[Guide]  Beyblade Equipment Security at Tournaments

Huzzah! I'm Deceased Crab! You might remember me from threads such as "Arriving to tournaments on time", "Parents, this thread answers all of your questions", and "Elves on Shelves are not to be trusted"! And I'd like to talk to you about keeping your Beyblade parts safe at tournaments!

You brought your beyparts with you to a tournament, likely in some sort of bag, or loose in a beystadium that you are holding at all times, or in a backpack, or in a toolbox.

But there are times you might want to not carry your beyparts with you! And when that happens, it is important that you leave them with a person who you can trust! Ideally, the person who drove or walked you to the tournament!

What you shouldn't do is just put your parts down on a table or floor somewhere and walk away from them. Because then people might make bad decisions and steal from you. You don't want to be stolen from! People shouldn't steal from you! But if you leave your beys alone and unattended, they're gonna! If we catch anyone stealing, they'll probably be temporarily or permanently banned for a while! But you can't have anyone stealing if no one leaves parts lying around! So, to cut down on those baser impulses, let's just... not make our beypart cases into targets of theft! Keep them with you at all times, or with a parent/guardian!

Also, please don't leave your beyparts toolbox in the middle of the tournament stadiums area and walk away from it. No really, please don't do that, no one is keeping an eye on them and it's making a mess.

Now, you might be saying to the screen "But DC, I have so many parts, and my beycase is so heavy. I cannot reasonably carry my beyparts with me at all times!" Well, good for you! And to that I say "Bring FEWER of your Beyparts with you to tournaments, not ALL of them! And bring a smaller case!"

Let's take me for example. I have a lot of Beyblades. Too many Beyblades. I look at all the bills I've accrued from buying Beyblades, and I start quietly weeping. I'm just lucky I have no children of my own, because I spent their college fund already. I spent it on Beyblades. My God, how can I keep doing this to myself and to my wife? They're going to get fed up with me, and divorce me, and take half of my Beyblades in the settlement! This is awful!

So aside from "I need to spend less money on Beyblades" (I was kidding, I don't spend more money on Beyblades than I can safely afford to spend, and my wife doesn't want the Beyblades, they want the house), I have way too many Beyblade parts for me to take them all with me to a tournament. I only take what I might use. I have a big toolbox that I store them in, it's huge, easily the size of 4 lunchboxes or even 8. But I'm a 36 year old adult (nominally) that goes to the gym, so lifting that heavy toolbox and carrying it with me at all times is NOT a problem.

But let's talk about you. You're what, 6, 9, 13? You can't carry your entire collection with you! And you can't store them in the judges area like I can because you're probably not one of the judges! You should get yourself a reasonably sized beyparts case, only put the parts in there that you're going to use, and carry it with you at all times during a tournament!

"But DC," I hear you say to the screen, "I don't want to watch over my own property at all times to make sure I don't get stolen from. I don't want to live in constant paranoid fear of theft!" Well, I'm sorry, but you really ought to. Most of the time, people don't steal! Until you make it easy for them. Then they might steal! I grew up in New York City, so I live in constant paranoia that everyone is "out to get me". They aren't, except when they are. You should develop a healthy amount of fear and paranoia so that you take better care of your stuff!

So now you understand why you have to be paranoid and distrustful of everyone: To Keep Your Beyblades Safe!
Great post. I had two kids leave upset after the last tournament because they went home with less Beyblades than they came with.
(Feb. 12, 2020  8:45 PM)SupaDav03 Wrote: Great post. I had two kids leave upset after the last tournament because they went home with less Beyblades than they came with.

That's not good. The venue might have security cameras, and considering the theft of anything is a crime, they might help find out who did it.
Awesome post. It’ll be our first tournament on sat and theft is always a possibility at these things like any gathering you just have to keep an eye on your things. And if you notice something odd let a judge or whoever is running it you saw something odd.
(Feb. 10, 2020  11:55 PM)DeceasedCrab Wrote: Let's take me for example. I have a lot of Beyblades. Too many Beyblades. I look at all the bills I've accrued from buying Beyblades, and I start quietly weeping. I'm just lucky I have no children of my own, because I spent their college fund already. I spent it on Beyblades. My God, how can I keep doing this to myself and to my wife? They're going to get fed up with me, and divorce me, and take half of my Beyblades in the settlement! This is awful!

This is also me, just without the wife.
(Feb. 10, 2020  11:55 PM)DeceasedCrab Wrote: Huzzah! I'm Deceased Crab! You might remember me from threads such as "Arriving to tournaments on time", "Parents, this thread answers all of your questions", and "Elves on Shelves are not to be trusted"! And I'd like to talk to you about keeping your Beyblade parts safe at tournaments!

Wait a minute... This isn't Troy McClure xD
Nice work. We just made a similar PSA in my area too, although Its less about theft (so far at least) and more about kids being careless with their belonging.

1. Don't bring your whole dang collection.
2. Put away unused parts in your bag/box, don't leave them scattered
3. Try to avoid lending parts to other players, especially lending several parts to several players.
4. If you need to borrow a part, make sure you get permission, and as soon as you're done make sure you give it back ASAP
5. Regularly check your belongings, and one more time before heading home, make sure you remind your friends too.
6. If you find an unattended part and cannot find the owner, notify a judge or the organizer. DO NOT bring the part home with you, or use it to play.

We had to make the PSA because number 6 happened in one of our events. We know its not theft since the kid told us that he found a part and asks us to help find the owner. The problem was that he notified us at night after the event wrapped up instead of on the spot, and he was previously seen using the part in his combo..
Honestly, this should be pinned. Where however, is the biggest question.
If I am being honest, if I find a lost part, i'd likely hand it to the Organizer, or one of the judges. Or if someone drops it, i'd pick it up and tell them they dropped it. I want to have a great time at a tournament, and try to be helpful while i'm there.
(Feb. 12, 2020  8:52 PM)#Fafnir Wrote:
(Feb. 12, 2020  8:45 PM)SupaDav03 Wrote: Great post. I had two kids leave upset after the last tournament because they went home with less Beyblades than they came with.

That's not good. The venue might have security cameras, and considering the theft of anything is a crime, they might help find out who did it.

It was just a pavilion at a public park so no cameras around. I don’t think it was done purposefully. Kids had their stuff scattered everyone and I think maybe someone grabbed the bey thinking it was theirs. We found beys in the grass and all over. This was after telling parents & bladers to be mindful of their stuff.
(Feb. 13, 2020  3:30 AM)SupaDav03 Wrote:
(Feb. 12, 2020  8:52 PM)#Fafnir Wrote: That's not good. The venue might have security cameras, and considering the theft of anything is a crime, they might help find out who did it.

It was just a pavilion at a public park so no cameras around. I don’t think it was done purposefully. Kids had their stuff scattered everyone and I think maybe someone grabbed the bey thinking it was theirs. We found beys in the grass and all over. This was after telling parents & bladers to be mindful of their stuff.

Oh, ok. Well, that's not good. People need to keep up with their stuff if possible.