So This Coin Thief Walks Into a Coin Show...

Charmy, I know you were busy at the show but it would have been nice for the security guard to keep an eye on him and when, not if, he stole again then have him arrested and see what the judge will say this time. It's only justice.

Bruce

 

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Charmy

Gotta admire your style. You handled it perfectly and were more than justified in doing what you did.
For anyone who questioned Charmy's actions, you need to wake up to the fact that theft is one of the biggest threats to the enjoyment of our hobby.
Charmy, you've had to deal with this junk more than most recently (your cases without coins in them having been lifted a few months ago). I wish you a nice, long stretch of theft-free business for awhile. You deserve it.

 

I think you handled it well. Sounds like that guy needs help. TC

 

I've read about these stories and it really is a shame for everyone involved. Thieves will be thieves and you must watch out at times when others know what you have.
Does anyone know about any Bakersfield coin shows coming up?

 

FYI, This is a very old thread - and the Bakersfield coin show did not survive the poor economy.

 

Allegedly, a guy may have taken coins at a show yesterday. I was trying yo help. I noticed a guy sticking a bill in his back pocket. I asked the dealer, who is my friend, if said person paid for a bill. They said no.

So, I took time to watch this around the show.

I told the dealer they should try to get his photo on the cell phone.

What else should we have done?

 

Always report suspicious people to security so they can watch him and then may ask to see what is in his pocket.

 

I am not sure if there is security at the Anaheim show...

 

Jerry, the show owner, is security - he is a retired Long Beach cop and works security for the Buena Park show, and used to work security for the Long Beach show. Definitely let him know if you ever see anything "off" at the show.

 

Yes, I know. I was trying to help Jerry.

 

Charmy.. dont you have that ailment that when you sneeze your right leg jumps up about groin high? : ) Stand in front of the guy and sneeze.. Bet that gets his attention.

 

One of the first coin shows I ever went to (long, long ago in a ...) I got into a conversation with one of the dealers during a slow time. I asked him what they did about security, and, after a long look, he told me that the show had plain-clothes security and that all he would have to do would be to catch one of the security guy's eye and nod and look at me and I would be followed during the rest of the time I was in the show. Don't know if that was true or not, but it certainly stuck with me.

 

Saw this guy from a different show. I alerted security and he was arrested today at Buena Park show.

Good karma pays off as I was the first one to win! I won a '91 ASE!

 

Wow interesting thread, Im going to that show tommorow. Im really glad that low life was caught. And to "Hudson James" with logic like yours, I question your sanity. I hope you were trolling and not serious. good day sir.

 

This guy may be a klepto but he may focus on going after inexpensive coins for a reason. For one, inexpensive coins tend to be more easily accessible than higher-end coins that are typically kept under glass. Two, he may not target expensive coins to avoid felony charges of grand theft. He knows he will just get kicked out and a slap on the wrist for going after lower-end coins. Since this guy is a habitual offender who will likely never stop, a sound punishment would be for him to lose one of the tools that he uses to steal these coins. One of his hands. If the West had punishment like that thefts from coins to cars would go down to near zero quite rapidly.

 

Apparently, the thief from the Buena Park show today was suspected of stealing from the same dealer in Long Beach and another dealer at the monthly Anaheim show, so Jerry (who is a retired Long Beach cop and also owns and runs the Anaheim show) was advised about the "possible" thief (the dealer couldn't prove it at that time) and pointed out the guy to Jerry at the Anaheim show.

So Jerry who is also in charge of security at the Buena Park show saw the same guy (he is very big, lots of arm tats, and a ZZ Top style beard) enter the show and had two other security guards watch him. Sure enough, the guards witnessed him steal from the same dealer as the Long Beach show. The had their cell phone cameras ready and actually videotaped him stealing. They called the cops, the dealer signed the complaint, the thief was walked through the show in handcuffs while all the dealers cheered, put in a police car, taken to the police station, processed and released. I understand he had pocketed over $600 worth of coins from the dealer's notebooks that were sitting on the table.

We were all very pleased that (1) they caught the thief and (2) that the dealer is actually prosecuting him! Kudos to Jerry and his staff, and the dealer!

 

Wow, they releasead him again. I guess that we can expect him at the next coin show. It makes you want to return to the days of "hanging from the closest tree". Is this like cattle rustling in the old days?

 

The Jewish Metaphor for the evil inclination is that it resembles a fly. No matter how much you swat at it, it comes back.

 

Nothing like overreacting. Glad Charmy has more class.

 

That's what I probably would've done. Though I wasn't in the situation.
Shoulda Coulda Woulda.