MUST READ if you work out at a gym: Locker broken into, credit card gone...

[-HPNOTIQ-]

Ok fellas here's the deal.

Went to the new gym I have been working out with the past two months for the typical Wednesday night two hour workout.

Got back to my locker, spin the combination to my "MasterLock" dial, and the damn thing won't open. The guy next to me says "Hey buddy, does your locker open. I put in my combination, and the damn thing won't open."

So we notice on top of our MasterLocks, that there is a little dent on our locks in the exact same place. After trying to open the locks ourselves, we ask the front desk for some bolt cutters. The guy next to me cuts his lock open, but, I manage to put the combination on my lock and yank real hard..then poof..the thing opens.

I look at my locker, everything looks nice...wallet is a check, money is a check, shoes, clothes, cd player..etc. So I figure that some kids were probably messing around with the lock, couldn't get into the locker or steal anything...no big loss, I'm only out $3.50 for a lock.

I go to the grocery store to pick up some dinner, when I notice my credit card isn't there. I don't think much of it because I went to the bank earlier today and thought I may have just left it with the bank teller.

But, I think about the gym incident, and decide to call my credit card company to report it missing.

As I spoke with my credit card company...the rep said that within me leaving the gym at around 8:15 pm...at 8:30 pm, the thief charged $25 at a gas station...$250 at a Record/CD store...and tried to charge another $300 as we spoke...literally as I was talking to the rep, the bastard tried to ring up another $300!!!

So, I close my account, get a new card, and the credit card rep said I would not be responsible for any of the fraudulent charges. I then file a report with the police. I also file a report to the gym and give the police report number to the gym manager.

Things to think about:

* The bastard was pretty smart. He left everything intact: my wallet, $30 I had in there, my cd player, shoes, and other stuff to start a diversion. If everything looked intact, then I start to think that maybe I left my creditcard at a restaurant, or bank teller, or somewhere else...I started to think I just misplaced it.

* The bastard broke into a "MasterLock". The gym locker door itself looked fine. It was the lock that was busted. What get's me is that this lock is the "standard" lock found everywhere. Since we were in gym class in Jr. Highschool. This is the same black dial lock I'm sure every guy on this board has used.

* The cops can't do anything. Fortunately I am reimbursed by the credit card company, so, I am not charged with anything. But, the cops really have no say in the matter. It is the credit card company's call if they want to persue matters, even if the Target store may have video tape of the thief.

* Everyday I go into the gym, I'm going to think that the guy next to me may have done it. Is it the guy spotting me? Is it the guy I play pickup ball games with? Is it you?

After 10+ years working out at public/private style gyms with locker rooms, this is the first time anything like this has happened. So fellas, if you don't do it already, keep your wallet, credit cards, cash and other valuables in the glove compartment of your car.

From now on, I'll only bring my Gym ID card, weight gloves, weight belt, gym clothes, shoes, and a towel.

Hope everyone learns from my loss. This f*ckin bites...

 

[Derek Flint]

Fortunately, my Gym is 1 mile from my house, so I change there and only bring the basics: Walkman, Drivers License, Gym ID card, Cell Phone and a few dollars cash.

Cell Phone and Money gets locked in the trunk of my car before I go in.

Time to do a "Set Up" and catch these punks in the act.

 

[Dee-Zy]

wholy sh!t. I'm glad that u didn't suffer from anything except for a lock and a waste of time closing and redoing a credit card.

damn 250$ of CDS???? I wish I had that amount of money.

 

[Reto]

No NO NOOOOO !!!

Lock your stuff in your trunk !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It is commonly known by thieves, that people lock thier stuff up in thier cars when at the gym. They even had a thing on 60 Minutes about it. (Same is true for the park where I run).

Nearly once a week you see car glass in the parking lot where someone else got victimized. Mine got busted into on a Sunday morning at 10:30a. I had nothing in there, but they busted my window... $90.00 !!!

Do not lock you stuff up in a wall locker !

The theives at my gym have huge b@lls. I mean they bring bolt cutters in and cut your lock. Happened to me once. I told the front desk an they literally said, "they still doin that"? I went balistic! Why didn't they post signs? It has to be a pair. One to keep watch, and one to do the deed...

Fortunately, my stuff was in the trunk of my car...

What @ss holes...

 

[imnexthere]

Master lock is junk

Exact same thing happened to me. I come back and check my locker and found that the dial is bend fowards at the top. These Master lock combo locks are junk. They are easy to open or screw around with. After that I bought a high security lock as leaving things in my car is not an option. You may want to do the same thing. Get one that cant be snipped off and that doesnt have the big combination wheel.

 

[DJintheworks]

Keep your stuff in your trunk, and if you workout during the day make it visible you have a car alarm (that wont stop those punks at night) even if you keep your stuff at home I think it deters those a-holes from breaking your windows just for a peek.

Its probably not a dude you know or who works out there.
If your gym has a basketball court then it was probably a black kid under the age of 18. Don't call me racist because I have chased down way too many of them in my short lifetime just to get a basketball back. I have multiple friends who have lost a decent ball (myself included) to a super fast black punk. And a couple guys have caught some breaking into lockers in the past. That's the best I can phrase it to be politically correct, but thats just the way it is.

At least your credit card company was cool about it.

 

[Reto]

After my car got busted into, I would just leave the windows down and the glove box open. I just kept all of the stuff I wanted to keep in my trunk. Same with my gym bag. I don't lock it up and don't keep any valuables in it...

DJintheworks, not all black kids are thieves. But, if it walks like a duck, quacks like a duck, chances are...it's a duck...Know what I mean?

I use to work for Visa/MC. By law if you report the loss of your card within 24 to 48 hrs of discovering it missing, you are not liable for any more than $50.00 on a credit card and $500.00 on a debit card. (So guard that debit card). Too, a lot of home owner insurance policies will cover the loss on your debit card. Of course, I'm sure you have a deductible...I need to look at my policy...

 

[-HPNOTIQ-]

Thanks for the ideas fellas. I'm starting to use a Belt Pack pouch to hold my wallet and keys while I work out. These old school "fanny packs" are kinda fem looking..but hell..beats having my stuff stolen again.

BTW...I was talking to a couple of buddies on how could a thief break into a combination style lock...pretty much..I blame the internet.

It took one search engine inquery to find 100's of sites on "how-to" pick locks, hotwire cars, and other stuff.

Here's one example of how to open a combination lock.
http://www.rotteneggs.com/re_egg_display.php3?eggid=6202

Makes you feel kinda helpless eh?