Coin man sentenced for stealing Iowa woman's coins Loose lips sink ships. See what happens when word gets around that you have a valuable coin collection at your house?
Good to keep this idea in the forefront. It really irks me when I see topics "my move valuable coin" or "my most valuable possession" is actually hot right now on here. I only post pictures of coins worth more than $100 if they are in a vault somewhere. But some looney could always come and take me to said place (that has cameras, and is a place that rhymes with dank and tank). Anyway, yeah, it really does happen ...
That story doesn't go into enough background to justify blaming the victim. Maybe her husband was a well known collector in her town. Or maybe she was too trusting and said something to someone she shouldn't have. Either way, I don't think blaming the victim of a crime is the right mentality to take.
I was not blaming the victim. More than likely it was common knowledge around the small town of Coin that the woman's husband owned a valuable coin collection and once he died she became an attractive target of thieves. As coinmaster noted, I was pointing out the irony of a man from Coin being arrested for stealing coins.
And now something completely different; Reuters, 10/28/2010. Man arrested in the town of Dollar, Ca for stealing a dollar from the tip jar of a local cafe. :rollureyes:
Thats one of the reasons I wont go to the coin club here in town. It's one of those towns that is so small everyone knows everyone else. I do go to a club about 6 miles away where I'm not known at all. Not that I have "valuable" coins which I dont. I just dont want to have to deal with someone breaking into my house. I don't tell ANYONE I'm a collector. I'm I being a little crazy?
I am truly glad, that I am still able to be well enough armed and both physically & psychologically able to defend my home. I would hate to dispatch someone attempting to rob us, but by no means would hesitate from doing so. If that woman had been able to deal with the robber efficiently, she would have saved the taxpayers thousands and thousands of dollars. More people protecting themselves would also eliminate the repeat offender problem. Although I oppose state sponsered executions. Those done by victims in the process of the crime should be applauded and even rewarded. IMHO All I have is junk too, but it's not the value of the items, it's the "victimization" that I would respond to.
And maybe he was just robbing her and just happened to luck out getting a coin collection that he didn't know anything about.
Car-jacking and armed robbery are no joke. I think the sentence was appropriate. Maybe 13 years in prison (we all know there is no chance he will serve full sentence) will stop him from committing another crime like this one.
I truly believe that people who are no longer with us, do not commit crimes. Victims who are able to protect themselves with deadly force equates to fewer repeat offenders and quite possibly deters a great number of first timers too. Even famous gangsters would take a pass on well armed establishments and no one has ever been robbed by a corpse.
It's no joke ... for the record, 25-year-old Devan Rodez Casteel (for that is his name) was sentenced to 162 months in prison for car jacking and robbing a Page County woman at gun point. I believe that for good behavior he will serve less.
What ever the whole judicial system is stupid in my opinion, people can murder someone and only serve 5 years in some cases, clearly he might as well have shot the lady.
Nowhere in the article does hint as to how the woman's collection became publicly apparent. And the case is still not totally resolved: "Prosecutors say Casteel also was ordered to serve three years of supervised release and pay $200 to a crime victim's fund. The determination of restitution was delayed until the value of the stolen coins can be established." Notwithstanding, being discrete and taking precautions is always prudent.