MYSTERY, INTRIGUE and SUSPENSE in the Coin World

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Cool read, very fun. Unless you are Vic and Sherri

 

Good read. Sadly these crimes are rarely taken seriously because they are property crimes to businesses and usually covered by insurance. The 2 suspended sentences are the reasons they are rarely investigated. Bust your tail putting together a case that has no consequences. The restitution is the cost of doing business for this criminal. Until he's locked up and out of circulation he will continue to con people.

 

I met Vic for the first time in Baltimore last Friday. Bought a coin from him. Nice guy.

 

As said it was good read. Glad they caught the guy.

 

I'm disheartened to hear that the guy only got a suspended sentence and isn't serving jail time, but mostly I'm just glad to hear that Vic got his coins back. The cooperation of (most) all the dealers involved is great.

 

Thanks for the link. This story actually supports your ideas you expressed about how dealers might track inventory at shows [link]. In this case, their own vigilant system surely helped them make headway in pursuing the thief and putting him out of business while specifically relocating the stolen coins.

 

I asked Vic the same question. He said it had something to do with how much it costs to house/feed an inmate, etc.

 

An amazing story and an amazing bit of sleuthing to boot.......

 

The thief has been identified, essentially barred from coin shows and has a very strong case against him now on record. Should he, now essentially free, choose to tempt his fate further, I would imagine another judge and jury wouldn't be so lenient to his freedoms. If not the courts, then karma might catch up with him someday.

With that knowledge on the dealers' and innocent public collectors' side, there's no reason to harass with the 'noose' and lynch mob sentiments. That's a disgrace to the justice that's been done (slow and painful to the wronged as it was) and the guy is lucky to be given the chance he has now in freedom to mend his ways.

Nope, it's not right he got off so easy, with essentially a fine and no effort to break some rocks or be further burdened to repay for his troubles than in a cash fine, but how many bemoan paying for criminals to be fed and housed for long periods of time, often released and hardened to do other crimes later on as well?

The things he did were harmful and destructive, but this isn't a system that takes laws into their own hands in arcane fashion, is it?

 

Sounds like he'll do it again one day, but at least we are all the wiser now to watch out for him. Their are others like him, unfortunately, that have yet to be identified, I'm sure. Also, I am impressed that the system worked!

 

The only problem with being "barred from coin shows" is that it's extremely easy to get into coin shows. It's not like they check your ID at the door. He could be John Smith walking into a show tomorrow.

 

However the individual in the story gave his name and dealers have his photo. When companies need to prevent employees from entering large busy office buildings, security are issued images of the problem individual. Coin shows have security and could be supplied this individuals photo in the event they are spotted attempting to enter, or is spotted on the floor after entering.

 

Could be, probably won't be. From the story he managed to make it cross country repeatedly. He sounds like a serial offender, nation wide (we know for sure he made his way to coin shows in Denver and Baltimore), not just in a local area. The odds of every privately hired security company in the country having his pic are slim to none.

 

It will take the vigilance of the community, the dealers, the venue, security employed, et al. to put a stop to it. I'm sure it's an ongoing issue with any number of individuals scheming. Sounds like he may try tempting his fate again, and as I mentioned before, the case will be that much more against him if he does.