Really, no security cameras?

[Seabasealpha1]

I still can't believe how many people are hung up on the price of the stroller. What difference does it make? If they can afford to pay that, so be it. It was still stolen.

Well, it was...

However...I feel much less sympathy for these folks because they had an $1800 stroller into a theme park. Sure, one expects to not have their stuff stolen no matter what it is...but that's still asking for it. This whole thing is proof that SOMEONE knew enough to know what they were looking at and to know that it should be swiped and sold for cash.

Not saying it's right to have it stolen or to steal it. I am saying taking an $1800 stroller into any theme park where you just park it off any old place (with your wallet and keys and valuables) makes you a just a little out of touch with reality...

 

[rob0519]

Well, it was...

However...I feel much less sympathy for these folks because they had an $1800 stroller into a theme park. Sure, one expects to not have their stuff stolen no matter what it is...but that's still asking for it. This whole thing is proof that SOMEONE knew enough to know what they were looking at and to know that it should be swiped and sold for cash.

Not saying it's right to have it stolen or to steal it. I am saying taking an $1800 stroller into any theme park where you just park it off any old place (with your wallet and keys and valuables) makes you a just a little out of touch with reality...

So a person who has a nice car or a nice stroller is "still asking for it"? If a Mercedes is stolen out of the MK parking lot, was that victim "still asking for it"? Where does your opinion of blaming the victim stop?

 

[Seabasealpha1]

So a person who has a nice car or a nice stroller is "still asking for it"? If a Mercedes is stolen out of the MK parking lot, was that victim "still asking for it"? Where does your opinion of blaming the victim stop?

There's quite a difference between a car and a stroller... and if someone were to leave the keys and their wallet in a car (ok, fine, a Mercedes) that was stolen, most people would cry "idiot" too... or maybe more of the problem is that everyone's thinking it...and not saying it...

So...why are we making a differing opinion on stroller theft such a damned crisis?

 

[Seabasealpha1]

So a person who has a nice car or a nice stroller is "still asking for it"? If a Mercedes is stolen out of the MK parking lot, was that victim "still asking for it"? Where does your opinion of blaming the victim stop?

For that matter...the fact that it is an $1800 stroller is why we're having a discussion...if had been at $25 POS we'd have never heard much about it. Don't sit back there high and mighty attempting to get myself (as well as many others) to ignore the ridiculous price tag of a stroller...that was probably a bad choice to take theme-parking. I mean..the media has only got this bug in our ears and a sensational headline because someone had such a stroller...

And again...I'm not saying it's right for it to have been stolen...but come on now...don't kid me.

 

[MickeyMomV]

So a person who has a nice car or a nice stroller is "still asking for it"? If a Mercedes is stolen out of the MK parking lot, was that victim "still asking for it"? Where does your opinion of blaming the victim stop?

In this example it would not be "just" driving a Mercedes to WDW. I think a correct comparison would like driving your Mercedes to the front gate, leaving the door open, leaving the car running with a full tank of gas, and then being surprised that it is gone when you go to leave.

For me its not just the price of the stroller but the stroller did make her a mark. The thief had probably been watching her and as soon as she saw the wallet and keys tossed in the bottom it and the stroller was left unattended it was game on. When my DS was little we had a nice stroller for him, no where near $1800 but it was nice. Right before his first WDW trip we ran to Baby's R Us and dropped $50 on a stroller to use while we were down there. If it came up missing no big deal.
The part that irks me is the whole damsel in distress bit. If she just lost the stroller, no biggie file an incident claim with Disney and your insurance company and move on. But no she put her wallet, keys, and medical supplies in there! Who does that? Those items never leave my side while on vacation! So after losing the items it's the Help ME Help ME!! I'm stranded in WDW!! It has ruined my whole trip!! Come on!

 

[Seabasealpha1]

In this example it would not be "just" driving a Mercedes to WDW. I think a correct comparison would like driving your Mercedes to the front gate, leaving the door open, leaving the car running with a full tank of gas, and then being surprised that it is gone when you go to leave.

For me its not just the price of the stroller but the stroller did make her a mark. The thief had probably been watching her and as soon as she saw the wallet and keys tossed in the bottom it and the stroller was left unattended it was game on. When my DS was little we had a nice stroller for him, no where near $1800 but it was nice. Right before his first WDW trip we ran to Baby's R Us and dropped $50 on a stroller to use while we were down there. If it came up missing no big deal.
The part that irks me is the whole damsel in distress bit. If she just lost the stroller, no biggie file an incident claim with Disney and your insurance company and move on. But no she put her wallet, keys, and medical supplies in there! Who does that? Those items never leave my side while on vacation! So after losing the items it's the Help ME Help ME!! I'm stranded in WDW!! It has ruined my whole trip!! Come on!

God Bless you...someone gets it!

 

[jaklgreen]

First, the cost of the stroller is irrelevant. This woman (as careless as she was leaving medication and wallets in an unattended stroller) was victimized by a crime leaving her and her children stranded. The family is fortunate help was as close as Miami and not, say Chicago.

