Sneaking in - Full Video

[Radiopaste]

3 hours ago, thewomble said:

Ha wonder if the paramedics were the same 2 guys dressed as paramedics claiming to be on their way to 'the medical tent' who came through gate D on Saturday afternoon. We also had 'litter pickers' who I swear just had a bin bag full of cans and their homemade wristband just fell off when I checked it 😂

On a similar note, on Thursday afternoon we had two guys appear with no wristbands or tickets, just rough looking hi-vis and bum-bags but carrying two bain-marie's. They got turned away but it was a good effort going out and ordering what looked like expensive kitchen equipment as part of the gamble!

[HotChipWillBreakYourLegs]

59 minutes ago, tombertb said:

 

This seems like a sensible place to sit if you're with children.

 

On Saturday, as the crowd swelled between Little Simz and Coldplay, there was a large ish group who had positioned themselves directly between the back of the sound booths and had used a few mini benches to protect their area where children were sat down. So you had two massive pinch points as people struggled to get in and get out for god knows how long.

 

They were typically entitled about their position because 'there are children here'. 

 

Maybe a bit irritating but kids have a right to be there too and be safe.

 

We always position ourselves near a path in case the little man doesn't want to be there so we can leave easily, and there's space for him to have a run around.  When he's older we'll probably be more in the crowd but hopefully sans trolley.

 

Anyway, one old man shouting at a cloud has taken this discussion off topic.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

2 hours ago, Madyaker said:

Id fully believe it. In 2022 I was relieved of my phone while I “slept” (I was completely passed out)

 

A friend of mine had £500 nicked from him while he slept in his tent (he had been told to use the Lock Ups, but risked it). Anyway, the £500 was in cash in a built in pocket in his blow up airbed. The same pocket where his head was on! Of course he, like many, was dead to the world through excess indulgence.

[sedra]

4 hours ago, thewomble said:

Ha wonder if the paramedics were the same 2 guys dressed as paramedics claiming to be on their way to 'the medical tent' who came through gate D on Saturday afternoon. We also had 'litter pickers' who I swear just had a bin bag full of cans and their homemade wristband just fell off when I checked it 😂

Maybe- our two chancers were on Friday morning- they had no medical stuff in their bags 😂 

[Pinhead]

17 minutes ago, Yoghurt on a Stick said:

 

A friend of mine had £500 nicked from him while he slept in his tent (he had been told to use the Lock Ups, but risked it). Anyway, the £500 was in cash in a built in pocket in his blow up airbed. The same pocket where his head was on! Of course he, like many, was dead to the world through excess indulgence.

My tent looks so sh*t now (it's 20 years old) that noone even bothers to try and do it or me over in it.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

1 hour ago, efcfanwirral said:

There was a story relayed to us on shift about someone getting jumped for their wristband by a group of lads late at night in one of the campsites (at the toilets). Never know if that sort of thing is something different though 

 

Hopefully it'll never become a 'thing' at Glastonbury. However, not all ticketless fence jumpers and 'spin in' attendees are there for the music and the wider arts in general. To them its work time, with work being theft. It's only a small leap from theft to mugging. 

 

This is going back a long time but one of my brothers nearly ended up in a violent situation with a gang of robbers at the festival. The gang had surrounded our tents and a man mountain with a timber mallet had gone in to my brothers tent to rob it. My brother was in the tent at the time. The bloke backed out of the front of the tent and my brother shot out of the tent to take him on regardless of his size and mallet weapon. All his mates were shouting for him to bash my brother with the mallet, but he didn't. There was like a Mexican stand off between the two. I think that the bloke could see the rage in my brothers eyes. I have four brothers - three of them (like myself) are devout pacifists, as is this brother. The only problem with him is that he'll not take sh*t off anybody and will not back down. Fortunately somebody shouted 'police' and they all legged it in that instance - including man mountain.

 

The above was a long time ago, but does display what untethered illegal entry to the festival can bring. I was there at the incident and I just 'knew' that none of these people were paying attendees. 

[Pinhead]

Correct. Not all of these baggers are there to watch bands for free - they're there to f**k someone over.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

1 minute ago, Pinhead said:

My tent looks so sh*t now (it's 20 years old) that noone even bothers to try and do it or me over in it.

 

I should imagine you use the lock ups anyway. 

 

I had a tent like yours which had done many a Glastonbury. I was actually sad when it could not do one more festival and had to be replaced. This is back in the time of A framed tents.

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

I hope there's no kind of rush on the main gates or anything like we've seen at the Champions League or Euros finals, chancers en masse trying to find a way into the festival in the most direct way possible.

 

 

[Pinhead]

2 minutes ago, Yoghurt on a Stick said:

 

I should imagine you use the lock ups anyway. 

