Stolen Skis

I take it you didn't have far to go or were in resort when they were taken rather than some remote spot on the mountain, otherwise a bit of a trek on foot to get back!

Happened to one of our party last year out on the mountain, but taken as a mistake rather than on purpose.

It was late in the day so we stopped for one last coffee before heading back and there was quite a few just leaving. We were the last out after our drink and everyone clipped in except for one who was walking around looking for his ski's, there was just one pair left so tried them on they fitted so used them to get back and went straight to the ski hire shop, else he could have been pretty stranded with a long walk to get anywhere sensible to get any sort of transport back to resort.

Somehow this guy made a mistake put on rental ski's instead of the ones that were his own and looked pretty new. They were different make of ski and 170 in length instead of the 160's, just guess just the same boot size as he clipped in okay.

When he got back the guy realised they were rental and took them to the shop and tried to blame the guy from our party that it was him that nicked his ski's!

With the language barrier of an Italian ski hire shop our English and the ski thief being French no one was getting their message across very well.

At the end of the day if our guy was dishonest he could have come to the shop withn no ski's claimed his back and kept the others, but that isn't skiers etiquette!

jonah690 wrote:Thanks for your comments guys.
The ones that got nicked were mine.
Volkl Wall Twin tips. They were very bright and funky so would draw attention from the unwashed brigade.

I didnt buy them to try and be down with the kids I brought them because a friend lent me a test pair when I went to Tignes April 2008 and they were so good in the spring powder and slush that I came back and brought a pair end of season (£160 with bindings) just for our April trip which has become a bit of a tradition.
I loved them so much they became my main pair.

Im going to buy a new pair of Scotts tom but im really worried they wont feel a patch on the walls. (and they are even more funky and bright than the last ones erghhhhhh)

Guy in the hire shop said any bright twin tips or boards get nicked real quick if left so ill be buying a lock as well tom. :)

Get out the duct tape. You could make the skis look very undesirable in a few minutes.

Generally most people don't "sell on" skis they like, but wear them out. So if you are not worried about resale value, names, and post codes in bold permanent marker pen will dissuade thieves. You can also engrave the P-tex base near the tip, where there is no effect on performance.

Maybe even write on the skis in English, French, and German... if these skis are on ebay - they are stolen :lol:

Someone I know recovered their stolen snowboard after buying it back on ebay. He was, of course accompanied by the police when he went to pick it up from the thief. He had recorded the serial number which helped.

Trencher

No way could I do that to my Neo's Trencher

andyoneil wrote:Sorry to hear that Jonah

Never had it happen to me (though I only rent so would be less bothered I guess) but have always swapped skis with someone else in the group - and then got them to swap again so its never a simple job for thieves.

I did have an idiot take my skis from the rack in the hotel in Killington last March, purely by mistake with no malice. Whats worrying though is that I was skiing with 167 skis and was left with something like 153s! I went to the shop who were happy to sort me out in no time as they could see it was a mistake - however the idiot in question skied on them all day. As I'm 6' and was then around 15.5st (I'm trimmer for VDI in 2 weeks) you have to wonder how someone suited to smaller skis managed?

Im thinking break all their fingers for a first offence, off at the wrist for a second. Sound fair to everybody?

So my moral is to be careful with your gear all the time - even in hotels.

Think a ski lock may be a good plan - a deterrent that can be snapped with a leatherman is still a deterrent compared to nothing I guess

Oh and public floggings in stocks for ski thieves anyone?

You should be able to claim off your house contents insurance if you have any, usually if you try and claim for anything on your holiday insurance the claim form will ask if you have home insurance if you fill it in with yes, you will get a reply saying you need to claim off that. I know several people this has happned to not with skis but on their summer holidays one was for a rolex watch :wink:

really sorry Jonah, that's naff.
Unfortunately, I don't think theft is limited to privately owned skis as (I think I've said before) my 11 year old son's rental skis were nabbed in Les Arcs. We were told that we still had to go to the police even if you have the hire shop's insurance. In the end, what with excess, it was easier to pay the extra 30 odd euros :roll:

Trencher wrote:
Get out the duct tape.

Maybe even write on the skis in English, French, and German... if these skis are on ebay - they are stolen :lol:
Trencher

Trencher, surely that would just make the skis more desirable?

Trencher, surely that would just make the skis more desirable?