day or so later the lock came off completely, the screw which held the latch in fell off and was bent. the frame was warped and it appeared the lock had been tampered with.

Why is this so far fetched? Its not like there was lots of other valuable things in the suitcase or the compartment, other than some silly clothing and some beer. and i never found it unlatched and open. Is it possible that i went over a bump, it somehow popped open, and only eyewear fell out? and then the door closed itself and latched again? sure. but by that rationale, it also has to be possible that i was robbed. doesn't it??

[Bless]

If you're going to go for expensive eyewear on the playa, why not Gucci?

[maladroit]

It's gone.

None of us stole it, or know who did it, or would recognize any of the generic things you posted.

It's just gone.

[Jackass]

If you're going to go for expensive eyewear on the playa, why not Gucci?

Gucci is nice.

[graidawg]

Is it because I'm British?

No hard feelings really, we won the war.

We let you, India was giving us trouble at the time

[Lonesomebri]

If you're going to go for expensive eyewear on the playa, why not Gucci?

Gucci is nice.

Yeah, had it been Gucci glasses stolen this would all make more sense.
So........................how many friends were sharing the RV with you?
What kind of fashion sense do they possess?

[Sham]

Let me share a story that happened 5 years ago. I opened my suitcases and I had no playa shoes, boots or any footwear. I swear I packed it, but it just wasn't there. I spent the week wearing the sneakers I traveled in. After a week on the playa, I banged as much dust off as possible and wore them home on the plane.

Not a very exciting story and I just dealt with it. I found all my shoes when I got home. I didn't post my shoe story, because it would not mean a thing to anyone.

When you look around your house, I think you'll find your missing eye wear.

[Elderberry]

Haha, that might have been the year I forgot to pack any underwear!

Let me share a story that happened 5 years ago. I opened my suitcases and I had no playa shoes, boots or any footwear. I swear I packed it, but it just wasn't there. I spent the week wearing the sneakers I traveled in. After a week on the playa, I banged as much dust off as possible and wore them home on the plane.

Not a very exciting story and I just dealt with it. I found all my shoes when I got home. I didn't post my shoe story, because it would not mean a thing to anyone.

When you look around your house, I think you'll find your missing eye wear.

[Ano]

My first year, I didn't pack any socks.

...Yeah. Figure that one out. It was... It was something.

[simon69]

It was just me and my girlfriend in the RV!

We had all our shit in Vegas because we went through everything and repacked it.

I originally posted this in lost and found. Why? Not because I thought it was an interesting story. It got moved here by the mods. I don't find it an interesting or noteworthy story. I also didn't expect the ridicule! I also don't expect getting anything back. I was simply curious to know whether anyone else lost anything on the highway driving in, or was offered anything for sale driving in. That is all!

[simon69]

Oh and I accept the lock is possibly a red herring. A child could have opened that thing with a paperclip. Which is why I kept the other latches closed.

[Sham]

It was just me and my girlfriend in the RV!

We had all our shit in Vegas because we went through everything and repacked it.

I originally posted this in lost and found. Why? Not because I thought it was an interesting story. It got moved here by the mods. I don't find it an interesting or noteworthy story. I also didn't expect the ridicule! I also don't expect getting anything back. I was simply curious to know whether anyone else lost anything on the highway driving in, or was offered anything for sale driving in. That is all!

This is why it was moved from Lost and Found and over to Experiences. It was turning into a discussion and not an actual post looking for items to be returned. The multiple posts were bumping people looking for lost or found items.
Is it possible that when you repacked in Vegas, that it was taken there or possibly just left behind? That is much more plausible.