 

I had a tent like yours which had done many a Glastonbury. I was actually sad when it could not do one more festival and had to be replaced. This is back in the time of A framed tents.

Actually no, but I take sod all of any value anyway tbh. Still have my A frame tent from the 90s under the bed. Yeah I'm thinking it'll last BD in Aug then that's it now and will need a rethink about how I do festivals in the future (campervan?).

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

It's been a decade since I last went to Glastonbury - can anyone tell me if the Lock Ups check that people have a valid wristbands ( I can't recall)? It just occurred to me that the tent robbing bastards might use the Lock Ups to store cash and valuables etc. and then just collect their big haul at the end. It could easily be by passed but maybe check at the Lock Ups would be not so much as a deterrent , but would not make life easier for these people.

[efcfanwirral]

2 hours ago, MEGATRONICMEATWAGON said:

I hope there's no kind of rush on the main gates or anything like we've seen at the Champions League or Euros finals, chancers en masse trying to find a way into the festival in the most direct way possible.

 

 

It was fascinating hearing all the stuff from the radio by the gate managers. We were village gate so it was quieter and more time to chat. we were told that a lot of the "runners" were found and picked up based on descriptions. If that happened my guess is they'd send a load of people out to check wristbands. 

 

2 hours ago, Yoghurt on a Stick said:

 

I should imagine you use the lock ups anyway. 

 

I had a tent like yours which had done many a Glastonbury. I was actually sad when it could not do one more festival and had to be replaced. This is back in the time of A framed tents.

I see this a lot about the lockups as a security measure, what do people put in there? I get maybe car keys but what else? 

 

Literally all I have on me is wallet, phone and house key (just one, put into wallet). and they stay on my person at all times. Nothing else I take would be of interest to anyone so I can't even think what else?  

 

We used it just for a bag with warm clothes in on the cold day to avoid going back to the tent but it was convenience not security. I can imagine leaving a crate in there and topping up and the girl did say someone had checked a football in which made me laugh. 

Edited July 10 by efcfanwirral

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

4 minutes ago, efcfanwirral said:

It was fascinating hearing all the stuff from the radio by the gate managers. We were village gate so it was quieter and more time to chat. we were told that a lot of the "runners" were found and picked up based on descriptions. If that happened my guess is they'd send a load of people out to check wristbands. 

 

I see this a lot about the lockups as a security measure, what do people put in there? I get maybe car keys but what else? 

 

Literally all I have on me is wallet, phone and house key (just one, put into wallet). and they stay on my person at all times. Nothing else I take would be of interest to anyone so I can't even think what else?  

 

We used it just for a bag with warm clothes in on the cold day to avoid going back to the tent but it was convenience not security. I can imagine leaving a crate in there and topping up and the girl did say someone had checked a football in which made me laugh. 

 

I happen to know someone who manages the construction and staffing of the Lock Ups. She's a friend of a friend - hence why I wouldn't ask her myself, before asking here. Anyway, they get it all in their Lock Up tents. As long as you go through due process you can store anything there - if you get my drift. I'm fairly sure I'm right in saying that they have never had a theft from 'their' tent (marquee structure), in all the years that they have been operational.

 

 

[Crazyfool01]

29 minutes ago, efcfanwirral said:

It was fascinating hearing all the stuff from the radio by the gate managers. We were village gate so it was quieter and more time to chat. we were told that a lot of the "runners" were found and picked up based on descriptions. If that happened my guess is they'd send a load of people out to check wristbands. 

 

I see this a lot about the lockups as a security measure, what do people put in there? I get maybe car keys but what else? 

 

Literally all I have on me is wallet, phone and house key (just one, put into wallet). and they stay on my person at all times. Nothing else I take would be of interest to anyone so I can't even think what else?  

 

We used it just for a bag with warm clothes in on the cold day to avoid going back to the tent but it was convenience not security. I can imagine leaving a crate in there and topping up and the girl did say someone had checked a football in which made me laugh. 

Anything you like … we put bags once emptied , power banks bikes , alcohol spare cash / cards . others put ID in them . I’ve booked hats in before 

[Johnnyseven]

7 minutes ago, Crazyfool01 said:

Anything you like … we put bags once emptied , power banks bikes , alcohol spare cash / cards . others put ID in them . I’ve booked hats in before 

 

Kids buggies are a favourite. We put a double bass, accordion, violin, mandolin and a set of drums in once.

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

47 minutes ago, efcfanwirral said:

It was fascinating hearing all the stuff from the radio by the gate managers. We were village gate so it was quieter and more time to chat. we were told that a lot of the "runners" were found and picked up based on descriptions. If that happened my guess is they'd send a load of people out to check wristbands. 

