Theft of skis Meribel

I have to admit I was worried going to SC last week and leaving desirable skis like my Neo's lying about. I bought locks but never used them in the end. Talking to seasonnaires over there, the only problems they have come across were people staying in bars at valley level late at night and leaving their skis outside unlocked or unattended, and sometimes they walked. Up the mountain, not a problem and I happily left my skis lying on the snow or in a rack outside a cafe where I could not watch them.

Opinion suggets that the 3 Valleys is much more likely a place to experience ski theft, it seems to be a professional business as oppose to mistakingly picking up the wrong skis.

Bottom line - make sure your skis are insured or get a lock for them. Meribel appears to be making more headlines for this kind of thing than anywhere strangely.

Tony, clearly your skis are desirable to you )

Ski's lock em or lose em. Simple really :D

If your skis are insured, then your insurer will expect you to behave as though they were not insured, and be able to evidence this if a claim is made.

Well, with the greatest respect regarding treating them like that, I reckon I saw ZERO ski locks in use in SC last week.

Tony,
I am no expert on this matter, but I would think the insurers would take into consideration normal practice regarding whether skis are locked up or not - and I haven't noticed any locked skis on my holidays. My instructor didn't lock his skis when we went in the cafe for a short break.

One thing that surprises me about all this ski theft, is how do the thieves make off with an extra pair of skis from a mountain cafe without someone noticing that they are either arriving without skis or departing with two pairs of skis. I have hardly ever seen anyone with two pairs of skis - only the odd instructor carrying a pair on his shoulder, presumably after something unfortunate has happened to one of his pupils.

Ally

I think most of the ski theft takes place in resort from what I have heard.

Tony_H wrote:I think most of the ski theft takes place in resort from what I have heard.

Thanks Tony,
Maybe that would explain why we haven't had any of our hired skis nicked in the 3 V's. We only ever eat in mountain cafes because other than that we eat in our apartment.

Has anyone here had their skis nicked from a mountain cafe?

Ally

Someone tried (and failed) to break the lock securing my skis in the cafe rack at the top of the Trans-Arc in Les Arcs. A little retractable cable lock, I think they were after getting at the metal catch inside the plastic casing. I was sitting outside too, but there were so many folks around it was quite hard to keep your own kit in sight all the time.
Years ago now, but I do lock my skis :D

We never used to have a problem with theft in New Zealand but with growing popularity it is getting worse. security cameras are becoming more widely used at ski resorts here and there are full time security guards on duty on some hills now. damn shame that people have to ruin such a good thing!!