Seagulls are not just herring gulls though. The term is used for any gulls people see near the sea. In the UK that's herring, great black backed & and lesser black backed, black headed, common, and kittiwakes.
Hardly. I'd be asleep and they'd be in the hidden space behind the bed that I was lying in. The location was exactly where I left them and no one could get them without moving me, moving the bed, and knowing about my hiding place.
Sounds like those weren't appropriate measures if someone can get round them so easily.
When I had a shotgun license, my shotgun was in a locked gun cabinet inside a locked room. The cartridges were in a separate locked case out of sight in another room, and I had the only keys for all 3 locks, all of which were on my keychain which was on my person at all times.
When I didn't have them on me, they'd be in the hidden space behind the hinged piece of skirting board behind my bed.
Sounds like a pretty normal night out at a restaurant with friends.