|
|
Post by airraider on Sept 16, 2008 7:38:06 GMT -6
Two out of the three schools I have been at.. there has always been issues dealing with kids taking things from lockers..
My school last year.. we didnt even have locks.. or doors.. just open box type lockers.. NEVER had anything stolen..
So far at my new school.. had a track kid get $300 stolen from his pants outside at practice..
Have had cell phones.. small amounts of money.. and other little things stolen from lockers this season..
Our lockers are old.. and not all in the best shape..
But I tell the kids.. if you have anything of value.. give it to me to lock up in my office..
Well.. There is this one kid who was highly suspected of taking that $300..
The same kid was one of 3 kids who had to leave to go to work early the same day the other things came up missing.
Needless to say.. I do not trust the kid..
Well.. there are 2 kids who have trouble remembering their combo's.. so they have to get my keys from time to time to unlock their locker..
Last thursday we are watching film.. and one of the kids askes to use them.. So I let him..
He comes back and I ask him where my keys are.. and he says.. --------- Has them.. the same kid that I suspected doing all the stealing..
I immediately say thats not right.. and head to the lockerroom.
As I get there another kid walks out and hands me my keys.. So I think nothing about it..
After practice I go to open the lock for one of the kids.. and the key is gone..
So I know right away what happened.. So I look for the kid.. but he has already left..
So here is where it gets tough.. I call the kid.. and say.. "I am not asking you this.. I am telling you.. I know you have the key.. and I need it back.. " And he tells me he doenst have it.. I then say.. "I know you have it.. that kid said you took it.. (lie) and I have to have that key back.. " He says.. "coach, I dont have it".. I say.. "look, I dont care why you took it.. and I dont want to care.. I just need that key back.. bring it back to me and I will never mention it again.. I just HAVE to have it back.. and we will forget this ever happened.."
He said.. "alright coach.. I will bring it back.. I just needed to open my locker and I forgot to bring it back".. I said.. "I dont want to hear it.. its over.. just bring me the key back and we will never talk about this again.."
I got the key back the next morning.. and I informed my other coaches about the situation..
I know I should take action.. but at the same time.. I feel like I painted myself into a corner by using the "we will never bring it up again" in order to make sure I got the key back.
I HAD to get it back.. because if not I would have had to throw away 60 locks and buy all new ones.. and right now.. I am $300 in the hole..
As of right now.. its just an issue where we now KNOW we cant trust a kid, who we originally thought we could not trust..
He will NEVER be allowed to be alone in our lockerroom.. and will never be able to do anything that involves trust..
But.. I still have a bad feeling deep down.. that I should have gotten rid of him.. but at the same time.. I didnt want it to get out that I baited him into giving himself up.. and then went back on it..
sorry so long and all over the place..
|
|
|
|
Post by cmow5 on Sept 16, 2008 8:10:29 GMT -6
I hope he did not copy the key the night he had it. If I was a gambling man my money would say he made a copy. We just kicked a guy off the team yesterday that has been suspected of stealing stuff and missing practice.
|
|
|
|
Post by coachcb on Sept 16, 2008 8:43:03 GMT -6
I would call our school police officer, have him question the kid about whether he made copies or not, I would bring him to one last practice, run the hell out of him, and then kick him off the team.
I doubt the kid made copies of the keys; if he had, he just would have forked the keys over when you asked for them. I bet he was snowing you because he was planning on breaking into the lockers with them again.
We had an issue with theft earlier in the year, but we had no proof as to who was doing it. We had a vague idea who was responsible: one of my DBs. So, I pulled the DBs together, and while staring at our potential thief in the eyes, told them that we had an idea who the thief was and that if anything else came up missing there would be hell to pay. Then, the entire team ended up doing over a 1,000 yards of sprints and bear-crawls. We haven't had an issue since.
|
|
|
|
Post by coachd5085 on Sept 16, 2008 8:44:58 GMT -6
I agree with cmow5... I think you need to change the locks anyway. If he lied to you about the key twice... he wanted to keep it. If he wanted to keep it..he had a reason. If he had a reason, then he had it copied that night.
