Criminal activity at the FUN show

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by fish4uinmd, Jan 19, 2017.

  1. fish4uinmd

    fish4uinmd Well-Known Member

    This is very serious and of course, very sad, but the bad guys are out there!
    And they know what we do at these shows. From a well known dealer:

    "FUN this year was marred by a very unpleasant and unfortunate incident involving the theft of coins from a very good friend and customer, a guy I have known for more than 20 years. Luckily, his coin bag was stolen from his unoccupied hotel room, so there was no personal injury involved. But, that is the only good thing. His bag also contained cash, checkbook, cell phone, airline tickets and other personal items. The loss of the coins is bad enough, but then to have to spend significant time getting back to "normal" only adds insult to injury."
     
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  3. Insider

    Insider Talent on loan from...

    :rolleyes: The FUN show was not "marred" by anything! That show probably has the best security in the business. I heard all about this theft. Unfortunately he is totally responsible for his loss. He left his things unattended in a hotel room - one that had no "official" connection to the show.

    The FUN show provides an around the clock FREE security room before the set-up and continuing after the show closes on Sunday! That way dealers can pick their coins up at 3 AM on the way to the airport!

    We have all read cautions about leaving coins in hotel rooms and cars while we eat or...:stinkyfeet: Hopefully his unfortunate mistake will encourage all of us to be more careful in the future.
     
    serafino likes this.
  4. fish4uinmd

    fish4uinmd Well-Known Member

    Not my words...from a dealer...that's why I put quotes around it.
     
    Paddy54 likes this.
  5. V. Kurt Bellman

    V. Kurt Bellman Yes, I'm blunt! Get over your "feeeeelings".

    Now what could cause the criminal element to want to stalk victims in the middle of a cash business event involving out-of-towners? Hmm. Something I've heard before. It'll come to me.

    No one ever believes it THEIR turn to be victimized. Only the uber-vigilant and careful avoid their turn to be the victim. What you're doing MAKES you a victim, unless you are balancing it out with OTHER things you do NOT to be one.
     
  6. Conder101

    Conder101 Numismatist

    If it is the one I'm thinking of, it wasn't a dealer that had the theft so he probably didn't have access to the security room.
     
    Paddy54, Curtisimo and Paul M. like this.
  7. fish4uinmd

    fish4uinmd Well-Known Member

    Simply a warning that the bad guys are out there...and another example (IMHO), albeit a minor one, of why show attendance is waning.
     
  8. SuperDave

    SuperDave Free the Cartwheels!

    It's a terrible happenstance, but I have to wonder what the enabling element was: Did the hotel permit an inside job, are their rooms unsecure enough to be easily broken into, or did the victim fail to lock the door?
     
    Rushmore likes this.
  9. V. Kurt Bellman

    V. Kurt Bellman Yes, I'm blunt! Get over your "feeeeelings".

    My room, some 17 miles distant, had an in-room safe. Not that we left anything in it.
     
  10. fish4uinmd

    fish4uinmd Well-Known Member

    Dave, I have thought about the many times that the maids/service people are doing their checklist and chatting in the hall while doors are wide open and accessible. So many variables.
     
  11. SuperDave

    SuperDave Free the Cartwheels!

    That sort of causation - knowing they were serving guests with thousands of dollars of value with them, regardless of their legal liability to indemnify it (which is minimal) - would be grounds to publicize the name of the establishment so it could be struck forever from the minds of safety-conscious collectors and dealers of any niche, not just numismatics. They're serving a dang Convention Center, fer cryin' out loud.
     
  12. Insider

    Insider Talent on loan from...

    I'm going to call the president of FUN tomorrow as I believe I understood the security room was open to collectors also. I'll post an update on this tomorrow. At the least, I'll bet if a non-dealer purchases an "early-bird" badge he'll have access to the room. If true, that would be cheap insurance! We'll see. ;)

    :rolleyes: I'll think FUN may refute the post about attendance and I would not call any hotel several miles away from the convention center (if that was the case) as "serving the convention center." :facepalm:
     
    Last edited: Jan 19, 2017
    Paul M. likes this.
  13. desertgem

    desertgem Senior Errer Collecktor

    I do not speak from my moderator position, but as a member here. Sometimes I am confounded by the number of innocent and friendly collectors who publicize their intentions to attend, what they may be looking for ( cash in possession), how to find them, where they are going for dinner each night, and some times a room number and photo. There are reasons to mainly have avatars for the cointalk ID. However, these do not go against the rules, so they are allowed, but I feel they can be helpful if someone got the idea to build a scam/break in list for their local FUN like convention, and watch for a familiar face to come into the lobby. Jim
     
  14. Rushmore

    Rushmore Coin Addict

    If the theft occurred in a hotel room FUN shouldn't be to blame. I've heard some show goers will ship their purchases back to their home in order to avoid theft.
     
  15. Conder101

    Conder101 Numismatist

    Even if it didn't, you could still have a dealer friend stash things in the security room for you.
     
  16. Insider

    Insider Talent on loan from...

    OK, use of the security room at the FUN show:

    Room opened around the clock. Anyone with a photo ID can use it for free (dealers, and early bird patrons). Any FUN MEMBER (me and Joe blow collector) can use the room for free also. :)

    Additionally, any attendee of the show who is not a member of the FUN organization can pay a fee and use the room! Wow, such a deal.

    :facepalm: I forgot to ask about attendance numbers and am too embarrassed to call right back. :(
     
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