Coin shop gold bullion thieves -- Tuesday Update: Pictures from Redding, CA on Monday afternoon
CaptHenway
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The con artists who steal gold bullion from coin shops were reported in Billings, Montana late yesterday and Missoula today.
Typical m/o is two or more people come in, flash a roll of cash and say they want to buy several ounces of gold, say they want to look at a variety of types so as to get a lot of ounces on the counter, and then one member of the gang creates a distraction while the other(s) pocket what they can.
Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
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They were operating in Omaha on the 8th. Heading West on I-80 in Nebraska, or north on I-29 to South Dakota (west) on I-90, or further north up to North Dakota on I-94 (west) ?
Damn...not again.
Keeping our eyes open here in North Dakota. As these cases keep popping up I post images of the perps and give the front retail staff a quick rundown on how they play their sleight of hand game. If positively ID'd I told them to hit the silent alarm. I think they took 13K in gold from the Billings dealer. Thats a hard loss for any dealer to swallow.
Will have images of them to hand out to security staff at the upcoming coin show. I'll be stuck behind the table, but want the other dealers to be in the know as well.
OMG, that's terrible !!!
Yep... this is on the coin forum as well... one of our members was hit.... they are pushing it...don't know when to quit... the downfall of most thieves...Cheers, RickO
I warned a couple of dealer friends in Idaho that they might be traveling their way. They are up on the news and will watch. One mentioned that they hit a shop in Missoula, MT and Sheridan, WY, but didn't get anything.
Another report that they got somebody in Coeur d'Alene, ID later Saturday. Appear to be heading West into Washington or Oregon.
Apparently on the way west they hit a jewelry store in Aurora, CO last Wednesday. NINE people in the store including women and children. Lot of distractions up front and one of the women slipped into the back room and cleaned out the safe.
My YouTube Channel
Same group here, last week ?
MOUNT PLEASANT, Iowa - A man wanted by police for a bank holdup in Mount Pleasant last week is now identified as one member of a group of gypsies wanted in a string of robberies in the U.S. and several other countries.
Police say the man seen on security video boldly walking into the bank, and then out with the cash is 19-year-old Lonel Niculescu of Romania.
Investigators say he is part of a group that travels country to country robbing coin shops, banks, jewelry stores, and large department stores.
Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb
Bad transactions with : nobody to date
No vehicle descriptions yet? It seems like the various state police & highway patrol offices should be on this by now.
I knew it would happen.
Hopefully the Interpol gets involved.
This dynamic duo got 13 pcs of gold (6 Oz AGW) in my shop last week. (Nebraska)
Spoke with accents . The guy in the hat had a Tattoo on hand with a red star surrounded by blue rays, as I recall. And he smelled of cheap cologne.
The Gypsies hit somebody in Grant's Pass in southwest Oregon today. Only two people, as with the Coeur d'Alene hit, so the groups of nine people that hit the jewelry shop in Aurora, CO last Wednesday may have split into two or three smaller groups. Could hit any place in Washington, Oregon or Northern California next. Be on the lookout for them.
These groups typically have drivers in one or more cars not parked in front of the victim so that nobody can I.D. the getaway vehicles.
Any word who this dealer was?
Best images of them Ive seen so far.
They sure have an assortment of hats that they wear
Successful transactions with : MICHAELDIXON, Manorcourtman, Bochiman, bolivarshagnasty, AUandAG, onlyroosies, chumley, Weiss, jdimmick, BAJJERFAN, gene1978, TJM965, Smittys, GRANDAM, JTHawaii, mainejoe, softparade, derryb
Bad transactions with : nobody to date
The guy in the top photo hasn't changed his clothes since the 8th of November in my shop. That explains the smell of cheap cologne on him.
Pictures of two of the Gypsies and their car. Copied from Facebook. Taken in Redding, CA Monday afternoon. Apparently this pair is heading south rather than north, but there were nine people at their Aurora, CO jewelry store heist so they may have split up into two or three groups that could be anywhere.
They are sure on a roll .... They have to be getting ready to skip the country.... the trail they have left surely has the FBI involved by now....Cheers, RickO
Good work by that Redding CA owner.
Here's a warning parable for coin collectors...
I just spoke to one of our local shop owners (in Tyler, TX) about the folks and he told me they were hit as well. Wad of cash, gold coins, boxes, distraction and sleight of hand. He commented that they were very good at this. I am told they were caught on camera and Doug Davis has been notified.
See http://www.doubledimes.com for a free online reference for US twenty-cent pieces
Definitely more than one crew stealing out there.
Where are they offloading the loot? At another shop in the vicinity of the crime, or take it out of state?
They used to hang thieves. Crime was low. No deterrent anymore. Steal under $900 in CA and they give you a ticket to appear and let you go. Good grief. Catch those bastards!
100% Positive BST transactions
That dress he was wearing should have set every one off. It doesn't match the hat.
Still not captured evidently.... and no report yet of what they are doing with the gold... likely melting and selling...Cheers, RickO