By the time a person buys a ticket on the first flight out of Miami to Orlando (presumably online), gets to the airport, gets through TSA, lands in Orlando, makes their way to wherever the family is on Disney property Rent a car, taxi, Uber, etc.), it will probably end up being the same amount of time as driving.

Google the woman's name and it appears they have adequate resources to pay for the flight. The biggest concern here is the medication. I agree. I would do whatever needed to be done to replace that immediately.

Even without car keys and her wallet, the family could get back to the comfort and safety of their resort, providing they are staying on property. If staying offsite, that makes the entire situation more urgent and could explain thinking the first flight out was the best option.

Nobody from Chicago would be that stupid to leave their keys and wallet in the stroller. LOL

 

[Incomudro]

Nobody from Chicago would be that stupid to leave their keys and wallet in the stroller. LOL

More money than brains.

 

[21stamps]

Hmmmm.... $1800 stroller? 1st flight out from Miami, for a 3 to 3.5 hour drive? They have some serious 1st world problems going on.

I've gone from Miami to Orlando stuck in 7 hours of traffic.. even on a good day you can't get there in 3-3.5 hours.

But, definitely 1st world problems! But, if I was her I would still expect my husband to be on the next flight though.lol

I don't have an issue with flight or stroller, but leaving your wallet and Epi pen in a stroller is just plain stupid.

 

[21stamps]

Well, it was...

However...I feel much less sympathy for these folks because they had an $1800 stroller into a theme park. Sure, one expects to not have their stuff stolen no matter what it is...but that's still asking for it. This whole thing is proof that SOMEONE knew enough to know what they were looking at and to know that it should be swiped and sold for cash.

Not saying it's right to have it stolen or to steal it. I am saying taking an $1800 stroller into any theme park where you just park it off any old place (with your wallet and keys and valuables) makes you a just a little out of touch with reality...

Why else would you buy a stroller if you didn't plan on using it?

A $300 or $600 stroller to someone could be the financial equivalent to an $1800 stroller for someone else.

All of this said, I think strollers give us false security for leaving our stuff. I left my camera in it's bag in my stroller at a zoo once, while inside an exhibit. Surprise- the camera bag was gone when I came out. I didnt even realize it until about 30 minutes after. Never left anything of value in a stroller after that, still haven't bought another camera. Would have never left my wallet though, which is dumb rationale on my part..wallet contents are easier to replace, annoying, but less expensive.lol

 

[rob0519]

Nobody from Chicago would be that stupid to leave their keys and wallet in the stroller. LOL

Have to agree with you on that one.

 

[rob0519]

In this example it would not be "just" driving a Mercedes to WDW. I think a correct comparison would like driving your Mercedes to the front gate, leaving the door open, leaving the car running with a full tank of gas, and then being surprised that it is gone when you go to leave.

For me its not just the price of the stroller but the stroller did make her a mark. The thief had probably been watching her and as soon as she saw the wallet and keys tossed in the bottom it and the stroller was left unattended it was game on. When my DS was little we had a nice stroller for him, no where near $1800 but it was nice. Right before his first WDW trip we ran to Baby's R Us and dropped $50 on a stroller to use while we were down there. If it came up missing no big deal.
The part that irks me is the whole damsel in distress bit. If she just lost the stroller, no biggie file an incident claim with Disney and your insurance company and move on. But no she put her wallet, keys, and medical supplies in there! Who does that? Those items never leave my side while on vacation! So after losing the items it's the Help ME Help ME!! I'm stranded in WDW!! It has ruined my whole trip!! Come on!

Actually, I don't believe the keys and the wallet were the main target. Those appear to be collateral damage as the thief has apparently been boosting strollers to sell online for quite some time. She was not charged with auto theft or deceptive practices for using the credit cards.

The mother was really totally irresponsible. I doubt she would leave that stroller and all her valuables unattended in a Miami public park. Then again she might.

 

[larryz]

If a Mercedes is stolen out of the MK parking lot, was that victim "still asking for it"? Where does your opinion of blaming the victim stop?

Was it locked, all the valuables put away out of sight? Then it wasn't the victim's fault.

Was it unlocked, with loads of valuables laying out on the console and behind the seats? Victim must claim a share of the fault with "contributory negligence."

 

[Raineman]

I would have to agree with the people who say that the woman was negligent in leaving valuables in the stroller, but was an innocent theft victim when it comes to the stroller. There have been a few times on here where a post about something that happened to a WDW guest makes me shake my head a bit-I always carry a bit of natural paranoia with me whenever I leave my house. I almost always keep my keys, my wallet, etc on my person, and when they are not with me, they are secured somewhere that is able to be locked with no access to strangers. In most situations, I always think "How can I keep myself, my family and our belongings as safe as possible?" Case in point, and not to dredge up this debate again, but, we visited WDW last March, and my DD and I saw a crane in the shallow water at Pop. DD started to move closer, but I told her not to get too close, as there could be gators in any body of fresh water in Florida. A few months later, the tragedy at the GF beach happened, and I couldn't help but think if the parents had had the same slight paranoia that I have, would that have turned out different. I'm not blaming the parents here, so please don't rake me over the coals, just a "what if".

