How common are thieves on the west coast of australia, particularly with kite gear??? I am coming from a small town in Canada where i have no problem leaving my brand new truck un-locked with my DH bike and kite gear in the back outside over night. I don't expect many other places in the world to be this slack, but what is western oz like??? Do I need to chain everything down whenever i take my eyes off it, or will common sense be enough???

Hey Sanamarco,

Hoops right, theft is a big problem here in WA. Depending upon where you kite, just about everyone I know has had their cars broken into and kites, wallets, phones, laptop (mine), boards and just about anything else of value has been nicked.

Worst beaches are Woodmans Point, Leighton Beach, Contacio's Beach, Pinnaroo Point and Mullaloo Beach. These are all the popular kite beaches and I suspect if you park your car at any of the lesser used beaches along the coast you will get the same treatment.

I do not put kiting stickers on my car because if you are the only one out flying a kite on the water and your car is the only one in the carpark with kiting stickers all over the windows ..... well it dont take a genius.

Drive an old ****ter, leave nothing in it and the windows down, take all your gear to the beach with you and DO NOT LEAVE YOUR CAR KEYS in the kite bag. Many kitebags have been nicked even when empty but still containing car keys.

Good winds and slow painful death to all theives,



West Oz is totally awesome for a windy summer, pity about the carpark vermin

obviously it depends a lot on where you are, i dont reckon you'll have much trouble once you get away from the big smoke.
i have never locked my house, and my car keys have never left the ignition since i moved here. (i do lock up my Triumph Bonny but only coz i am overprotective of her)
don't ruin your trip by being paranoid everywhere you go, especially in remote spots

but dont forget, we are a nation of convicts[}:)]

i caught some young kids stealing my kite bag & pump last summer at Newcastle (NSW), saw them just in time and caught them in the dunes.

Not many people leave they're bags and pumps on the beach here anymore, most pump they're kites up near the car park and leave everything in they're car..

Look out for the quokkas on Rotto, little buggers will steal ya sangas in a flash...............................

4 bays at Mullaloo beach coverd in window glass this week, thats hundreds of dollars in car repairs as well

I haven’t had any problems with stuff getting pinched at shoalwater bay. But then I try not to give them the opportunity.

I lock everything wallet, sunnies, phone, stereo face in the boot even my car keys ( I only go kiting with my boot key) because the only way to get into my boot is with a key because of the gas tank. The only thing I leave on the beach is my kite bag and pump and anything that I can handle being pinched.

It hasn’t happened yet but if I imagine if I leave all my valuables on the beach unattended it’s only a matter of time before they go walkabouts. It’s mostly the old and un-fit that take their dogs for a walk down there.

kn welcome back FWB

Unfortunately, "pinching" is a bit of a cultural thingy here IMO. Anything that is not chained down seems to be game.

One does what what one can to protect oneself, but in a wierd way it is like sharkie.........if you think and worry about it too much, you loose the joy of what you are doing.

have you heard about the huge sharks here.....

Maybe I should bring some South African car guards back with me in November, they will also pump your kite for you and run out your lines for one low price . And they got firearms...