I know this is 20/20 hindsight, but you didn't save yourself any grief, because the kid HAS copy of the key, and YOU STILL need to change all the locks.
|
|
|
|
Post by thunder17 on Sept 16, 2008 9:16:57 GMT -6
Never give the kids a chance to do something stupid. Too late now but I would suggest opening the locks for them and not allowing access to the key. I know it's a pain in the rear sometimes when your busy and you don't feel like helping them. But, this is what happens when you don't. I also learned the hard way!
|
|
|
|
Post by casec11 on Sept 16, 2008 9:20:17 GMT -6
change the locks....
|
|
|
|
Post by airraider on Sept 16, 2008 9:21:48 GMT -6
I am pretty sure he doesnt have a copy.. I tried to make some copies of all of our keys for an assistant coach.. I went to 3 different places and no one could copy them.. not that they didnt try.. but they did not have the key to do it..
I then find out that they can only be reproduced through Master Lock..
And you are totally right thunder.. I gave those kids their combo again.. and told them learn it.. or start keeping their stuff in the coaches office.. because no one was using my keys again..
I also made a rule that NO kid goes into the lockerroom early without a coach going in and staying with him..
|
|
|
|
Post by ajreaper on Sept 16, 2008 10:46:27 GMT -6
If your office has windows looking out into the locker room set up a few cameras on tripods pointing out into the locker room- you get a record who's in there as well as if they happen to approach lockers that do not belong to them. You can also hide the cameras from view if you like as well but having them visable pretty much takes care of the problem.
|
|
|
|
Post by airraider on Sept 16, 2008 11:26:15 GMT -6
If your office has windows looking out into the locker room set up a few cameras on tripods pointing out into the locker room- you get a record who's in there as well as if they happen to approach lockers that do not belong to them. You can also hide the cameras from view if you like as well but having them visable pretty much takes care of the problem. I thought about that.. but video taping a place where kids change clothes.. that might not set well with the school board.. |
|
|
|
Post by phantom on Sept 16, 2008 11:32:58 GMT -6
If your office has windows looking out into the locker room set up a few cameras on tripods pointing out into the locker room- you get a record who's in there as well as if they happen to approach lockers that do not belong to them. You can also hide the cameras from view if you like as well but having them visable pretty much takes care of the problem. I thought about that.. but video taping a place where kids change clothes.. that might not set well with the school board.. You don't need to tape when the team is in there, just when you're away. |
|
|
|
Post by casec11 on Sept 16, 2008 11:41:04 GMT -6
If your office has windows looking out into the locker room set up a few cameras on tripods pointing out into the locker room- you get a record who's in there as well as if they happen to approach lockers that do not belong to them. You can also hide the cameras from view if you like as well but having them visable pretty much takes care of the problem. I thought about that.. but video taping a place where kids change clothes.. that might not set well with the school board.. you could video the entrances into the lockerroom |
|
|
|
Post by ajreaper on Sept 16, 2008 14:44:59 GMT -6
If your office has windows looking out into the locker room set up a few cameras on tripods pointing out into the locker room- you get a record who's in there as well as if they happen to approach lockers that do not belong to them. You can also hide the cameras from view if you like as well but having them visable pretty much takes care of the problem. I thought about that.. but video taping a place where kids change clothes.. that might not set well with the school board.. Just have a coach be the last one out the door and he can get it rolling. You could also place a few signs that say the locker room is video taped when the team is not present (that alone will likely scare some thiefs away). |
|
|
|
Post by threeback on Sept 16, 2008 15:07:26 GMT -6
airraider,
We had that same problem a couple of years ago. Kid borrows keys from coach, brings them back the next day. Kid was good- really good. Totally slick in everything he did. Could never catch him. Tried installing the cameras- school board shot it down for the reasons mentioned above. Copied the master key- we had to get all new locks. So he mastered a way of opening a lock by taking a 5lb weight and banging it on a specific spot on the lock and it opened up like a clam (which we found out after). We could never catch the kid. No matter how many times we told kids not to bring things of value- they still did- and it got stolen.
Know how the kid got caught? Lifted something in the school cafeteria right underneath a coach's nose during study hall. Coach never saw him- but the camera mounted right above him did. Thiefs get braver-and "stupider" the more success they have and eventually get caught, but I would definitely change the locks in the locker room and make sure that no one goes into the locker room without a coach whenever the team is not in there. Do you think he copied your keys to the locker room/offices? Reason I ask is that the kid did that where I was, and had free reign. We had to change out locks on everything. Sucked big time.