 

Oh, wow, so it actually happens that people just chance their luck and sprint into the festival through the main ped gates? I always wondered if anyone had tried such a tactic. Obviously, you'd have to wait for your ticket to be checked and then rush through the wristband section, but after that you'd be in.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

33 minutes ago, Crazyfool01 said:

 I’ve booked hats in before 

 

I did say they get all sorts in there ie. items put in - not your goodself. 

 

Not sure if it's true, but I've heard on the grapevine that Philip Treacy looks at your hats and weeps at his own ineptitude. 

[philipsteak]

19 minutes ago, MEGATRONICMEATWAGON said:

 

Oh, wow, so it actually happens that people just chance their luck and sprint into the festival through the main ped gates? I always wondered if anyone had tried such a tactic. Obviously, you'd have to wait for your ticket to be checked and then rush through the wristband section, but after that you'd be in.

 

It's fairly common. 

 

Think my favourite was on a vehicle gate. A guy came barrelling down the road on a bike, took a really sharp corner into the gate without slowing (how he didn't fall I don't know) and just carried on. Everyone just kind of went, fair play.

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

16 minutes ago, philipsteak said:

 

It's fairly common. 

 

Think my favourite was on a vehicle gate. A guy came barrelling down the road on a bike, took a really sharp corner into the gate without slowing (how he didn't fall I don't know) and just carried on. Everyone just kind of went, fair play.

 

One of my brothers got in by using the cover of an ambulance that was heading into the site. However, in my mind, that pales into insignificance compared to the story (urban myth?) about two blokes putting on high viz jac jackets (with 'SECURITY'* written on them)  and real or pretend walkie talkies, and walking straight through the police compound and into the festival. May not beat the 'Twix' story in many eyes, but if true, would be a fantastic heist in mine.

 

* 'SECURITY' - I, in a very corny fashion, once brought a jacket with 'INSECURITY' written on it in luminous letters into Glastonbury. 'It' was a 'new out' kind of jacket / bit o0f humour and I was then (and probably shall ever remain) a gullible fool, and I brought it in to the festival. I genuinely thought it would amuse some people - and it probably did. However, I'd got seperated from my mates (yes, they all ran off, I suspect) and needed a smoke. So, I went up to the Stone Circle. Well, as I was lying down there (recovering from my epic journey from our campsite to the Stone Circle), I heard a lad say to his mate 'Look at that lazy bastard security guard lying down on the ground - or some such. It was then that I 'knew' that I'd never score wearing the jacket.

[incident]

2 hours ago, MEGATRONICMEATWAGON said:

Oh, wow, so it actually happens that people just chance their luck and sprint into the festival through the main ped gates? I always wondered if anyone had tried such a tactic. Obviously, you'd have to wait for your ticket to be checked and then rush through the wristband section, but after that you'd be in.

 

I would assume they'd be trying to go through the re-entry section, as there's a lot less obstacles on that path. Or possibly even one of the exit lanes.

 

Thing is that there should be a security guard sat several metres after the ticket/wristband/passout check, and so assuming the ticket checker is halfway alert they just yell runner, and assuming the security is halfway alert they can pick them up.

Edited July 11 by incident

[Suprefan]

5 hours ago, efcfanwirral said:

It was fascinating hearing all the stuff from the radio by the gate managers. We were village gate so it was quieter and more time to chat. we were told that a lot of the "runners" were found and picked up based on descriptions. If that happened my guess is they'd send a load of people out to check wristbands. 

 

I see this a lot about the lockups as a security measure, what do people put in there? I get maybe car keys but what else? 

 

Literally all I have on me is wallet, phone and house key (just one, put into wallet). and they stay on my person at all times. Nothing else I take would be of interest to anyone so I can't even think what else?  

 

We used it just for a bag with warm clothes in on the cold day to avoid going back to the tent but it was convenience not security. I can imagine leaving a crate in there and topping up and the girl did say someone had checked a football in which made me laugh. 

In 22 I literally saw a full sized Cello in the lock up along with a bunch of other bulky items. I myself locked up my passport in there just in case. 
 

Theft wont come near to the level it is in the u.s thats for sure. We have organized phone theft rings and they make out like bandits every single festival season. City festivals are the prime target because younger crowds mean less experience. And edm acts make for prime targets cause theres pushing and all that so you dont feel your phone being taken. 