 

[rob0519]

Was it locked, all the valuables put away out of sight? Then it wasn't the victim's fault.

Was it unlocked, with loads of valuables laying out on the console and behind the seats? Victim must claim a share of the fault with "contributory negligence."

While the stroller owner may have increase the risk of a crime by leaving an expensive stroller unattended, a crime is never a victim's "fault". A perpetrator must make a conscious effort to commit the crime or walk away, making it their decision alone.

In the case of the stroller, the wallet, phone, medicine, etc. were not the targets. This woman stole strollers for a profit. If she was after credit cards and phones the stroller would have been left there. That stroller would have been stolen whether those items were there or not.

Cars have locks to prevent them from being stolen, so yes, if you leave your car unlocked it could be considered contributory as you failed to engage a manufacturer's security system. If it's locked and the thief manages to steal it anyway, there is no negligence on the owner's part. This stroller had no such locking mechanism. Perhaps the manufacturer's of these high end strollers should develop a wheel locking mechanism that would force a thief to have to carry the stroller away

 

[Goofyernmost]

While the stroller owner may have increase the risk of a crime by leaving an expensive stroller unattended, a crime is never a victim's "fault". A perpetrator must make a conscious effort to commit the crime or walk away, making it their decision alone.

In the case of the stroller, the wallet, phone, medicine, etc. were not the targets. This woman stole strollers for a profit. If she was after credit cards and phones the stroller would have been left there. That stroller would have been stolen whether those items were there or not.

Cars have locks to prevent them from being stolen, so yes, if you leave your car unlocked it could be considered contributory as you failed to engage a manufacturer's security system. If it's locked and the thief manages to steal it anyway, there is no negligence on the owner's part. This stroller had no such locking mechanism. Perhaps the manufacturer's of these high end strollers should develop a wheel locking mechanism that would force a thief to have to carry the stroller away

Sure, but the chances are, if a key was needed, that would have been left too. One cannot blame, in the sense of total fault that the victim of this the one that was responsible for a person that decided to steal their property. Of course, they aren't at fault for that, however, the degree of loss is, with no room for argument, their fault. No one with a working brain cell, would leave their keys, wallet and medicine in a vessel that could easily be rolled away in a very, very, very public place which contains all levels of humanity.

I'm sure that the degree of hassle was intense and the intensity was caused by the completely unthinkable actions of the victim. Without the wallet, keys and medicine availability, the only problem they would have had was the loss of a stroller, which they may have been extremely able to replace. Sorry, just cannot feel any sympathy for that kind of self imposed problem. In the words of Forrest Gump's Mom... Stupid is as stupid does!

 

[larryz]

This stroller had no such locking mechanism. Perhaps the manufacturer's of these high end strollers should develop a wheel locking mechanism that would force a thief to have to carry the stroller away

Doesn't WDW ban locks on strollers? I've heard they'll cut locks if you chain them to fences, railings, benches, light posts or CMs.

But to the point, as @Goofyernmost pointed out, the incident would have had much less impact if the owner had kept her wallet, keys and emergency medical supplies with her. The loss of those items is entirely on her, since common sense demanded that she keep those on her person. I understand she's from the Miami area -- I question whether or not she'd leave that stroller similarly burdened outside a store in the Aventura Mall unattended.

 

[21stamps]

Doesn't WDW ban locks on strollers? I've heard they'll cut locks if you chain them to fences, railings, benches, light posts or CMs.

But to the point, as @Goofyernmost pointed out, the incident would have had much less impact if the owner had kept her wallet, keys and emergency medical supplies with her. The loss of those items is entirely on her, since common sense demanded that she keep those on her person. I understand she's from the Miami area -- I question whether or not she'd leave that stroller similarly burdened outside a store in the Aventura Mall unattended.

No, probably not. Because we're in the Disney Bubble. I won't lay a shopping bag down at Aventura Mall. I had 2 shopping bags and my handbag stolen at Boca Town Center while in Nordstrom's shoe department.. walked 10 feet from my chair to the mirror. Huge lesson learned- NEVER turn your back on a bag in a mall. Upscale or otherwise.
But, I think I'm Disney you feel like people won't steal. I left items in a stroller while there- not handbag, but bags containing souvenirs and the stupid $20 water spray bottle. I wouldn't do that at Aventura Mall, or any Mall.

 

[DisneyJoe]

Doesn't WDW ban locks on strollers? I've heard they'll cut locks if you chain them to fences, railings, benches, light posts or CMs.

You cannot lock your stroller to something, the CM's need to be able to move/rearrange them, but you can lock the wheels to prevent someone from pushing it away - it would be much more obvious if someone was carrying a stroller with locked wheels down Main St.

 

[AndrewsJ]

When it comes to the resorts, cameras can be few and far between especially when compared to the parks.

The urban myth that every square inch of WDW is under surveillance is just that...a myth.

If you say it, I believe it. Thanks for the info.