Wow. Half a Million in coins and gold stolen at a show Sunday.
Swampboy
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It happened yesterday in Melville, Long Island back in my old hood.
Ouch.....
"Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working" Pablo Picasso
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This was the first thing I thought when I saw the picture --
"The coin show operator says it's extremely unusual for a vendor to have $500,000 in stock at the show, but in the future they will add more security."
My old hunting ground as well, back in the day
Mike
My Indians
Danco Set
Edited - question answered after having viewed the video.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
hope they catch them
Something seems off about the whole thing,,,,.
With such a small Rubbermaid type tote full of gold and silver, that half million dollars of bullion is going into the bathroom with me. I wouldn’t let it out of my sight.
MY GOLD TYPE SET https://pcgs.com/setregistry/type-sets/complete-type-sets/gold-type-set-12-piece-circulation-strikes-1839-1933/publishedset/321940
it is a common place to ask someone set up at the show to watch your stuff, especially at the last but at the end of the day it is probably the riskiest time followed shortly by the setup time. wouldn't want to be the guy asked to watch the stuff!
that much money and can't pay someone to stick around your table with ya? i'm not picking on the guy that took the loss but when you are alone, there is virtually nothing you can do w/o leaving your inventory. can't put it in the vehicle, can't leave it on the cart/table, really tough to trust someone but a close friend to leave at their table. maybe leave it with the show organizer. BUT, at least there is a half decent video. not very good but one of the best i've seen of any show/shop heist/robbery/theft.
that is a heavy loss and if those crooks attend shows honestly/dishonestly, i'm willing to be they've been seen in other venues. for sure, i would contact the local PD and see what camera footage could be drummed up from places around the venue. the time frame is VERY narrow, so easy to plow through footage. even combing the venues footage to see when they arrive also gives another potential window for them to be caught in their vehicle by other places video.
if you have a good amount of wealth, spend on security, at home, in car, perhaps even on person, period. just the world we live in.
I was hoping for real coins to catch up to Bitcoin, but not like this!
Given the video, I hope the perpetrators are caught soon, and with the goods!
I wonder how easy it is to identify people given the Covid masks.
Did anyone else notice that so very many tables were empty? Something is not right.
I believe the video mentioned that it was supposedly at or about closing time.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
It was at the end of the show.
Closer to home....did you also hear about the armed robbery at West Seattle Coins on Friday?
I only heard about it on the news Sunday night!
I'm surprised it wasn't mentioned at the coin show this weekend.
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
I've been robbed at the end of a show. You have money, inventory and are tired.
@bochiman - Ron, I saw that. Geez. Three men brandishing guns and hammers robbed the W Seattle store. No doubt a terrifying situation. I feel terrible for the staff. All are wonderful people. Hope they catch these hoods before someone gets hurt…or worse.
Dave
Hate stories like this. Hope they catch them.
Wonder why the front window is boarded up with chipboard -- was there a previous break in or vandalism??
In Seattle? Probably just a protest.
West Seattle is a bit different than downtown - nice community feel, not like 3rd Ave or the East Precinct.
I am not 100%, but it sounds like it was linked to a previous incident ...
"Police are at Bellevue Rare Coins in The Junction right now, investigating a robbery. No details available but looking inside the store, we could see that at least one of the cases was smashed. It’s been just three weeks since the business had windows smashed by a person described in the police report as a disgruntled client."
Source
Edited to add:
It appears that two of the robbery suspects have been identified. Link
Just terrible!
The show theft and the Bellevue Rare coin robbery.
I’ve done a lot of business with those folks. They’re some of the nicest and often the strongest buyers in the area.
Really disheartening.
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Those 2 have been doing quite the rounds in this area....robbing pot shots and shooting an employee....and getting released time and again.
They are hitting the easier targets (ie...not banks but places with lots of cash) and don't care the damage or who they hurt....and they know that, even if caught, they will be easily released again. Sad
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
Wow.They are wearing Covid masks too!
Why not? Helps cover their faces and not look out of place in this area where everyone still believes everything they were told.
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
I agree. I wonder if some people are thinking they need to do this now while masks are still common.
I’m guessing more and more jewelry/coin shops will need to go to a buzzer system, where they can get a good look at you before you enter. It’s commonplace in many other areas of the country. It’s sad, but that’s the world we live in today.
