If you don't have an alarm system where you keep your coins, get one - now.
Russ
Posts: 48,514 ✭✭✭
Yep, it can happen to anyone, as I found out this morning when the police department called me. My shop was burglarized at 4:57 AM. They got in by busting out a wall panel on the side of the building where my office is located.
They got a handful of coins that were sitting on the desk - nothing real expensive, but it was my cool old stuff that I've been grabbing lately - a 10X loop, some wristwatches I had in the desk drawer, and some computer parts inventory from the front of the shop during the 15 seconds before the internal siren went off. It was pretty obvious that they panicked and ran as they were clearing a shelf of CD-ROM drives, and left one askew. They never had time to locate anything of real value, and the entry point was so small, they couldn't get anything large out.
Had to be kids, skinny ones, because there is not more then a 10" gap between the next panel and a file cabinet cabinet blocking the rest of the area.
I think they avoided the front door because it has an alarm company sticker on it. I guess they thought that if they busted out the panel, they could get in without setting off an alarm. What they didn't know is that, besides the contact alarm on the door, I have motion sensors everywhere.
The two key things here that kept it at a minimum are the motion sensors and the internal siren. Without the siren, they would have been here much longer because, as we all know, the police don't necessarily arrive instantly when a silent alarm goes off. With the siren, the slimeballs know right away that they've tripped an alarm.
Russ, NCNE
They got a handful of coins that were sitting on the desk - nothing real expensive, but it was my cool old stuff that I've been grabbing lately - a 10X loop, some wristwatches I had in the desk drawer, and some computer parts inventory from the front of the shop during the 15 seconds before the internal siren went off. It was pretty obvious that they panicked and ran as they were clearing a shelf of CD-ROM drives, and left one askew. They never had time to locate anything of real value, and the entry point was so small, they couldn't get anything large out.
Had to be kids, skinny ones, because there is not more then a 10" gap between the next panel and a file cabinet cabinet blocking the rest of the area.
I think they avoided the front door because it has an alarm company sticker on it. I guess they thought that if they busted out the panel, they could get in without setting off an alarm. What they didn't know is that, besides the contact alarm on the door, I have motion sensors everywhere.
The two key things here that kept it at a minimum are the motion sensors and the internal siren. Without the siren, they would have been here much longer because, as we all know, the police don't necessarily arrive instantly when a silent alarm goes off. With the siren, the slimeballs know right away that they've tripped an alarm.
Russ, NCNE
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Comments
B.
A Tax is a fine for doing good.
For some life lasts a short while, but the memories it holds last forever.
-Laura Swenson
In memory of BL, SM, and KG. 16 and forever young, rest in peace.
Regards,
Frank
Obscurum per obscurius
Some crook dropped several of my guns he was stealing when I lived in an apartment in CO and I had to raise hell & MAKE the policeman send out a detective to take fingerprints from the guns. It's like they don't even care.
I hope they catch the bums!!
New collectors, please educate yourself before spending money on coins; there are people who believe that using numismatic knowledge to rip the naïve is what this hobby is all about.
To give you guys an idea of how small the punk had to be, this is the size of the space he had to get through:
Entry point, external view.
Entry point, internal view.
Russ, NCNE
And Dog's right, about all the poice do is pee on the ashes.
It's up to the owner to do what it takes to protect his property. An alarm screaming away may help but a 2,000 safe set in concrete is the best deterent in the case of a shop (just make sure you put the inventory in the safe before you leave). Most of these creeps are grab and run artists and don't want to hang around trying to figure out how to open a safe.
I had a pretty good alarm system in my former business.......I routinely got caught entering my building!
GSAGUY
Camelot
Might not hurt to alert the local coin dealers to be on the lookout for a dirty scrawny guy with a fake bust dollar. Hmm... on second thought, that's probably pretty common.
Not too worried about my wallet being on the desk while I'm here. If they tried while I'm on premises, their career would come to an abrupt halt.
Russ, NCNE
Don't kids today have better things to do with their lives?
Dave
Camelot
You'd be welcome in my office. Especially if you brought your Kennedy set with you.
Russ, NCNE
For some life lasts a short while, but the memories it holds last forever.
-Laura Swenson
In memory of BL, SM, and KG. 16 and forever young, rest in peace.
"Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." -Luke 11:9
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Leo
The more qualities observed in a coin, the more desirable that coin becomes!
My Jefferson Nickel Collection
I'm sorry it happened. Is there anything we can watch for that would be identifiable?
and it sets us apart from practitioners and consultants. Gregor
<< <i>Is there anything we can watch for that would be identifiable? >>
Don,
I doubt they'll be trying to unload anything outside of this area. Two of the coins they grabbed off the desk were slabbed, so those numbers have been provided to the police. The other thing that could get them nailed, is the fake bust dollar. The police have scans of it, and will be alerting the coin shops and pawn shops in the area. Hopefully, they'll think it's real and try to sell it.
Of course, since it's likely it's kids, even if they're caught they'll get nothing more then sent to bed without dinner.
Russ, NCNE
Sorry to hear. But, what I would like to know.. do a lot of people keep coins and watches in their offices? I find that unusual.
the bummer here is that you were branching out into some type and it seems that it all got snatched. not much in the way of value but i know it messes with my head when i've been stolen from. as someone else pointed out it was probably a customer who thought they'd make the big coin haul.
i know i take pride in my modest collection and sometimes i need to put the brakes on when i'm talking about it. another bad habit i have is leaving stuff laying around on the table, but it sounds kinda like that worked to your advantage here. the crooks were so busy with the easy pickins' that they never really got a chance to search.
could you imagine if burglars broke into braddick's house and found the PO1 collection?? they'd CALL the police to have them come arrest Pat!!!!
al h.
The coins were just nick-nack type stuff of no real value. The two that were slabbed I kept handy as grading examples. The extra watches in the desk drawer were there because I get bored wearing the same one all the time, so I'd change from time to time. Between the three that they stole, total value is less then $200; an Android, an Invicta and a Swiss Army (this one was actually free).
Russ, NCNE
They also completely missed the pile of cash that I deliberately leave in a visible area to encourage a quick grab and exit. It's not much, about $25, but it looks like it could be more because it's mostly one's.
This was just some stupid punk kid or kids.
Russ, NCNE
as for what happend, I feel for ya buddy. It sucks and is not a fun feeling for a long time after. My only hope for you is that those clowns are stupid enough ta try and sell that fake peice...greed does many wonderful things, one is it gets em caught
Go BIG or GO HOME. ©Bill
I feel for your loss!
My store in Hawaii had an alarm system with motion detectors. The guys cut a hole in the roof, kicked out the ceiling and dropped in. The motion detectors failed to pick them up, but they cut the wire to the back door alarm when exiting and the alarm went off. They dropped several garbage bags loaded with boxes of sportscards and hats, but got away with over $1400. worth of jerseys. My alarm agreement only covered $50. in the event of malfunction. When they checked the motion detectors, they said they were working properly. I was out $1400+ the cash register they destroyed, one destroyed showcase and the time it took to clean up the mess they left.
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That would be correct. I have other suspects in mind, though, that pre-date that occurence. My new neighbors in this building is a suite full of kids doing MLM, frequently here all hours of the night with plenty of opportunity to case and determine the best point of entry.
Eight years since the last attempt here, a trainload of irritating little punks moves in next door, and suddenly a problem. A bit too coincidental for my taste.
Russ, NCNE