Personal Items Stolen At School Sports Events

I've heard it so many times. It's your fault. No, it's yours.

It's from students pointing fingers at others or coaches upset at their colleagues.

Sadly, we have thieves in our world - and close to home.

I've heard the arguments and seen the anger after a student athlete, competing at a high school sports event, learns that personal property has been taken. More like stolen. Toss in loss of items for many athletes. In the past, items ranged from expensive cleats to designer clothes. Now, add things like watches to cell phones, iPods to wallets and, of course, money.

I am told that students should know better and leave valuables, the day of a game, at home or with a reliable person. Maybe so. But some can't. Let's face it, most coaches and teachers don't have time nor do they like taking responsibilities, and I don't blame them.

Thieves are in action a great deal at track and field meets, when people leave personal property exposed. Also at soccer games when folks are focusing on the field and someone else is busy pilfering. Hockey arenas are also traps when someone forgets to lock an arena dressing room door. Same with basketball in school gyms.

Now football. A situation in the past few days saw a handful of players lose personal property. We're not talking about thousands of dollars, but it is still theft of personal property. The players were originally going to put everything in a bag and leave it under the watchful supervision of a member of the team. Instead, they left it in a dressing room - one that was supposed to be locked.

I really don't have the right answer. People need to think more — and also about a better way to protect valuables.

Comments

[Jason Bowman]

Have we ever come a long way, I remember when my glasses were stolen and I thought that was a big deal. Anyway you look at it, people are responsible for their own stuff. End of the story.

[L. Atcheson]

I am wondering whatever happened to coaches asking for all personal belongings for a football team to be put in the trunk of his or her car or with the bus driver until after the game.

[Pepper]

Has anyone ever heard of a player leaving his junk in his school locker until after the game and then going to get it.

[JTL]

I agree that this is an issue but maybe some schools are at fault for not making sure dressing room doors are locked and only the coach gets the key.

[Jones]

Kids are kids and they never learn no matter how many times we tell them.

[JLSampson]

This is very unfortunate but the host school needs to be responsibility if the dressing room door was not locked by one of their staff or students. If it was broken in then time to call the police.

[Michael]

This smells like an inside job to me. it would be nice to know if you could tell us if the team that was ripped off won the game. I would bet they did because of what happened.

[MT]

I read this and the comments from others and shake my head.

[Big Jimmy]

At the start of each sport every school should remind students that personal property is just that. If kids lose it or have it stolen, just to bad.
I also think someone needs to explain what happened if a locked door suddenly became unlocked.

[bob]

Beware should your team make it to the Metro Bowl. Last year, although there was supposed to be Rogers Centre security on the dressing room doors, at least one team was robbed of wallets. Oh, and the Roger Centre were completely unresponsive!

Nice way to finish your football career!

[No Name Coach]

I really don' think it's the business of The Toronto Star newspaper or any of your readers to find out that students are having their personal items stolen. This should be kept internal.

[J.R. Brathwaite]

Just read all this stuff and how about telling us how much was stolen and what the results of the investigation were by the mysterious school in question. Have to tell you that the suspense is driving me crazy.

[Mr. Harold Green]

I wish you had a place for general comments because you guys do a super job and I find the topics very interesting. Some of the people replying with comments are a bit strange but that is what the world is made of and we have lots of very strange people. Keep it coming.

[K. Lopez]

Someone is alleging stolen property. Maybe so. Bet no one called 9-1-1.

[Shaun Whitehouse]

Sad situation. Please inform us if property was ever found or returned. This is a lesson to all students and coaches about valuables. Smart of the Star to post this.

[David Grossman]

Update on this item. Turns out that everything that was lifted, stolen or borrowed (pick your own word) from the dressing room of an opposing team, has now been returned - and with apologies. Ten items returned. That's money, iPods, cell phones, etc. Total value: estimated at a few thousand dollars. Not sure of the repercussions. Yes, it was a senior football game involving Villanova (King City) and Trinity (Port Hope). From what we have learned, a significant amount of peer pressure must have occured at Villanova to get the items back to their owners. Not sure who the culprits were. Administration and athletics staff also did an admirable job. Lesson learned.

[J.R. Brathwaite]

I knew it had to come sometime. Thank you for the update and for explaining it.