Hi Keith.
Should be at Stoke again next year(with my Son),will be great to meet you.

At the end of a comp or figure show it can often be a bit of a free-for-all. Thankfully theft of people's finished works is relatively rare. I can certainly think of a mate of mine who had one thing taken at a show.

Scumbags anywhere will do what scumbags do - that is to take advantage of people and situations and abuse the trust you have at shows.

Funny though - nobody's ever stolen any of my competition entries. I can't think why...

Hi guys,
i just read through this post, and wish to part with some experience of myself (although entirely unrelated to modelling shows).

It was the last Ginkgo Bonsai Award ( a series of shows held in Belgium to bring together Bonsai enthusiasts from across Europe. At the time that show waas considered to be the best in Europe. A lot of this was down to how things were organised.

When indicating to participate in the show, each participant had to send in pictures of what they were bringing (that was part of the selection process).
Upon arriving, each participant had to present his items for registration, where each individual item was conpared to the pictures and marked (with a very unabtrusive numbered sticker placed where it was not visible to the visiting public) as well as an on-the-day description of the item on the registration form.
During the entire show, an entire army of volunteers (all from our club) was recruited to 'police' the entire event - guarding the exhibition at various points. I know of several occasions where a thief was caught in the act because of these vigilant volunteers.
At the end of the show each participant had to present all the items back to the registration desk, where all items were checked and 'released' back to the registered owner. On one occasion somebody had 'sold' a tree to another owner, but because this was done 'behind the scenes' and the organisers not informed, a massive row broke out during check-out because the 'new owner' was not allowed to leave with hise 'newly purchased goods'.

Yet, it was exactly this attitude linked to the show's security that made people from ocross Europe participate, knowing that they could enjoy themselves for the entire weekend without having to worry about their prized posessions. Althoug the bigger shows have security on the premise during the show, I somehow still see certain owners remaining within view of their trees during these shows - and this happens even on shows that have been running for a decade on an annual basis (while during the Ginkgo Award you would see the same people walking along the show or spending hours near the bar).


Sharing this experience shows two major difficulties to overcome to discourage potential thieves on such events:
1) a very strict registration procedure dictating how things are dealt with at the start of the show, but also at the end --> is every participant willing to stand and wait in line before they are allowed to leave the show with their precious models, all in name of fully guaranteed security?
2) Even with such a registration procedure, the continuous need of policing (by volunteers if costs are to be kept to a minimum) throughout the event is mandatory. These 'guardians' by lack of better word need to have the discipline to do exactly that: guard their designated area for the duration of the agreed time, and not wander off to look at the show or talk to friends during their guarding/duty time). For this to be successful a need of a large number of people is needed, all who agree to conform to a previously agreed schedule.

It is sad, but a fact of life that unscrupulous people are willing to make good of every opportunity that presents itself. The question then becomes are we (as individuals/a club) willing to put our own enjoyment aside for a few hours so that our fellow enthusiasts can enjoy a show to maximum?

Just my (£/€/$) 0.02 worth.
Slainte
L.H.

When it comes to figures entered to shows its common to get a reciept with a related number on the entered piece.
But very rarely is that reciept checked when you collect your piece after the show.

Which of course can to some extent be explained that many of the modelers are eager to get away on their way back home. Many of us has a long road to travel.

Cheers
Janne Nilsson

Some interesting points, guys. With the easy availability of cameras on phones now, its not a huge task to photograph the owner with the models entered, then check them back out at the end of the comp... Just a thought! If there was a person allocated to two or three categories, it could be workable!

A very valid point. On the Ginkgo shows, we had people exhibiting who came from across Europe - from Denmark to Spain or Italy, from Ireland to Poland.
The way this was dealt with was again well organized. First the public was gently ushered out of the display area. Then those who had to travel furthest could take their items out first, those who lived nearest had to wait till last. And although there were 300+ individual trees on show with 250+ participants, the whole show area was emptied within 1.5 hrs on a Sunday evening (i.e. the show ended officially at 4pm, first pick-up of trees started at 4.15 and by 5.45 all participants had cleared the show area, those travelling furthest were on their way, while the others were finishing loading their vehicles - not a simply feat with Bonsai trees, I can tell you).

This does not have to be lengthy or annoying process for anybody involved, just well organised (which means all rules re entering and leaving are clearly laid out well before start of the show, understood by all and NO deviation - for anybody, no matter how well connected or 'important'). This also allows for those having to travel far to plan their journey well in advance (e.g. having to book a train, ferry, aiplane or chunnel crossing).

Thats a way. But I think it would perhaps be easier organized if you had someone in charge for a manageable section. Who verified and took your reciept as you collected your piece.

Cheers
Janne Nilsson

Being a retired policeman of many years standing I'm not shocked or surprised to hear of stealing going on at shows. The main problem at shows IMO is there are just too many people jostling around. All it takes is a group of people looking at one stand, the stand dealer having a conversation with one of them, and any of the others would find it pretty easy to pocket stuff. The best advice I can give to us all is to stay vigilant and keep your eyes open for these thieves. There are some not so nice people in all walks and unfortunately that also means in our hobby too. Please, if any of you catch someone at it, don't break their fingers as I've seen on some posts here. I know its tempting and I for one do sympathise, but it's just playing into their hands as you would also be arrested, and assault is treated more seriously than theft I'm afraid. Just get the police in. That's all you can do really. One of the most despicable thefts I've heard about in our hobby was quite a few years ago now when a little girl called Holly I think had an airfix Dr who model stolen. She had made it up for the competition and some b##tard stole it. Poor little girl was only about 7 years old and was heartbroken. Shameful!!

Same here, if anything of mine was nicked I would expect it was because somebody felt embaressed to see it in public
Steve