[Suprefan]

On 7/8/2024 at 10:04 PM, stuie said:

oh you’d like that would you? And if Glasto licence is refused then what? Coachella would be king forever more? 😳😂😂

I mean they signed a 20 year agreement with the city of Indio to operate the festival a couple years ago. They own the property and actually update their infrastructure? Its not their fault they can invest in their sh*t for the long term. ( own all the staging and pa systems too ) One year after Coach had 20,000 sneak into the fest in 2010 ( first year they tried rfid wristbands ) they built a border wall and then kept improving stuff from there. Sneaking in is pretty minimal now and people just find wristbands for cheap anyway. 
 

My thing is, you will have to address this at some point because luck runs out. Its been near misses for a long time in terms of nothing happening. You cant keep operating that way. You cant keep saying " oh yeah, thats how it goes, leave it alone." If one of us or somebody we know ended up getting hurt cause of a crowd surge and all, then what. Like yeah, they put the wall up when they finally saw it get so out of control, but now people have figured out something else and will exploit it to no end if left unchecked. Things came to a head this year due to bad scheduling and an obvious audience shift. If theyre not taking that into consideration when booking artists and subsequently scheduling them as to avoid crowding and such then theyre just out of touch. Its obviously not about money either for the fest, but if people arent having a good time cause they have to worry more about getting around, even if its to go to the restroom or get food then what kind of experience is that?

[Yoghurt on a Stick]

22 minutes ago, Suprefan said:

 

My thing is, you will have to address this at some point because luck runs out. Its been near misses for a long time in terms of nothing happening. You cant keep operating that way. You cant keep saying " oh yeah, thats how it goes, leave it alone." If one of us or somebody we know ended up getting hurt cause of a crowd surge and all, then what. Like yeah, they put the wall up when they finally saw it get so out of control, but now people have figured out something else and will exploit it to no end if left unchecked. Things came to a head this year due to bad scheduling and an obvious audience shift. If theyre not taking that into consideration when booking artists and subsequently scheduling them as to avoid crowding and such then theyre just out of touch. Its obviously not about money either for the fest, but if people arent having a good time cause they have to worry more about getting around, even if its to go to the restroom or get food then what kind of experience is that?

 

I can only assume that if dangerous crowd conditions are noted by the festival and the Council, that they both try try to improve year on year.* If they are noted and not acted upon then surely any major 'incident' would mean that GFL,  Eavis, possibly his family too  etc become corporately liable?

 

* - The problem, I suspect, is that Glastonbury doesn't have another better crowd control functioning Glastonbury to compare itself too. This means that it can't directly learn. That means that any flow analysis systems from elsewhere, if used, wouldn't seem to me to be able to be used accurately. So what are they using? Are they even monitoring it in such a fashion? One would expect that they are. 

 

Personally I'd be whacking it (with fear) every festival, if it were my festival and I hadn't done continuous homework in this area.

[MEGATRONICMEATWAGON]

4 hours ago, Suprefan said:

I mean they signed a 20 year agreement with the city of Indio to operate the festival a couple years ago. They own the property and actually update their infrastructure? Its not their fault they can invest in their sh*t for the long term. ( own all the staging and pa systems too ) One year after Coach had 20,000 sneak into the fest in 2010 ( first year they tried rfid wristbands ) they built a border wall and then kept improving stuff from there. Sneaking in is pretty minimal now and people just find wristbands for cheap anyway. 
 

My thing is, you will have to address this at some point because luck runs out. Its been near misses for a long time in terms of nothing happening. You cant keep operating that way. You cant keep saying " oh yeah, thats how it goes, leave it alone." If one of us or somebody we know ended up getting hurt cause of a crowd surge and all, then what. Like yeah, they put the wall up when they finally saw it get so out of control, but now people have figured out something else and will exploit it to no end if left unchecked. Things came to a head this year due to bad scheduling and an obvious audience shift. If theyre not taking that into consideration when booking artists and subsequently scheduling them as to avoid crowding and such then theyre just out of touch. Its obviously not about money either for the fest, but if people arent having a good time cause they have to worry more about getting around, even if its to go to the restroom or get food then what kind of experience is that?

 

For your first point, does Glastonbury need to change it's infrastructure though that much? Pathways and boardwalks are all fine. Glasto built their own super fence since 2002. Toilets and water taps all over the site, a lot with permanent foundations. They improved the drainage a lot in the last twenty years and continually update the site with new stages (Levels, for example) and new installations (GoS, Carhenge, the Dragonfly)... 

 

Second point, I tend to agree. I hope they learn to schedule better, albeit I would personally like to see less people on site in total as well.

[nikkic]

Seen a couple of these guys videos before and if anything, the Glasto one highlights how hard it is to sneak in.

 

Pretty sure they got into Leeds or Boomtown in a couple of hours with relative ease.

 

As much as I love Glasto, there’s no way I’d be spending 2 days trying to get in, only to have to fork out a load of cash to catch the last 30 hours of the festival.