Carribean Explorer Theft at Sea?

[Doc Intrepid]

Even if you cannot lock your luggage all the time, there are all sorts of lockable pelican cases, small sealed boxes, and the like. Leaving large amounts of cash laying around unsecured in your shorts, wallet or purse seems to be asking for problems. Keeping the majority of your on-hand money in travelors checks, and putting cash and checks in a lockable pelican laptop case or small box might be a wiser way to handle your money while on vacation. Also, American Express now offers a new "Travelfunds" card you use instead of travelers checks - you put any amount of money you'd like on the card, prepaid in advance. The card is accepted wherever travelers checks are. Here: http://www10.americanexpress.com/sif/cda/page/0,1641,18730,00.asp?aexp_nav=travcheques

 

[cdiver2]

As this seems to be a one time/trip complaint and not an epidemic I don't see any justification for blaming a crew member. Yes, the steward(ess) would not get questioned if seen coming out of a guest's room, but all the more reason not to steal, as that person would often be the first suspect. If the victim believes that it was another guest I'm sure they have reason for such a claim.
I wonder why the victim(s) did not mention the theft while they were on board the boat when something could have been done about it. Think about that.

What could they have done about it if it had been reported straight away......arrest everyone with money in there possession ?

 

[Scuba_John]

Just a small idea to build on. I keep track of my funds no matter where I am. I am sure to count it when I am figuring the amount I need to tip or how much I need to get out of the parking lot.

 

[divenut2001]

And just how do you know it's a "one" time complaint? Did you do any investigating on this matter? Just because they suspected a fellow passenger doesn't mean he was guilty. He didn't dive much, so what!! He paid the same amount of money for the trip as everyone else.


It seems highly unlikely for someone to put out that kind of money just to steal a few hundred bucks. So what would be the point of that? Most businesses suffer more loses from "employee" theft then from customers.

I was in a laundramat once and a couple who was doing their laundry suddenly realized that the woman's purse was missing. Being I was the person standing closest to them, "guess" who they suspected of stealing it? I watched as the husband (or boyfriend) talked to everyone in the place pointing his finger at me and looking in every reseptical he thought I might have stashed it.

Well when their machine stopped they opened the door to unload it and out came the purse that the "dumb asses" thru in with the laundry. And everyone watched as two very "red" faced people left with a load of wet laundry and one "very" soggy purse.

So just because someone is suspected of doing something doesn't make them "guilty"! Sure hope you never get jury duty.

And my "point" that you obviously missed was that more than one person had opportunity so they should not rule out the crew. That is also why I suggested reporting the incident in case it "has" happened on other trips.

As this seems to be a one time/trip complaint and not an epidemic I don't see any justification for blaming a crew member. Yes, the steward(ess) would not get questioned if seen coming out of a guest's room, but all the more reason not to steal, as that person would often be the first suspect. If the victim believes that it was another guest I'm sure they have reason for such a claim.
I wonder why the victim(s) did not mention the theft while they were on board the boat when something could have been done about it. Think about that.

 

[divenut2001]

What could they have done about it if it had been reported straight away......arrest everyone with money in there possession ?

Getting everybody together and informing them that there's a thief amongst them would at least make them aware and make the thief more leary knowing everyone would be on their guard. Unfortunately, this thief was pretty slick because no one noticed untill they had left the boat.:-(

 

[murphdivers286]

I have never been on a liveaboard, so bear with me. Why didn't they lock their cabin.

I also agree on locking up all valuables, including reg, comp. when you are not around. It is funny how the stangest things will grow legs and walk away.

 

[divenut2001]

I have never been on a liveaboard, so bear with me. Why didn't they lock their cabin.

I also agree on locking up all valuables, including reg, comp. when you are not around. It is funny how the stangest things will grow legs and walk away.

You're pretty much on the honor system. I was on the Palau Aggressor last year and although you could lock your staterooms from the inside we were given no keys so when out of the room they were unlocked. Don't know how any of the other liveaboards operate.

I go on less glamorous liveaboards in the Channel Islands off the coast of So Cal that are typically 3 days in length. There are a limited amount of staterooms that do not lock and a lot of open single bunks with privacy curtains. All of us are on the honor system. To my knowledge no one has ever been ripped off on any of the liveaboards I've been on.

Hearing about things like this though definitely keeps you from getting too complacent and sadly takes away a little of the trust you have in your fellow divers. I always like to think that we divers are of a better class of people. JMHO.

 

[Damselfish]

The 2 Peter Hughes boats I've been on have been the same - you could lock from the inside but I don't recall a key (and fortunately never felt need of one, not to mention it would be a pain.)