Hi Guys

On Saturday, some friends and I (from Hobart) went to Hillwood for the weekend. I wanted to have a go with Zach at 'Raiden Pump' (25). I put the draws on, and decided to leave them to have another go at it on Sunday. I did exactly the same thing with 'Hang on a tree' (24) in the main gully. To weak to onsight the grade, that's maybe my problem...

The next day, Zach and I jumped on 'Hang on a tree'. In the middle of the arvo, I went towards Raiden Pump ... and WTF ?? All the draws were missing !! I really could not believe it. that's 9 draws in total.

I leave you imagine the state of mind I was in. So of course it's really low ... and sad. I know it does not reflect the climbing community at all. I can't really imagine this kind of things happen in Tassie.

I also know the person who did that did it on purpose, and can't be a climber, although it's someone with some rope skills who had to rap off a dodgy cliff from a tree. Definitely not some dumb climber who said 'oh someone forgot some draws on a 25, heaps of booties for me ! '

We were pretty much all weekend long there. We left at 6pm on Saturday when it was dark, and a group of other friends who were with us arrived at 930 am on sunday at the crag. So the person who stole the draws did it on purpose either over night or early in the morning (more likely over night). it's also a person who can't have many friends from the climbing community, he would be recognised too quickly by having draws belonging to too many people. It can't be a climber, because what the hell would you do with so many stolen draws in your house ?? for all your projects in your secret crags ?? no way, it's someone who runs a business out of it, who posts them to a mate living on the mainland to sell them back from gumtree or ebay months later.

I talked on Sunday with 2 climbers from lonnie, Baz (?) and Alec. They told us that the same week, a sign was left on a climb hung by two binners saying it was getting rebolted. Couple of days later, the sign was on the ground with a rock on top, and the binners were gone.
Nice mentality ! Some people give everything to the rock climbing community, some take everythin ...

It's more than likely it's the same person who did that. It has to be someone living really really close, who can check overday if cars are parked.

I remember a comment from Mark Polinski saying some of his draws were stolen, was this at the Mersey ?

Anyway guys, it's sad, but watch out. don't leave your draws on projects when it's a 5minutes walk to the crag only.

The good thing is the draws we left on 'hang on a tree' were not stolen. So thank you to you ! Zach can still go on his climbing trip in 2 weeks !

The missing draws :
3 hoodwire black diamonds with blue nail polish :
2 heliums with blue nail polish
4 freewire black diamonds

In case of repentance, the draws can be shipped back to :

University of tasmania
Laurent Besnard,private bag 21, IMOS
Sandy Bay, Hobart

Cheerio
Loz

PS: Some other groups of people were with us on Saturday, I'd appreciate to know if you've noticed anything

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