Theft at Airventure 2012

[RCALLEG]

I always had the feeling that things were pretty safe at Airventure, but that has changed. On Monday July 30, 2012, I took the fly off my tent to let the tent dry (the tent ws still up and staked with items in it)while I went to breakfast and also to visit some people. When I came back my stuff was dumped out on the ground and my tent was gone. Someone stole my tent between 0800 and 1130hrs. It was an LL Bean 4 man (blue) dome tent. It is a shame that this happened. I have gone camping at Airventure for many years, but this has probably put and end to my going there next year or ever again. The tent was set up near the "Beacon Tower" at the ramp entrance.

If you have any information I would appreciate it. No one would have mistaken it for being abandoned. EAA personnel did not take it either ,because when they pick up the abandon items they do not leave things behind. They remove everything.

Also, there were no tracks from the roadway to the tent (foot or car) so it is most likely a person that was on the camp grounds that stole the tent.

Additional Information:

I found out that EAA only had one person working security Monday July 30,2012, for the whole site and since that person is mostly at the exibits and flight line there are really no patrols at all in the camp grounds. For the people in the past that have asked where is security that is part of the answer.

Also, even though I did file a report with security I still have not heard from anyone at EAA Headquarters. You would think they would atleast say they were sorry to hear about what happened and hoped that I would visit again, but I have heard nothing from them.

I did not realize that I had foolishly left somethings in the tent and they are gone too. For those who said tents are cheap(some are cheap junk) that was an LL Bean Tent that cost $260.00. For me that is not cheap and there were more costs than that. The total is up to $600.00. I made a mistake, I thought I had put those items in my truck when I left the tent temporarily.

If I do not hear from the EAA Headquarters soon then I will know that they just do not care. If that is the case then my membership will not be renewed next year and I will not be back to Airventure.

I guess you can tell that this has been a very bitter experience.