http://www.tauntongazette.com/newsnow/x1606942922/Up-to-40-000-in-coins-stolen-from-car Another example of someone getting robbed after leaving a coin show. Yes, the man was dumb leaving coin in a car, but please pay attention people. If you go to a show, look around while walking to your car, try to notice anyone following you, etc. Just 7 months ago I had to alert security at a local show since I arrived late but noticed someone sitting in his car watching people come and go from the show. I am afraid with rising PM again this may get worst. Already Indian families in the US are being targeted by thieves since its well known that in their culture they wish to own gold. I have warned friends at the Thai temple since SE Asians are also noted for this trait to be careful. We casually own silver and maybe even gold coins and not think much about them. Well, to some people, every silver dollar we own is a lot of money, and unfortunately some will do a lot of things to have them. Chris
Keep your eyes open coming & going. Thanks for the thread. We had a case in CT this year where they first followed the coin dealer home & then hit him 1-month later in the early morning when he was loading his car for a subsequent show. Keep your eyes open coming & going.
What they should do when they catch a coin thief is place his hands in the coining press at one of the Mint facilities and then deny his claims for disability compensation. Chris
May I ask how you knew this guy was there to watch people come and go? It can still get rather cold here in April, and I can only assume its the same in Minnesota too. Just seven months ago I sat in my car outside of a local show waiting for a client, and am sure I saw many people come and go, so should I be viewed with suspicion too? I could list many instances where - for one reason or another - I've been at my car during or after a show, especially the small local ones and all were innocent. While your security point is absolutely valid, there can be countless reasons for someone not being inside the show, so for anyone to automatically assume the worst is wrong. Maybe you had very good reason for believing this person was there to watch people, but the only reason given was that he was in his car. There are enough people who (justifiably or not) are paranoid in this hobby/business, so to say that you alerted security because of this guy without giving a reason as to why, IMO only helps to propagate said paranoia. My impression of you, Medorman, has always been that of an intelligent and thoughtful individual. This is meant only as a discussion point and in no way as a personal attack.
Just to interject a thing or two here. I have worked security at shows as favors for the show promoters. I appreciated when people brought things to my attention. I would walk up to people in the parking lot and chat with them in the case listed by the OP. There were a time or two when the person in the car would not want to talk and thats fine.. I took a picture of their license plate and car. (Just in case) I wasn't there to make people mad or uncomfortable. Most of the dealers know me and appreciated the extra effort in walking the parking lot as well as staying active in the shows. Its a different world we live in today than it was 5-10 years ago. Always stay vigilant.
If I were sitting in my car outside a coin show, particularly if I were "watching people come and go", I would be neither surprised nor offended when a security person came by for a chat. If they were rude or belligerent, or if they tried to detain me, that's when I'd start to get offended.
Heightened security One time at a coin show I was sitting in my car with some valuable coins & someone from the parking lot in plain clothes approached my car. I did see him coming & I did get out of the car promptly before he arrived & I did (sternly) ask him about his intentions. It ended up that he was flashlight security for the bank that shared the same parking lot. We ended up having a nice discussion. I suggested that he be very careful when approaching people in the parking lot especially when there was a coin show.
Many times I have sat in my car outside a show to have a cigarette. Never has anyone questioned that. This is the first time I heard of anything unfortunate happening after the Auburn, MA coin show. I always felt it was a safe place. Now I don't feel so comfortable about it. Just goes to indicate nothing is safe anymore.
Fine points all, but there is a very big difference between alerting security to someone simply sitting in a car and stating that they are "watching people come and go". Everyone handles things differently, and there is no guarantee that security is not going to take an assumption as fact. Unless there is good and valid reason to believe the person is up to no good, care should be taken with such reports, and even then the same could be accomplished without the finger pointing. This really is no different that someone seeing a guy sitting in his car near a playground, and instead of reporting just what they saw, the person calls the cops and says the guy is selling drugs or trying to kidnap children. While there is nothing wrong with staying vigilant, there is when fear and/or assumptions turn into accusations. Depending on the individual security person and how they interpreted the report, this could be a possible outcome. While Jim and most security may act in a professional, non confrontational manner, this does not mean all security will. I highly doubt anyone here would take kindly to being accused of stalking prey when in reality, they were simply sitting in their car waiting on friends, looking at coins, taking to their wife on the phone, whatever, and all because a possible assumption was (or may have been) reported as fact. This is why I asked (in my original post) how the OP knew what this guy was doing.
Good thread. Always important to be aware of your surroundings and report anything that is suspicious. I especially take care at coin shows because I usually have my son with me. Last show, there was a guy the selling gold to dealers out of a shopping bag. I saw him sell at least 10 ounces and his bag was still pretty full when he was leaving. I offered to walk him to his car and he gladly accepted. TC
without proper security around the show, which would include a secure loading and unloading section, I can't see how this can be avoided.
I spoke with him yesterday at the Manchester, NH show. I told him the way to get your stolen stuff back is hire a PI who is paid based on performance, not guaranteed a check whether he gets success or not, someone with fire in the belly. Too late now though; he had a day or two to do this, time is of the essense! I question whether what he had was really as valuable as he stated and whether the stuff could be fenced anywhere near the value he placed. Yes, some 90% silver, but not much gold. I hope he gets some of his stuff back but statistically he won't.
The situation was it was at the show with an attached parking garage, (you may know the one). It was Sunday afternoon, not a lot of cars there. I pulled in and when walking towards the entry I saw a man in a car and when he saw me he slouched down a little and turned the other way. Half an hour later I went back to my car as I had forgot something, but remembered the guy. So I looked at his car from the doorway, saw him watching a dealer go over to his car, I walked near this car again and again he slouched down, turned away, and then pretended he was picking something up from the car floor. That is when I went back in and let security know. Maybe I was wrong, he just seemed awfully interested in people passing, but didn't wish to be seen if you looked at him. That seemed suspicious to me. Maybe I am just paranoid nowadays.
One common denominator on this and the recent half million plus heist of the dealer leaving the Westchester coin show last month; dealer leaves show to spend quality time with his GF. As one inspector said, "I suspect no one and I suspect everyone!"
