Security at Sports Pools

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Old 02-05-2019, 09:27 PM
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Originally Posted by Villageswimmer View Post
In today’s online news is an article concerning an arrest made of a man who was caught on camera on two recent dates stealing from the locker room and a table on the pool deck. This is not the first time such thefts have occurred and not only from the Colony Cottage Pool. It may be the first time the thief was caught.

Nobody should leave anything of value in a pool locker room. The only alternative is to bring keys and ID, presumably in some sort of bag, and leave it on the deck while swimming, playing volleyball, water aerobics, etc. There is no way to even lock up your keys. Anyone can walk around the pool deck, help themselves, and get away quickly while people are enjoying the pool.

I’ve called John Rohan’s office asking that lockers of some kind, even just for keys, be installed at sports pools. The number is 352-674-1800.

If you use sports pools, please join me. Make the call.In one of the cases mentioned, the thief stole keys and opened the car where the person’s wallet was and took cash. He could have stolen the car!
If you send an e-mail to John Rohan it will be returned. I contacted him about a year and a half ago about getting swim flags for backstrokers in all the sports pools. It took almost a year, but he followed through and it happened. He is a very nice and reasonable guy. Some kind of safe in the changing areas (they are not locker rooms since they don't have any lockers, just hooks to hang clothes from) would be great for small valuables such as keys, wallets, ID's, cell phones, etc... would be great. Leaving valuables in ones car as mentioned by others would not be an option for the many swimmers that travel via golf cart. Also, as a lap swimmer, I don't want to swim 100+ laps with a key attached to my body. All I swim with is a bathing suit and a pair of polarized swim goggles.
  #17  
Old 02-05-2019, 09:35 PM
NotGolfer NotGolfer is offline
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Whenever I've gone to the pool...I've not taken any valuables with me or anything that could be lost or stolen. It's only what I have on and a towel. IF I were to drive the car I'd make sure nothing was left in it. What would I do with the keys? I'd make sure they were where I had my eye on them at all times. Whenever I've been at any pool....I've been aware whose there plus who might come through on the deck. They'd have to be pretty quick to get away with anything. That said though...I'm not a lap swimmer so it would be tougher in that event.

The thief though might have dressed accordingly to the pool as it did say he changed clothes each time. Maybe shorts/shirt when he was in the changing room and later maybe he had on a swim suit. Sounds like he was trying to be "crafty" according to that article.
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Old 02-05-2019, 10:58 PM
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Who leaves valuables worth over $1000 in his car? This is 2019, not 1950... you have to be living in some kinda of stupor to leave that kind of money on your car... even in The Villages...I don't support thieves, never have. But common sense is a lost skill.

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Old 02-05-2019, 11:59 PM
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So you lose the key to the locker, now how do you get your stuff. More cost, more people, more maintenance. Do not know what the answer would be but pretty sure lockers are not a very good answer.
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Old 02-06-2019, 05:55 AM
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Originally Posted by Fraugoofy View Post
Who leaves valuables worth over $1000 in his car? This is 2019, not 1950... you have to be living in some kinda of stupor to leave that kind of money on your car... even in The Villages...I don't support thieves, never have. But common sense is a lost skill.

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America in 2019: Blame the Victim for they clearly must have asked for it or done something that forced the poor unsuspecting criminal into breaking the law.

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It doesn't take much in today's world to have over $1000 worth of stuff in your car. Who are we to judge what someone leaves in their car. Most of us would think a locked car should be a pretty safe place, particularly if the valuables are out of view. Imagine the stupid homeowner who thought they could leave thousands of $'s of stuff in their locked home and go to the pool!!!
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Old 02-06-2019, 06:10 AM
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Originally Posted by Fraugoofy View Post
Who leaves valuables worth over $1000 in his car? This is 2019, not 1950... you have to be living in some kinda of stupor to leave that kind of money on your car... even in The Villages...I don't support thieves, never have. But common sense is a lost skill.

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Originally Posted by GoPacers View Post
America in 2019: Blame the Victim for they clearly must have asked for it or done something that forced the poor unsuspecting criminal into breaking the law.

