Stolen Card Located
jfkheat
Posts: 2,722 ✭✭✭✭✭
A little over a year ago I sold a PSA 6 1954 Bowman Duke Snider. When the buyer received the bubble mailer, it had been cut open and the card was gone. It was only a $60 or so sale so I didn't insure it. I talked with my local postmaster and his thoughts were that a postal employee stole the card but there was no proof and there was nothing he could or would do since it wasn't insured. I refunded the buyer.
I kept watching auctions for a while hoping it would show up. After a while I just forgot about it. Well, today I was watching an auction online and they have a 54 Bowman set with a PSA 6 Snider. I found pictures of the one that was stolen from me and it is the same card. I have the for sale ad and the PMs between the buyer and myself. The buyer had sent me pictures of the cut open mailer but I have since deleted them.
Should I contact the auction house? Like I mentioned, it was a $60 or so sale. Should I just forget about it? What are your thoughts?
James
Comments
I would, but that's only because I'm vindictive and don't want someone to get away with something like this.
You would think that you could work backwards from where the current consignor got the card, and get to who stole it from the mail. Being that its been a short amount of time, its doubtful that the card exchanged between too many hands. I think you are referring the the Morphy Auction, and they would have received the consignment months ago in order to make their catalog.
But, since its a low dollar item, I don't think any legal authority would pursue the case that heavily. Even though it might lead to someone who has stole or is still stealing items.
Going back to when your buyer received a supposed empty package, was the package marked as being opened or damaged by the post office? The USPS is pretty thorough about stamping packages that appear to be damaged or tampered with before they deliver them. You might have had a buyer that looks for uninsured packages they receive and claims they arrive empty, giving the sender no recourse but to refund. There are some terrible people out there.
Yes, it was the Morphy Auction. I had pictures of the sliced bubble mailer but deleted them a couple months ago. I just contacted the buyer. He doesn't have them either. The buyer is a respected member of some of the card forums. I just sold him a $600 card a couple weeks ago. I don't think he would do something like this.
When it happened I took the pictures and info about the sale to my local postmaster. From what he told me there are scans taken along the line of almost all mail and packages. He said he would contact the postmaster at the delivery end and see what he could find out. His thought was that a postal employee probably stole the card. If it had gone through the system after it was cut open it would have been flagged. It wasn't.
James
I would. This person or person(s) could be scamming/stealing or whatever and it might lead back to a pawn shop. I think it is important to pursue whatever we can. Might make for a nice read here too
Best place to buy !
Bronze Associate member
Regardless of the amount, it's a federal offense, and doubtful it's the first time this person has done it.
I just called the auction house. The lady I talked to said she would check into it and call me back. The only thing she would tell me is what state the consignor lives in. It is a card dealer in the same state that I shipped the card to.
James
Is it registered with PSA? Technically I would consider it still yours.
How would you feel if you were brokering or bought a stolen card. Register it and go from there if you don't want to confront them now.
I still have it registered with PSA.
This has the makings of a popcorn thread. Likely the dealer bought the card from some junkie that came in to sell it or whatever they wanted to call dumping the stolen goods.
For it to be a stolen card that you can lay claim to now then a police report or report of mail theft should have been filed at the time of the incident. Then if it ever pops up you have what you need to legally interfere in other people's business. Accusing the auction house, consignor, original buyer, or new buyer now of having stolen property could cause you greater issues than you'd expect.
Given that it was consigned by a dealer, my thought is that a postal employee jacked the card and sold it to the dealer for whatever he could get for it. In that scenario, the dealer may not have a record of who sold him the card. Still worth pursuing IMO.
I highly doubt the thief will be exploited and the case cracked but I think it’s definitely worth pursuing for at least the possibility of stressing some scumbag out
I had one card stolen from the mail and filed a police report. It has been over 3 years now so I do not think I would do anything if it turns up. The first 6 months I religiously looked on EBay for it to surface. There were a rash of packages stolen from my building prompting installation of cameras which stopped the problem. It was not a postal employee or anyone targeting cards. Am sure it was sold right away via craigslist or to a local card shop. Almost seems unfair for whoever has it now with no knowledge it was ever stolen to have to forfeit the card . Might feel differently if it was an extremely high dollar card. Would definitely feel differently if it was likely the thief was selling it.
I know I won't get the card back. Since it was for such a small amount, $64, I didn't file a police report. I would just like to find out who stole it. I think I figured out what card dealer consigned the set to the auction house. I'm still trying to decide if I am going to call them.
James
I would definitely pursue this.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
I'm not good with kind of stuff.
Hiya James
Ya know? If you had - out of principle - put in a police report with cert # - this might be a slam dunk - but just not sure of the outcome.
But, out of principle - if ya have some kind of provenance? I would pursue.
if you can find out who this is, it will prevent this from happening to someone else. stop the chain
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