I go to this show regularly, Its a good reminder to check if your being followed leaving a coin show. On Sunday , 02/09/14 at approximately 4:00pm, a dealer and his wife were robbed at their residence in New Lenox, IL. The victims had just returned from attending a coin show in Countryside, Illinois. Upon leaving the coin show, the couple discovered that their vehicle had a flat tire.The tire was changed and the couple drove home. When the couple arrived home and began removing inventory from their vehicle, three male subjects approached on foot knocking the male victim to the ground. A short physical encounter followed. One of the suspects punctured a hole flattening the spare tire that was just put on.The suspects then fled with inventory belonging to the victims. The suspects jumped into a Nissan Altima that was waiting with an additional male driver. The Nissan is described as being silver or gray but may have been darker in color. The three suspects are described as 5'9", slim, wearing all black clothing and winter balaclava style hats. They are said to possibly be of Asian descent. The following is a partial list of stolen inventory: Approximately 100+ 14kt gold women's rings w/Sapphire, Ruby stones, Claddagh rings 14Kt Chains 1 oz gold Maple Leaf Mexican Gold coins 2 1/2,5 , 10 Pesos 4 Great Britain Maundy Sets Phillippines 1918 5, 20 Centavos Ancient Roman Silver Antoninanus Pacation 248 AD (RARE)
I have no idea who Pacation is, (so I guess it must be rare), but still a very sad story. Unfortunately too common a story nowadays. I am always very aware of my surroundings leaving a coin show, and pay attention to anyone who may be following. I have even went around the block a few times miles away from my house just to ensure a car behind hasn't been following me. I think its a prudent precaution nowadays.
Sadly enough I do the same whenever I visit my SDB, even for the smallest of things, and it does crawl under my skin a little if I'm ever taking anything out with me. Luckily up in the sticks by me it's easy to see if someone's following you, not too many people have to go the same way..
There was a similar story down here in FL about a group of coin dealers who went to IHOP after a show and were cleaned out. Thats why I always carry, always pay cash and will not buy from dealers who ask for ID (for receipts), and always take a route home that allows me to ID anyone who may be following me. One time a dealer asked for my drivers license after I handed him cash for a hefty purchase. He said he needed it. I told him the last 3 dealers, one of whom I had bought 2x as much from said I could refuse to show ID and I have a right to privacy. He insisted, so I handed both coins back to him and said "Good luck finding another buyer for this". I recently went to a show and walked by his case, its still sitting there with the same inflated price sticker over the last 3 numbers of the NGC serial number. Gooooooood luck Shmuck. I am not interested in helping you rob me.
On the way home from a trip to a coin show I noticed a car had been following me for quite some time. I was still over an hour from home and no matter where I turned he was stuck on my bumper. I finally had enough and pulled over in a turn out. Sure enough he also pulled in and stopped just in front of me. I got out and ran towards his car with Ka-Bar (Marine Corps fighting knife) in hand and as soon as he saw it he took off like a bat out H. He never got out of his car.
Sad that this kind of thing happens far too often. Scary they followed them all the way home. I'd be terrified to leave my own home after that, knowing they now know where I live. Fortunately for me, the only coin shows close to me are still over 100 miles away. Probably well beyond the attention spans of most scum.
From the original post it seems that the robbers probably slim jimmed the door and got the dealers' home address from his registration slip in the glove box. They punctured the tire at the show to give them enough time to arrive at the couple's home ahead of them. Puncturing the tire at the residence assured them that the man couldn't follow them on their getaway. There probably was not anything this coin dealing couple could have done differently to prevent this robbery.
Or he could of been followed the previous month, just so they could see where he lived. Maybe they targeted him because he lived in a secluded neighborhood.
Been going on for over fifty years. Tom Reynolds was followed from a show in Ohio all they way to his home in Nebraska. There hav e been many dealers that have been followed for well over 100 miles. Except calling ahead to have extra people available for security waiting to watch out while he was unloading.
For our local coin show that was just held a couple of weeks ago, we hire a guard to walk the parking lot and then have club members walk folks out to their cars if they ask. We also control where dealers' stock is loaded and unloaded to minimize the potential for any issues.
On a similar note, we just lost a good coin dealer in Calgary, Alberta. No inventory or collection is worth losing your life over... http://www.calgarysun.com/2014/02/1...-of-don-and-roxanne-carlson-a-double-homicide
Not much other than they could of had concealed carry (if its available if their state). Oh I just double checked the state and its Illinios, probably the most difficult state to acquire firearms. (yet they have the most crime, criminals are not afraid for their lives, too bad)
As soon as I read the inventory list and saw that the couple had 100+ 14k ladies rings, I knew they`d be a prime target. Granted, Illinois may be difficult to get a concealed carry in, but at least carry something......pepper spray, a cell phone in hand and ready to dial 911 should You chose to go the non weapon route.....At the very least keep Your eyes peeled and be alert. Part of me hates to hear stories like this not only because of the victims, but because of how easy some people make it for the scumbaggery to prosper. Does anybody remember what R. Lee Ermey told private Pyle in Full Metal Jacket regarding his unlocked footlocker?
Frankly get on good terms with your local police dept and when you get close to home give them a call, and request an officer meet you at your home. In most cases they will be happy to do so. (Better to be there for a few minutes watching you unload than having to fill out all the paper work for an incident report.)
FYI We have a local dealer that was robbed as he casually loaded his car in the wee-hours of the morning (carrying his coins, cases & his coffee cup from his house to the car). It's believed that he was followed or somehow tracked the previous month & the bad guys just visited his house the morning of the next monthly scheduled show. All us folks need to be on our guard the 100% of the time.
