to worry about theft from beaches and poolsides on holiday

[cakeorwine]

Just DS and I. I do have a waterproof pack that I have taken in the water - and it does keep the phone , keys and money safe. But I feel a bit self conscious wearing it as I don't see anyone else with them. At the same time, I don't really want to leave a bag by a towel or a sunbed alone whilst I am in the water with DS. Even if he is around. Sometimes it's just me.

I know I shouldn't feel self conscious - I do feel as if I am being paranoid. But surely people do go in a pool with their family and partners - and they do leave valuable stuff unattended.

Does anyone else worry - or are people relaxed about such things?

It's easy to forget where it's buried

Hide valuables in a tampon box and leave that separate from your main bag, maybe in a smaller vanity type bag. That way if your main bag gets nicked it won't have your valuables in and no one's going to go after the tampon box.

I never said I left anything expensive un-attended?

I just hide valuables under a towel or in a bag under my sun lounger.
At the beach I bury stuff in the sand

Are valuables not expensive?

Or is this a 'well, I know I was 5-15m away in the water so had no opportunity whatsoever to see any interference with my bag or if I did, I wouldn't be able to get there before it was taken, but that doesn't mean it was unattended'?

Either way, I made a pretty reasonable living with 35-40 of these to decline in a day over summer combined with the claims for £1000 of clothes real cost about £250 at best trashed by a big bottle of Ambre Solaire put on top of them before handing it over to be booted around by Servisair.

are valuables not expensive?

Nothing I would waste my time claiming on insurance for, no.

By valuables I maybe mean by Kindle which is worth maybe £20 at best, room key, sunglasses etc.

It's very common to take phones down to the pool. I like to go for a swim and then get out and lay on a sunlounger with my earbuds in, listening to my music on phone.

I do the nappy trick too - hide my card / money/ phone in the nappy and then pop it in a nappy bag , tie it up and leave it next to my bag and a pack of wipes. So far we've not had anything pinched.

I never worry too much about theft from under a towel on the beach or at the pool

I never carry cash on holiday so the only thing vulnerable is my phone

I've got a waterproof pouch that goes on a lanyard round my neck when I swim as I like my phone to listen to audiobooks when I'm sunbathing. I'm not too bothered what other people think though.

We also take a beach tent that zips up at the front. Not totally secure, but easy to see if someone is messing with our stuff.

It’s better to feel a bit self conscious than to discover your things have been stolen.

Yeah I would go with the waterproof pack in the water.

Im a lot less blasé about these things since my phone was stolen off my desk at work, while I was in the room (I know it's not the same).

This is one of the reasons I went all inclusive as a single parent. No need to carry money.

In Florida I had my room key swiped while in the pool (was a hotel for youngish people), the receptionist informed me it was pretty normal, as people do it for "a joke".

This was in about 2010, when it wasn't obligatory to have phone with you at all times. Not sure what people do now with mobile phones.

Ring DS and see what he's doing and when he's going to come over?
And do MN of course.....

I've always taken my phone/keys etc to the beach/pool all over the world. Never had anything nicked. I'm sure it could happen but it's not worth wearing my phone round my neck for!

Same!

Do people not realise that putting your stuff in a nappy or burying it in the sand under your towel are both not smart tricks, when so many other people say they do the same trick?

For our recent holiday I bought a swimming float attachment thing that is tethered to you and floats around nearby. it can hold quite a lot so I put all our phones, keys, purses in it and you could even have fitted more stuff in. they’re used for safety too (in case you get swept away/out of your depth) so no one thinks oddly of you for having one. I’m thrilled with it, perfect solution!

this kind of thing

Totally agree. The beach offers natural entertainment - no need for a phone.

It comes down to temperament. It's unlikely your bag will be stolen but if you're a worrier (like me!)you won't relax leaving it unattended. Whereas some people tend more towards optimism and would always take their chances (and accept the consequences if it does get stolen.) I would 'own' the bag and try and relax safe in the knowledge you have all your stuff with you.

I've bought this for our upcoming holiday:

Portable Mini Cipher Box... https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07G87GX3K?ref=ppxpoppmobappshare

Don't take valuables to the beach or pool.

If I'm in a hotel, I just take the room key. If I were camping, I'd lock stuff in the car and take the car key. But I also have a waterproof lanyard which works fine if I'm walking and need my phone with me. If it looks silly, I don't care!

Wrap em in a nappy. Even if your kid is older. Keys, phone, money. Don’t take other valuables with you I guess! People won’t want to steal what looks like a dirty nappy.

I work in home insurance claims and have down for a very long time and I will advise those people leaving their stuff under towels etc tk be extremely careful because the sheer magnitude or people who claim for this kind of thing and then it's not covered because it's been left unattended is crazy!

@bbcc89 because the proportion of people who hide phones in nappies is way smaller than the amount of regular dirty nappies that people leave around, so who is going around ripping open dirty nappies incase they find a phone? Especially when there will be multiple unattended beach bags that are easier to steal from