Wish you luck.
|
|
|
|
Post by joe83843 on Sept 16, 2008 18:51:52 GMT -6
Find a way to catch him the next time he steals something. Most of the people in Vegas who cheat (who at least kind of know what they're doing) don't get caught the first time despite the cameras, the guards, the professional dealers, etc., but a vast majority DO get caught because they get greedy and keep cheating. How long do you think it will take this kid to spend $300??
Another thing to try is to put a big mirror in the locker room next to either the lockers or entrance/exit. Psychological studies have shown that people are less likely to steal things when they're made more self-aware (i.e. seeing themselves with stolen goods in a mirror). This is why department stores have mirrors in the corners of the ceiling. It may not work with this kid because he's in too deep already, but overall it works pretty well.
|
|
Shotgun1
Sophomore Member
It is better to die trying than to quit...
Posts: 214
|
Post by Shotgun1 on Sept 16, 2008 19:47:36 GMT -6
We never let anyone in the locker room during practice, ever. If you need to leave early bring your bag out to practice and then leave from there. We have had kids change next to the shed and then I will bring their equipment in for them. Or kids will leave with there equipment on and bring it back the next day. The big thing is the policy, the locker room is locked by the last coach and unlocked by the first coach back. NO EXCEPTIONS!
|
|
|
|
Post by oguru on Sept 16, 2008 20:44:32 GMT -6
The college I coach at I just my shorts stolen they were on ym laundy loop,with my shirts and the loop and the shirts were apart. I made it real clear to the kids since I am the video coordinator that NO ONE gets copies of our games until my shorts are found. One kid trys telling me that the AHC told his dad that he could get copies. I told him tough,as the AHC liked my idea. I am sticking to it as
I think you scrwed yourself as you said bring the keys back and nothing will be mentioned again of the situation.
|
|
|
|
Post by airraider on Sept 16, 2008 21:29:33 GMT -6
The college I coach at I just my shorts stolen they were on ym laundy loop,with my shirts and the loop and the shirts were apart. I made it real clear to the kids since I am the video coordinator that NO ONE gets copies of our games until my shorts are found. One kid trys telling me that the AHC told his dad that he could get copies. I told him tough,as the AHC liked my idea. I am sticking to it as [glow=red,2,300]I think you scrwed yourself as you said bring the keys back and nothing will be mentioned again of the situation.[/glow] At least I still have my shorts.. ;D |
|
|
|
Post by coachorr on Sept 16, 2008 22:21:50 GMT -6
Yeah, you painted yourself into a corner. What would the administration say about loaning keys out in the first place? I know my administration would be all over me. It stinks big time that you can't just coach.
|
|
burn
Sophomore Member
Posts: 181
|
Post by burn on Sept 16, 2008 22:28:43 GMT -6
Coach,
Coaching at a new school we had the same problem. Suspected some kids but never had any evidense. The senior kids were tired of getting their stuff stolen. They without my knowledge set a trap by hiding a video in a locker that was locked but put a twenty dollar bill in plain sight in the locker. The lockers are big and are grated so you can see in and you can get a finger in to pull out something like money. A freshman steals the twenty but it takes a little work to get the twenty out so he is on the camera for a good two minutes. I approach the kid he lies I tell him to admit it like a man and we will deal with this in the program if you lie again I will call the police. He lies the police come see the evidense he is put on probation kicked off the team and is now a much better more mature young man. The parents supported us 100%. I did get the camera out of the locker room for reasons stated above but it was nice to teach a young man a lesson while he is still fixable.
|
|
|
|
Post by coachorr on Sept 16, 2008 23:12:44 GMT -6
That is a great story Burn.
|
|
|
|
Post by coachcoyote on Sept 17, 2008 0:32:05 GMT -6
We always had a master list of combos, for PE as well as Athletics. If the kids forgot combos, they had to leave a piece of clothing, shoes, or something of value. The list was kept under lock and key. Seldom would I give my keys to anyone. If I couldn't get to the locker personally, the kid did without until I could. If he was late to practice, he had reminders to help him remember next time.
|
|
