by flingebunt » Mon 18 Jan, 2021 7:09 pm
Australia has very low levels of crime and you could put your backpack down in a busy city street, and there is a good chance no one will touch it. Thieves are usually targeting electronics, such as phones, computers etc, rather than tents, backpacks and so on.
You will see tents and equipment regularly left lying around in campsites without any worries. On hiking trails, people will put their pack down, grab a water bottle and an energy bar, and head up a mountain or other side trail without any concern about people stealing their pack before they return.
I am a little more paranoid that some, so I tend to make sure I bring valuable things with me when leave stuff at the campsite, such as phones, cameras etc. Unless the are heavy, then I will leave them behind.
Here is the thing, so light fingered so and so might see something nice to take. Maybe they crave your chocolate protein bars or your battery recharge pack if they see it. They are mostly likely to grab it if they see it rather than systematically go through your gear searching for things. The example is how people steal pot plants from the front of people's houses, not because there is a big black market in them, but just because they are there. Also, if it is not curbside cleanup day, just put stuff that is broken in the front yard, and there is a good chance it will just disappear. Had a broken bar fridge that we put on the front verandah as a sort of table which disappeared one day (thanks thieves, appreciate your hard work).