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Stolen Coins out of Florida
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UtahCoin
Posts: 5,345 ✭✭✭✭✭
USPS - Stolen Coins/Bullion
Two Express Mail packages were dropped off at a post office in Sarasota, Florida on April 1st, 2019. Both packages were scanned but only one left the facility and delivered to the correct recipient. It appears the stolen package was taken before being placed on a truck.
The package contained the following gold coins/bullion:
8 Austria 100 Austria Corona
10 1oz Australia Kangaroo random dates
10 1oz Gold Eagle Random Date
10 1oz Gold Valcambi Bars
Postal Inspectors are currently working the case. Anyone with information contact:
Jay Rudo
941-735-3092
or
Doug Davis
817-723-7231
Doug@numismaticcrimes.org
Numismatic Crime Information Center
I used to be somebody, now I'm just a coin collector.
Recipient of the coveted "You Suck" award, April 2009 for cherrypicking a 1833 CBHD LM-5, and April 2022 for a 1835 LM-12, and again in Aug 2012 for picking off a 1952 FS-902.
Recipient of the coveted "You Suck" award, April 2009 for cherrypicking a 1833 CBHD LM-5, and April 2022 for a 1835 LM-12, and again in Aug 2012 for picking off a 1952 FS-902.
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Comments
Let's see ... what worker just showed up in a new pickup truck with custom wheels ...?
OMG, how horrible !!!
Seems like its always a package with multiple ounces of gold.
Collector, occasional seller
Hmmmmm, 38 ounces of generic gold....not likely to be traceable.
bob
A contractor.
A PO employee has too much to lose, unless they were about to be fired.
Was it registered mail? If so, there should be a signature chain of custody and the last guy that signed for it should be on the hook.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
LOL! The OP says Express Mail likely with private insurance.
Florida man hits again.
There seems to be a lot of these Florida USPS theft postings lately.
Wow, doesn't instill much confidence when you send coins to Sarasota,..for grading....I shipped coins on the 2nd, and just had P.O. box number on package when I was ready to ship. Postal worker asked if this was a business, I said yes, and she demanded the company name be present also with P.O. box. I told her that I was apprehensive because of the amount of theft occurring within USPS. She reiterated several times it was safe...I wasn't comfortable but consented.
This post doesnt help!
Did you use acronym or spell out?
Acronym.
sounds like they were heading to Modern Coin Mart.
Is there a device that can scan for precious metals that will fit in your pocket? How are they targeting these packages out of the millions that move thru USPS? Looks like the package in this thread would have been extremely heavy which may have tipped someone off.
I guess this answers the question "Do people really put fifty thousand dollars in the mail?".
Maybe all PM shipments should be in 3'x3' boxes to avoid discreetly "walking away".
Collector, occasional seller
They don't appear to aggressively investigate these crimes. Not sure if its union protection, lazy postal bosses, not enough police to focus on the problem.? Its like the workers/criminals know its open season on the mail system.
"A dog breaks your heart only one time and that is when they pass on". Unknown
Won't fit in your pocket but small enough to carry or conceal.
Sure seems like this one (based on the facts in the OP) should be quickly resolved.... Grab the likely individuals and grill them...Waterboarding would be appropriate, but not allowed anymore...Hope to see a followup on this one. Cheers, RickO
bummer, im sorry to hear about that. will keep an open eye out for it
if I sold that much gold all at once, i would drive the package there myself, take some time off work and make a vacation out of it
Most USPS people are honest, but the amount of video surveillance they now have to use in their big facilities tells you not all are. USPS, BEP, Mint employees, all with million dollar pensions at stake, take some really stupid chances.
Yes if Registered they know who has it !
It wasn't registered! If it was they wasted a lot of money shipping express because it will not effect the delivery speed.
amwldcoin:
I just shipped a box of about 60 Morgan dollars, Carson City, Frisco and New Orleans from central Pennsylvania to Concord, MA express mail. Left my hands on 4 April at 12:10pm and arrived at the Northeastern in Concord on 5 April @ 12:04pm. Sometimes the post office works and I use them all the time.
Hmmmm...sounds like miscommunication. No matter how you ship a package...1st Class,Priority, or Express....if you register the package all time frame guarantees are off and it moves at the snail pace of Registered.
Things I did right: Shipped it Express Priority @ fastest possible delivery time. Maximum insurance (costs extra but...) Used a lot of glass reinforced tape all over the box. If it did get stolen they would have to work for the loot.
Things I didn't do: Did not put the words Numismatics or Coin anywhere on the mailing label or box.
I'll admit - I got lucky. Those Morgans were 63, 64s.
UtahCoin thanks for posting this.
This was my package and it was sent express mail on April 1st and yes it is insured by a third party. On April 2nd I knew there was a problem and went to the post office to talk to a supervisor. The lady told me they just missed scanning it and not to worry. I told her it missed the scan when it went on the truck and missed the scans going in and out of Tampa. I could see missing one scan but missing multiple scans meant there was a problem. I told her it was most likely stolen and it would be easier to figure it out now then to wait. It could have only been 3 or 4 different suspects. Obviously the people at the post office know I ship valuables. No coincidence it was my package missing. She wouldn't budge and sent me on my way. Then I called a contact at the Internal Postal Inspector and she is sending someone Monday to investigate. Well see what happens but I don't have much hope. The only camera system the post office has is a live camera that doesn't record. It's just so they can see what is happening out front. They also don't have skin in the game since all they will lose is the refund for the express mail fee. The insurance company is taking the hit. It's amazing how little the authorities are willing to do to solve a crime even if it involves so much money.
I've been all over town visiting coin shops and pawn shops giving them a list of the items. The geographic area I visited isn't very big. The thief could drive to Tampa or Miami or Georgia and sell it at a flea market or pawn shop up.
Jay
I hope it turns out well, but why couldn't it have been a contractor who did not scan as they did not put on their truck but in their pocket?
Thanks Dave
They scan the package when I hand it to them. Then they scan it again when it goes on the truck. It never got scanned a second time so it never made it on the truck.
Sorry for the loss and what you’ll have to go through to be made whole @TwistedArrow1962.
The first scan puts the PO on the hook since it should show they are in possession with the date and time.
What does your third party insurer require to process the claim?
If such shipments were in the ordinary course of your business, you’d be driving full time and on permanent vacation.
Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.
And if such shipments were in the ordinary course of registered mail this conversation would not be taking place, most likely, based on history.
These posts are becoming more frequent with priority mail.
No offense to feld and others, but I believe like a prior poster, Id either drive this much to the destination myself, or pay somebody I know and trust to do so.
I had a few high end coins with values at this level or a little higher that needed to go to cac while back. I refused to send them myself, and used a dealer friend of mine who took them there in person along with his.
I other words, your coins and a friend's coins car pooled. Makes a lot of sense.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.