Preventing Theft at Reptile Shows

The title says it all. I was reading some articles recently and wanted to know how everyone prevents theft at the reptile shows they vend? I know most people use acrylic display cases but what other precautions do you take? Do you let there be 10 snakes out of their displays if people want to view them?:confusd: I assume its always best to have several friends at your table to help watch.

1 snake out at a time...

most cases are long and heavy, so someone just can't pick them up and run.

So you just tell the customers that they have to wait until the other person is done?

Yes. Any serious buyer wouldn't mind waiting.

to be honest most vendors don't let you hold the snake unless the sale is almost final...

Nobody wants their snakes to get sick.

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Originally Posted by sorazme

So you just tell the customers that they have to wait until the other person is done?

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Yes. Only one snake out at a time. A common theft method is to distract the breeder at one end of the table, while an accomplice is removing animals at the other end. It is unfortunate that you have to conduct business like this, but you have to face reality. Another thing I do is keep all normals and cheaper morphs at one end of the display and make sure I position myself at the opposite end.

I know a few people at my local shows like to put some netting across their free standing containers if they don't have acrylic displays.
It's not visually nice, but it does it's job.

If you can link up with another breeder and share tables then you can get more eyes on your animals. I have always wondered though, anyone know what the legalities are on chaseing someone down and getting your snakes back forcively? I mean what if you watched someone take something off your table.....I can't really just see myself waiting for the police to show up as that can take 30-90 minutes or more.

Yeah, we did our first show in October, and the first day we were mobbed by kids wanting to handle snakes. At one point I realized we had my lavender albino, two pieds, and a genetic stripe out. It was a mad theft risk. (And I think it was driving away customers, because they had to wade through throngs of kids just get to the table. I like mobs of kids, especially enthusiastic ones, but plenty of adults just can't deal with ten or fifteen of them at once.)

So we instituted a one snake out at a time rule.

We also had locking acrylic cases. And there were two of us, so the table was always manned.

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Originally Posted by OctagonGecko729

If you can link up with another breeder and share tables then you can get more eyes on your animals. I have always wondered though, anyone know what the legalities are on chaseing someone down and getting your snakes back forcively? I mean what if you watched someone take something off your table.....I can't really just see myself waiting for the police to show up as that can take 30-90 minutes or more.

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I think anything over $250 or $500 (can't think right now) is a felony here.
Oops that normal you just took was really a double het that was priced at $600. Now you are a felon, thanks come again. :p

People who steal are the lowest of scum. I would chase them down, get a plate number or something. Tell the cops they are being held at gun point and I bet a few show up before the 90 min mark.

We typically have about 6 people at the booth when we help out Rons Reptiles. We have a method of diverting the mobs of kids that just want to "hold a snake". Distraction is key! We take out one of the BIG snakes and keep it at one end of the booth! Also having that many eyes on the animals/merchandise really helps! I dont know how the big booths with only 1 or 2 people do it! Honestly, theft would be simple without enough eyes.