Foul play or ...

[Camminata]

Come across this today on AAWT FB page, never heard or thought of this ever happening come as a surprise ... could it be a animal. I find it hard to believe a human would go to the effort?


Hi all, just wanted to let this group/any walkers heading that way in the coming days know that I had a bad experience camping solo at Mt Magdala saddle/Hellfire creek camp site this past week. I had someone cut into my tent at night, reaching in through the cut to steal a dry bag with valuables and navigation equipment. I thought I was alone at the site (did a decent walk around the evening before and saw/heard no one), but clearly someone was either there when I arrived, or came in walking/on horse-back during the night. Anyone planning to camp in that area might want to keep an eye out, particularly if they are on their own.


Below is response by o.p when asked if she was in the tent at the time.

Yup, in the tent. I'd been woken by tugging/rustling at the foot of the tent a couple of times earlier that night, but thought it was a possum or other critter, so checked my food and rubbish were all packed in my odour proof sack and went back to bed. The third time I woke it was from the noise of the dry bag being pulled through the cut. It was definitely scary. But the person seems unlikley to wish me any physical harm or they would have had ample opportunity before that.

[Lophophaps]

This seems to be improbable. The Magdala campsite is a few hours from the nearest vehicular road, with Magdala to climb to get there. It's a lot longer via Howitt Spur, the Crosscut of from the Howitt car park. If it was at a place where vehicles can drive then it's more likely, but not at Magdala campsite. It may be clickbait. I've had possums bite through the tent at Pine Valley at Cradle and at Wilsons Prom, with no other thieves.

[Baeng72]

Queue 'The Button Man' redux.

[Camminata]

Below is another of o.p response.......


I believed that it was a possum during the two first attempts at the tent, but eventually had to concede that it wasn't, and the police agree. The cut isn't a simple tear, it is a three sided flap with neat corners, made just next to the dry bag with my valuables. In the morning I searched the area to see if I could find the bag or some of the contents somewhere, on the assumption that a possum or fox would have let it go once they realised there was nothing edible or useful in the bag, but found nothing. But it is certainly a good point.


p.c.v I welcome your comments.

[Baeng72]

Below is another of o.p response.......


I believed that it was a possum during the two first attempts at the tent, but eventually had to concede that it wasn't, and the police agree. The cut isn't a simple tear, it is a three sided flap with neat corners, made just next to the dry bag with my valuables. In the morning I searched the area to see if I could find the bag or some of the contents somewhere, on the assumption that a possum or fox would have let it go once they realised there was nothing edible or useful in the bag, but found nothing. But it is certainly a good point.


p.c.v I welcome your comments.

Well, that settles it. No one in the history of the internet has ever posted anything untrue. Q.E.D.

EDIT: I found the Facebook link, not on Facebook, but easy to find.
It's impossible to tell without corroborating evidence, like a police report or something, but even then the police could only verify the tent was cut, not by whom.
But the 'Button Man' is getting a run already.

[Xplora]

Fakebook

[Camminata]

This is the cut o.p posted
can a animal make a cut as pictured???

[Baeng72]

OK, you believe the story.

I'm skeptical.

Person loitering or hiking in to Hellfire creek, but not being seen.
After a few attempts at what? Feeling the tent from the outside? Cuts correct spot in tent to steal bag of valuables. They just got lucky there?
Person didn't just get out of tent and say hey! (OK, that I could understand, if person froze with fear).
Then loiterer either loitered in the area until dawn or walked out again at night?
So much effort, for seemingly little reward.

What is the evidence offered to support the story?
Self-report, with claim of Police having seen tent. And a picture of tent.
The Police could have seen a tent at the station, and listened to her story (if this did happen, no Police report sighted), but they didn't see anybody cutting it open, and nor did anybody else except the person claiming this.
A picture of a repaired tent tells you nothing about how that happened.

Which is not to say it's impossible, just ...

[Camminata]

I am skeptical also, have been trying to google animal incisions patterns etc... but no luck its a def interesting post

[Lophophaps]

Drop bears have three toes, with the middle one longer and sticking out a bit more. Hence, it's possible that the tears in the above picture were caused by a drop bear. They have a good sense of smell and can find food. I don't wash and this keeps them at bay. See
www.dropbears.org.au
for a detailed scientific discussion.

[GBW]

Drop bears have three toes, with the middle one longer and sticking out a bit more. Hence, it's possible that the tears in the above picture were caused by a drop bear. They have a good sense of smell and can find food. I don't wash and this keeps them at bay. See
http://www.dropbears.org.au
for a detailed scientific discussion.

That's funny LHH. Yes I agree, it seems improbable there's a thief lurking around that area in the middle of the night, but not impossible. Could be the plot for a great novel though. All of a sudden a hand comes through the tent.

[Camminata]

Drop bears have three toes, with the middle one longer and sticking out a bit more. Hence, it's possible that the tears in the above picture were caused by a drop bear. They have a good sense of smell and can find food. I don't wash and this keeps them at bay. See
http://www.dropbears.org.au
for a detailed scientific discussion.

thelinkwontopen.com.au

[Biggles]

Button Man strikes again.

[north-north-west]

Sharp teeth, mouthful of fabric, fabric tears across where the teeth penetrate and critter rips the fabric down. Of course an animal (most likely possum) could have torn the tent like that.
The whole thing is just weird. Who goes all the way to Hellfire Ck to steal a small bag of valuables when there are far easier pickings from the car campers down in the valleys? Or, if it's someone living wild, why valuables instead of food or clothing? Makes no sense.

[Camminata]

Latest post by someone else..... clearly an animal foulplay






We are here tonight and just found your things. Please PM me!

[Lophophaps]

the link won't open

Of course it won't open. I made it up. You can complain about this at
www.linkwillnotopen.com
It will not do much good as everyone is out to lunch. Staff work around the globe so someone is always having lunch.

[Camminata]

the link won't open

Of course it won't open. I made it up. You can complain about this at
http://www.linkwillnotopen.com
It will not do much good as everyone is out to lunch. Staff work around the globe so someone is always having lunch.

ill go to Knowitall.com. for the answers

[Baeng72]

Nice resolution to get missing gear back.

Sadly, no proof of the drop bear.

[GBW]

Damn those possums. They always ruin a good story.

[paidal_chalne_vala]

Button Man lives and is at large!
He has taken
to capturing and training Drop bears to do his shady dealings for him.

[Lophophaps]

Some huts have a drop bear warning:

Drop bear warning

Drop bears 2.JPG (143.47 KiB) Viewed 3785 times

[scroggin]

https://www.theage.com.au/national/vict ... 5eskb.html

This isn't the first time this reporter has slandered Button Man

[Captainparish]

Once had a bag of food (4 days worth, 2 people, so it was fairly heavy) snatched from a vestibule at Hellfire Creek. Just heard a slight rustle and then the bag getting dragged along at an incredibly swift speed down toward the creek side. Got up and found food scattered for about 300 metres. Could see eyes watching us, fairly sure they were dogs but could've been foxes.

[JamesMc]

I've just taken a look at Camminata's photo.

It's a bit hard to tell, but it appears that the left side of the hole is straight along a seam, and the right side of the hole is straight along the warp or weft of the fabric. This would be entirely consistent with someone or something tearing the fabric at the top of the hole and pulling it, so it tears along the weakest paths. A closer examination would indicate whether the right side does exactly follow the warp or weft. If not, my theory is wrong.

My impression is that it was an animal.