Shootout at my local coin shop. ugh

This is the coin shop I go to. It happened at 11:15 this morning. That is my lunch time. I am glad I wasn't there. Im so happy to hear the coin dealer and his wife are fine.
http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011110614054

 

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One of the hazards of owning a B&M. I'm going to ask my local dealer what he would do in a similar situation. Tough call if you ask me.

 

Glad all are okay.

Time to send that employee to the range and possibly get a new carry weapon.

 

I know dealers are worrying more and more about security issues. The shop I've been going to for the past 20 years has just recently made some major changes. He's removed some of his inventory from the shop and relocated it to a more secure place. He only keeps what he thinks he may sell on a regular basis at the store. He pretty much knows what he has in inventory, so when someone inquires about a certain coin he can tell them what he has. His customers are mostly local so they don't have a problem coming back in a couple of days to examine the coins they're interested in. He also keeps his front door locked and only lets people in that look like legitimate customers. His store is in a nice neighborhood, but these days you never know...It's a shame, but that's the way it is.

Bruce

 

Well, I'm glad no once was hurt. But I'm also glad the crooks got shot at and ran away. Maybe they'll think twice before they try a stunt like that again. The owner of the shop I usually go to is armed. And the shop is located in an old shopping mall, and he has a safe with alot of his inventory in a different part of this huge building which houses alot of other businesses. And I think only regulars are privy to that information. Plus its in the basement and far away from any of the entrances, so anyone trying to hold it up would have a long jog through a building through of people. Seems like a pretty safe setup to me.

 

glad no one was hurt. we had a shooting incident a year ago and it devastated the whole community so i know how incidents like this can make you feel
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cumbria_shootings

 

I'm with Vroomer, more firearms training for that employee.

 

I've noticed Coin Dealers and Pawn Shop owners usually are gun collectors!

 

Someone should have shot that Cumbria shooter, Derrick Bird. Oh wait.

 

I'm glad everyone is ok. With a little luck he at least winged the bugger before he got away. One of the shops I go to, the owner openly carries his weapon so there is no doubt about his intentions if anyone tries to rob him.

 

Last year I had asked him if he had ever been robbed in the 30 years he has been there. He said no, and boy was I surprised. There is absolutely no security at his shop. I kid you not, there are old whitman albums (the blue ones) stacked 6' high behind most of counters and 3 books deep. The sheer amount of coins he has is shocking. This isn't including all of the gold and insane amount of jewelry. The shop is in a prime target area because of the quick retreat thugs can make back into Detroit. It's right near the border. We were constantly talking about why he should move north. The last time I was in there, a couple of meth cookers where trying to sell jewelry. How did I know? I had to leave the store because the smell was sinus-burning, and eye-watering.

Anyway, I can't express how relieved I am that they are not hurt. They are very honest dealers and never took advantage of me when I came in with money and not knowing much about coins.

-greg

 

We were thinking about opening up a storefront to walk in traffic, as we do everything online now, this makes me think twice. Glad you weren't there at the time gbroke.

 

If you're in Detroit, I probably wouldn't. Maybe get a booth at a flea/farmers market or something, that's how one of my dealers does most of his business. Open two days a week, haha.

 

I bet if they had a little rock-salt in their butts they would think twice about robbing someone in the future...

 

Gibraltar Trade Center is cheap way to have a "storefront" on the weekends. I've bought coins from there, and there's only a few dealers.

 

Never fire a warning shot.

Never "shoot to wound".

"Your honor. That is my hunting shotgun, I had it loaded with #7 shot, and a game load. I was getting ready for hunting season."

Sounds much better and can be defended better than anything about trying wound someone.


Also, the sound of a shotgun being pumped in the dark of night is a universal sound and plenty enough warning to any trespasser/burglar.

 

Additional Details

Here is the writeup in todays Macomb Daily:

 

Oldtimers in Northern California will remember a similar shootout, about 1990, that left a popular dealer dead. I'm happy to hear that everything turned out OK in your case.

 

It’s getting to be really scary out there…

I concur that every shop owner should own a gun, and know how to use it efficiently for their own protection.

 

Back in 1997 I shot someone that broke into my retail coin shop ... gets a little scary sometimes when the theives show up. :=(