Poor security arrangements

Poor security arrangements

On Aug. 5, 2001, I attended a Scorpions concert organized by A
Mild in Bandung. While the show in itself was spectacular, I wish
I could say the same about the security arrangements.

To begin with, security at the gate displayed commendable zeal
in enforcing the rule that ticket holders could carry neither
cigarettes nor lighters nor any form of food or drink into the
auditorium. The key word here is "ticket holders", since quite a
few of the organizers could be seen puffing away merrily inside
the hall during the show. Some people are more equal than others,
perhaps?

The lack of professionalism should have been a warning for
what was to follow after the show. Assorted memorabilia was being
sold in the foyer of the building, and I decided to buy myself a
t-shirt. Within minutes, however, the scene in front of the sales
counter degenerated into an unruly melee. There was no attempt by
the organizers or security personnel to try and bring order to
the situation. With difficulty, I managed to fight my way out of
the throng, when to my utter dismay I realized that my Nokia 7110
mobile phone, which I had carefully placed in the front pocket of
my jeans, was missing.

I immediately tried informing one of the organizers. He
directed me to the security building and promptly disappeared.
Security took down my details and informed me that somebody would
be in touch if my phone was ever found. There has been no news
since.

Now this may have been a stray case of somebody just having
capitalized on an opportunity ... if it hadn't been for the fact
that while I was reporting the theft, no less than six other
people came up to the security officer with exactly the same
story.

Some had their wallets pick-pocketed, others, their mobile
phones. Obviously, the entire operation had been well planned and
executed. So why is it that in spite of all the hordes of
security personnel and organizers around not one of them raised a
finger to help?

Why did the organizers exhibit such an utter lack of
professionalism? Why was the sale of the memorabilia so badly
regulated? And more importantly, what action, if any, has been
taken?

I await with interest the answers to these questions from
either the organizer/sponsor: A Mild Live Productions, or the
promoter: Original Production. And with the fervent hope that
further "stings" of this nature may in the future be prevented.

RAJESH MENON

Jakarta