Local Gyms put their Members at Risk.
Most of us go the gym under the assumption that it is a safe place.
It has come to our attention that the major athletic clubs in London are hiding information about an ongoing theft ring that is targeting their members.
Yes… you heard that correctly, there is a ring of professional thieves cutting off locks and emptying out lockers and stealing everything you own.
This is a huge problem, especially for those who think their locked locker is safer than the car. Let’s face it, we all believe that the locker is secure, and it is because of this that we leave things in there that we would never think would be stolen.
Here is what is happening at epidemic levels within the major clubs in London.
A ring of skilled thieves is using stolen member ID cards to swipe into the gym. One thief stands lookout outside the changeroom, and the male or female goes into the men’s or women’s change room with their ‘gym bag.’ The member goes to a private corner and pulls out a small pair of very powerful bolt cutters. The cutters are so small that they discreetly fit within his or her gym bag. Within a matter of seconds, the lock is cut. The member then empties out the contents of the locker into their gym bag and walks out of the gym unnoticed.
By the time the customer realizes their stuff is missing the perpetrator is long gone.
The more significant issues lie in what happens next. The club acts concerned when told the member has been robbed. They say ‘that this is horrible’ and that they will look into it.
What you don’t know is that the gym is fully aware of this serious risk of theft. they actually they have photos of the known thieves behind their counter. The gym doesn’t let its members know that this is happening and doesn’t publicly post the pictures for the club members to see.
In doing this, more and more Londoners are having their personal belongings ripped from them. Their phones, wallets, ID’s, car keys, laptops and more are being stolen from their gym bags and purses.
The thieves often use the stolen ID to swipe in the next time. The thieves are very bright and are able to continue with this lucrative practice because we as members think our stuff is safer in the locker behind a lock than in our car.
The police know about it and are trying to find the thieves. So, one is left to ponder… Why don’t the clubs publicly post the photos? Why not let the gym members know what is going on within the gym so they can keep a lookout for the thieves themselves or maybe decide to leave their valuables in the car instead?
We think that their failure to warn their clients or admit that they know about such activity is an unacceptable business practice. In our opinion, the club may be liable for your losses if you are robbed… because they are not addressing the fact that there is an increased risk and they are failing to protect their clients.
Ask your gym what they are doing to address this issue. Should they have to pay for the stolen goods if they have the photos of the thieves and choose not to share them?
Contact us today when You CAN’T Afford to Lose
(519) 657-1529 or Info@Millarslaw.com
By: Phillip Millar