Oakley sunglasses: $300
iPad: $700
Cell Phone: $600

It doesn't take much in today's world to have over $1000 worth of stuff in your car. Who are we to judge what someone leaves in their car. Most of us would think a locked car should be a pretty safe place, particularly if the valuables are out of view. Imagine the stupid homeowner who thought they could leave thousands of $'s of stuff in their locked home and go to the pool!!!
Reading both of your posts reminds me of an article I read recently that stated one of the highest incidences of car break-ins and theft are in parking lots outside of gyms/pools. Sorry I don't remember where I read it to link it (may have been from an insurance company magazine), but thieves know it is easy pickin's because people often lock up their valuables in their cars thinking they will be safe there. Obviously the article was suggesting not to do that.
  #22  
Old 02-06-2019, 08:12 AM
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Originally Posted by eyc234 View Post
So you lose the key to the locker, now how do you get your stuff. More cost, more people, more maintenance. Do not know what the answer would be but pretty sure lockers are not a very good answer.
I disagree. Lockers have been used in gyms ever since gyms came on the scene. I've used them since the '80s in several cities. They work. You lose the key, mgt. has a master. Or you bring your own padlock with a code and you don't even have to worry about having a key. Somemone with an implement strong enough to cut a padlock is surely going to be noticed.
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Old 02-06-2019, 08:38 AM
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Originally Posted by Villageswimmer View Post
That would be fine it one was permitted to bring beach chairs into sports pools or are you being facetious?
The FlexSafe is not on a chair — it can be attached to almost any solid object. It is well worth the price for peace of mind, if nothing else.
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Old 02-06-2019, 08:46 AM
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The FlexSafe is not on a chair — it can be attached to almost any solid object. It is well worth the price for peace of mind, if nothing else.
FlexSafe by AquaVault, Portable Nylon Outdoor Vault, Flexible and Water Resist.. 609408295232 | eBay

They are available new on Ebay for as low as $49.
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Old 02-06-2019, 09:44 AM
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Originally Posted by eyc234 View Post
So you lose the key to the locker, now how do you get your stuff. More cost, more people, more maintenance. Do not know what the answer would be but pretty sure lockers are not a very good answer.
At the YMCA I swim in up North they have lockers where you bring your own lock. I always bring my own combination lock so I never have to worry about a key. However, it got to the point where I can no longer read the combination dial without cheaters, so I found this really cool lock where you can program a sequence of moving a slider up, down, and side to side to open the lock. You don't even have to look to open it. Works great.
  #26  
Old 02-06-2019, 09:48 AM
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Originally Posted by CFrance View Post
I disagree. Lockers have been used in gyms ever since gyms came on the scene. I've used them since the '80s in several cities. They work. You lose the key, mgt. has a master. Or you bring your own padlock with a code and you don't even have to worry about having a key. Somemone with an implement strong enough to cut a padlock is surely going to be noticed.
I think that getting lockers in all of the sports pools is unnecessary and expensive.
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Old 02-06-2019, 10:44 AM
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I think that getting lockers in all of the sports pools is unnecessary and expensive.
Strictly a matter of opinion. I think they would be well-used, and a welcome addition.
  #28  
Old 02-06-2019, 11:31 AM
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Originally Posted by CFrance View Post
If this guy was living with his parents, he already has an ID card.

This is getting to be a real problem. Wonder if TV would put a wall of safes in the locker rooms. They do this at radiology at UF. You lock your stuff up. The key is on a bracelet that you wear.

OP here. Cfrance, you are always the voice of reason. It could even be a wall of small safes, maybe the size of a post office box, where keys could be locked with, perhaps, a combination like in hotel rooms.

The key is the only thing of value one can’t avoid taking into the pool.

This thread was never intended to discuss bringing valuables into the dressing room or pool. That’s just stupid.

The manager at Colony Cottage was lovely and understanding of the dilemma. The issue, as I tried to explain, is beyond her scope since it is a problem at all sports pools. Mr. Rohan returned my call but I was unavailable and missed him.TV Recreation has been very responsive and I’m grateful for that.

Thank you all for your insightful comments.
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Old 02-06-2019, 01:47 PM
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Originally Posted by tophcfa View Post
If you send an e-mail to John Rohan it will be returned. I contacted him about a year and a half ago about getting swim flags for backstrokers in all the sports pools. It took almost a year, but he followed through and it happened. He is a very nice and reasonable guy. Some kind of safe in the changing areas (they are not locker rooms since they don't have any lockers, just hooks to hang clothes from) would be great for small valuables such as keys, wallets, ID's, cell phones, etc... would be great. Leaving valuables in ones car as mentioned by others would not be an option for the many swimmers that travel via golf cart. Also, as a lap swimmer, I don't want to swim 100+ laps with a key attached to my body. All I swim with is a bathing suit and a pair of polarized swim goggles.

Thank you for pursuing the flags! They really are a valuable addition for lap swimmers.
  #30  
Old 02-06-2019, 02:40 PM
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Originally Posted by Villageswimmer View Post
That would be fine it one was permitted to bring beach chairs into sports pools or are you being facetious?
Nope not being facetious. Is there a reason that it would not work on the lounges or chairs at the pool? This is also not the only device, merely a suggestion. Perhaps a little further research might find a device that would be ideal for the particular person.
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