Dave
Unless the shop owners know the actual faces of all of these perps that have committed the violent acts and been 'caught and released', I don't think it will stop them. Their faces/names already out there, so they don't care who actually knows they did it, obviously.
Going to take a lot more changes than the buzzer system to keep these shop owners safe in certain types of cities right now.
I've been told I tolerate fools poorly...that may explain things if I have a problem with you. Current ebay items - Nothing at the moment
The top one can t keep their pants on with all the excitement, lol
Unbelievable.... When will this catch and release crap stop?? Over and over again, these punks are caught, released and commit another crime- up to and including murder. Why not? No penalty and might just get away completely.... I used to live in West Seattle... such a shame. The coin show theft was well planned - it was not a random hit. Cheers, RickO
Buzzer systems aren’t perfect, but they do add another layer of security.
I’ve noticed lately it’s 3 or 4 people carrying weapons storming into pot shops, jewelry stores, etc. Very brazen activity. The location of this store is in a very busy area of W Seattle. Seems like an unlikely target, but it tells me this could happen anywhere. Unnerving.
Dave
Crazy how they just walked in and out.
At least he's practicing good trigger discipline.
"It's like God, Family, Country, except Sticker, Plastic, Coin."
I attend this show religiously and can tell y'all some quick facts. The headline is wrong with the number reality is it's split in half. Every dealer knows if your the very last one it's not a good thing b.c if the security or guy who's runs the show is gone who's helping you etc?? I can guarantee the people who did it watched outside previously to see who's the last one out etc. IDK once dealers start to leave I'm never the last one out ever. This happens more often then you think. If you really have 500k supposedly worth of stuff you feel comfortable setting up and leaving by urself?? Not a chance in hell would I be alone
Somebody's always going to be last. There's no excuse for security/show promoter to not be present until he's left.
Hopefully the FBI is involved in both cases and will catch the perpetrators.
I was stupid enough to bring large amounts of bullion to a coin show a few times at a table. It just makes no sense unless you are going to do enough of that type of business that you can't get similar money for doing through the mail, etc.. You always think another $500 spent in security and the problem would not have occurred.
I was in FL a few weeks ago and visited a shop with a buzzer and sign noting that if you were wearing a mask, it had to come down momentarily before they’d buzz you in just to make sure your face was on camera.
A few weeks ago three fine people robbed a pot shop in Bellevue and the pursuit came into Seattle and passed close enough by me to hear all the sirens. Two were arrested. One opened fire at the police and is six feet under.
So, where's security at this show? Here's the schedule for closing day at the annual South Carolina State Convention - on Sunday:
3:00 pm - Convention Area Closes to Public
3:30 pm - Convention Area Closes to Everyone
4:00 pm - Security Ends.
By the way, our Security is Off-Duty (Armed) Deputy Sheriffs.
Sounds like this Melville show needs to change, and quickly.
Member ANA, SPMC, SCNA, FUN, CONECA
Slightly off topic...but who else is familiar with the Melville show? This, along with the show at the County Center in White Plains, were my first shows as a kid!
I haven't gone to this show in decades...wasn't aware it still was happening...but it used to be quite something in the 1970s and 80s...held every other Sunday at the union hall on Route 110, right?
And then we'd sometimes go to Adventureland down the street AND LEAVE THE COINS IN THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT!!!
Different times back then!
Same here RichR
I used to go to this show all the time, I believe it was once a month.
I remember one time I was in selling mode, I took my 16 year old nephew with me , his job was to carry the money when I sold something. We walked out of there with over 3K, a whole lot of money in the 70s. Never even thought of having a problem back then.
And yes, I remember Adventureland, I went there after the show when I had the little ones with me.
Different time,
Mike
My Indians
Danco Set
[[And yes, I remember Adventureland, I went there after the show when I had the little ones with me.
Different time,]]
There were actually still a few farms back then...in Farmingdale!
Sad times we are living in now. I hope they catch the bums.
I'm sure the robbed dealer is still in shock but I would be going to every likely fence location, the diamond district, etc. with a description of the stolen merchandise alerting cops also possibly hiring a PI to do some gumshoe work, and NCIC too. Time is always of the essence with robberies. The thieves did not pull that off as a one off, they have been around looking for opportunities before. There are very likely prior records and rap sheets on that couple.
