"Lost" clothing

[MarciaWhitney]

It appears that someone had a greater need for my blue rain jacket at the Albergue Roncesvalles than I did on April 15. Through the Forum, I've been warned to carry valuables in a water-proof bag to the bathroom. I hadn't realized that anyone would be interested in clothing. Has anyone else had this problem? Marcia Whitney-Schenck

 

[koknesis]

I'm sorry to hear such thing has happen. Actually a while ago I was a little surprised when somebody from experienced ones on this forum adviced - "trust nobody". perhaps one has just to take this as a part of pilgrimage.

 

[Rebekah Scott]

Just comfort yourself with the knowing that those who steal from pilgrims will burn in hell, according to several Papal Bulls.

And finding another poncho is as near as the "lost and found" box in upcoming albergues.

 

[fraluchi]

[...]Through the Forum, I've been warned to carry valuables in a water-proof bag to the bathroom.[...] Has anyone else had this problem?

Marcia , you had an unfortunate experience and were not the only one. Sometimes there are genuine mistakes (mostly walking sticks), but there is potential petty theft along the road. One shouldn't see a potential thief in every stranger (or peregrino), but on the other hand it's better to be safe than sorry. Always watch your belongings and/or keep them in safe custody (which may be in lockers or watched by a friend or acquaintance). Keep important documents (passport, wallet, credit cards, etc.) at all times in a "marsupio" (did I hear "fanny-bag ?) under your undivided control. At night time you can attach it to most bed posts and keep it under your pillow. Don't forget it on a bathroom hook after showering
Keep a scanned copy of your passport and/or identity cards in another compartment of your backpack, as well as an e-mail attachment which you should have sent to yourself.
Said all that, be careful, enjoy your walk and Ultreya!

 

[Jochen-Schmidtke]

Marcia , you had an unfortunate experience and were not the only one. Sometimes there are genuine mistakes (mostly walking sticks), but there is potential petty theft along the road. One shouldn't see a potential thief in every stranger (or peregrino), but on the other hand it's better to be safe than sorry. Always watch your belongings and/or keep them in safe custody (which may be in lockers or watched by a friend or acquaintance). Keep important documents (passport, wallet, credit cards, etc.) at all times in a "marsupio" (did I hear "fanny-bag ?) under your undivided control. At night time you can attach it to most bed posts and keep it under your pillow. Don't forget it on a bathroom hook after showering
Keep a scanned copy of your passport and/or identity cards in another compartment of your backpack, as well as an e-mail attachment which you should have sent to yourself.
Said all that, be careful, enjoy your walk and Ultreya!

Hello.
Theft on travels read here
Buen and save Camino
Jochen

 

[domigee]

It appears that someone had a greater need for my blue rain jacket at the Albergue Roncesvalles than I did on April 15. Through the Forum, I've been warned to carry valuables in a water-proof bag to the bathroom. I hadn't realized that anyone would be interested in clothing. Has anyone else had this problem? Marcia Whitney-Schenck

Hi Marcia,
Yes, sadly, on my second camino last Summer, I 'lost' my towel in Roncesvalles. I had shared a wash with another pilgrim and saw our basket was ready, with my towel on top. I just nipped out to get her and when I came back, the towel had gone. Like you, it didn't occur to me that things would go missing from a washing basket!
In Ponferrada, I put my sleeping bag on my bed, as one does... , with my sleeping bag liner tucked inside it, as it always was. When I got into bed that evening, the liner was missing.
Both times I thought... Well someone must have greater need of them than I did.... (But to tell truth, I was not a happy bunny!)
I never leave valuables unattended, that's just passport, credit card and money, phone and credential...the rest I assumed was safe and to be fair, it usually is!

 

[tploomis]

It appears that someone had a greater need for my blue rain jacket at the Albergue Roncesvalles than I did on April 15. Through the Forum, I've been warned to carry valuables in a water-proof bag to the bathroom. I hadn't realized that anyone would be interested in clothing. Has anyone else had this problem? Marcia Whitney-Schenck

LOL. It appears a beautiful woman in the Atocha train station in Madrid had a greater need for my wallet than I did! She took it out of my pocket!

 

[Mark Lee]

I'm all for "turning the other cheek", and the old saying along the lines of "somebody else needed it more than I did", but quite honestly I don't want anybody stealing my stuff and putting a negative twist to my Camino, or any other trip or holiday, etc.
So, I always carried my passport and wallet with me in a waterproof bag to the showers in the albergue and I secured my pack to a bed post or something when I could with a bike-lock.
I figure God wants me to forgive, of course, but he also wants me to use common sense and take precautions. After all, God did give you a very complex and developed brain.

 

[Paschulke]

Well, getting things stolen is annoying. But what makes me sad is that there are people who mindlessly take things from other people. Although I'm born and raised in i big city I still cannot cope with this. But imagine if someone came along and asked, "I haven't got anything to sleep in, could you spare me your silk liner" or something like that…

But then again, that takes guts / personality.

 

[Kanga]

Madrid and Barcelona have always been hot spots for pickpockets but it saddens me to hear of theft on the Camino. In medieval times there were many who preyed on the pilgrims but it has not been much of an issue in modern times. Perhaps now the Camino is seen more as a hiking adventure than a pilgrimage and with different motives comes different values. Or just that Spain is experiencing difficult financial times. With 20% unemployment there are many who have time to walk but no money.

 

[grayland]

.....SNIP.....Or just that Spain is experiencing difficult financial times. With 20% unemployment there are many who have time to walk but no money.

Unemployment or difficult financial times have nothing to do with these type of thieves and low lifes... They don't work in good times..
Scumbags will always be with us. One doesn't suddenly start stealing clothes and equipment because they lost a job.