Sorry, but "Excuse me, would you mind looking after my half-million $ in gold while I go take a leak?" leads me to think along another path.
USAF (Ret) 1974 - 1994 - The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries. Remembering RickO, a brother in arms.
[[Excuse me, would you mind looking after my half-million $ in gold while I go take a leak?" leads me to think along another path.]]
You sir...have a suspicious mind!!!!!
But seriously...I'd also have to think twice about even letting my beloved wife of 20 years hold my gold stash while I went to relieve myself......she might jump into a cab to JFK!!!
The whole thing sounds very fishy to me. Who trusts some one else with large value inventory like that?. It is also interesting the perps knew the right place to be when the owner (insurance claimant) conveniently happened to not be present. And doesn’t anyone else find it odd they have $500k in inventory at a small show where such large inventories are uncommon? This “theft” might be an elaborate attempt to defraud the insurance company.
You just can't trust some one wearing a mask. The Masked singers leaving the scene of the heist
USN & USAF retired 1971-1993
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i for sure agree with the rest of your post but it did say he was a long-term dealer at that show which means he probably knows everyone pretty well. this is the impression i've gotten on the circuits. usually dealers see each other at many venues and the big annuals so asking for someone to watch your booth while you are using the head, getting food, just looking for inventory etc etc isn't uncommon BUT what is uncommon, is people with large inventories $$$ NOT having a fam member and/or hired friend come along. (unless he did but they had already left)
i have seen many wives, kids, grandfathers, siblings etc at booths, specifically for safety of person and inventory. fwiw - i've also heard MANY stories here and on the circuits about car break-ins at restaurants after shows. i've had dinner quite a few times afterwards and while we park near the window where we sit, i also hear stories of dealers just watching someone come right up and do a smash n grab and there is no way to get out there quick enough.
it is one of the best ways to build a good relationship with people, is dinner after a show but simultaneously, one of the riskiest moves as people can just follow you. tbh, it is pretty much the same methods of crime for hundreds if not thousands of years, just a bit modified to suit the times. always has been the same and always will be. fwiw
I was at the Melville show earlier in the day, it was a particularly lively show, hopefully this unfortunate event does not make dealers reconsider showing up in the future.
As other posters noted, the whole circumstance seems a bit suspicious, as it seems like an incredible blunder with that much material, but I've been to the show often over the past 18 months, I've never noticed security. Not saying there was never security at the shows, just that I never noticed the security guards.
In the dealer community where folks know each other, there can well be a strong level of trust. It’s not the same thing in terms of value, but when I was a kid a dealer paid me $100 to wheel $35k in silver from one end of the Baltimore show to the other. Yes, it was probably too much weight for me to easily steal (and of course I wouldn’t) but dealers trust each other. One of the great aspects of the hobby is the trust and camaraderie that allows for handshake deals and pleasantries that rarely exist in business anymore.
I don't see this as a dealer trying to scam an insurance company considering how difficult it is to identify with evidence every last farthing you are claiming plus their willingness to pay out (Hugh Wood?) is limited based on clear evidence. Bullion is easily sold, has gone up a lot so why would someone take the chance at having some thieves who may well get caught to be in on a caper, is why there is a monumental "if" as to whether they could pull this off? Most all the dealers I've known robbed at or leaving shows, Don Blau, Steve Vorcheimer, Westwood coin, a major currency dealer who left the Westchester show to visit his girlfriend, got no compensation and the only reason that Julian got his huge loss recovered that was largely on consignment through him, was due to turning up the heat enough and the work of the FBI and other dealers.
I got this from NCIC today, finally a thief was caught:
Details:
On March 28, 2022 a male subject entered Voeck’s Fox Valley Coin, Stamp, and Diamonds in Kimberly, WI and wanted to buy a roll of gold coins. The suspect displayed a large amount of cash and as the employee was showing him the coins he grabbed the roll and ran out of the business. The suspect jumped into a brown
SUV and fled the scene. A security guard who followed the suspect out of the
store shot at the vehicle as the suspect attempted to run him over. A short time later the vehicle was spotted in a parking lot and the suspect was taken into custody. The suspect was identified as Travis Burrell from Brooklyn Park, MN.
Based upon the interview with Burrell, investigators believe he may be
involved in other coin thefts in Minnesota.
Anyone with information contact:
Doug Davis817-723-7231
Doug@numismaticcrimes.org