Another Robbery at FUN

src53 · January 9, 2006 5:25AM

A friend of mine just called to let me know that he was robbed of approximately $250,000 of coins last night.

He did not have a table at the show, but was there to walk the bourse floor for buying and selling purposes. Some of the coins were high-end Morgan Top 100 and Hot 50 VAM varietys, mostly slabbed.

As seen in some of the other robberies, he unfortunately left the coins in his vehicle while he was visiting his mother in Seminole county.

At this time he doesn't want me to mention his name. However, I asked him to come up with a list of the stolen coins. I will post the list when I receive it.

Scott

LanLord · January 9, 2006 5:31AM

Jeeze, do the crooks have their own forum where they were tracking and planning out all these hits?

Seems like some pretty organized stuff going on out there.

dthigpen · January 9, 2006 5:32AM

Who would leave $250,000 worth of coins in your car? It's the equivalent of leaving $250,000 cash in your car, it's just dumb.

Wolf359 · January 9, 2006 5:33AM

Unbelievable.

ziggy29 · January 9, 2006 5:35AM

I wonder if we're going to start seeing armored car companies with booths at the major shows...

Crazy4Coins · January 9, 2006 5:36AM

Did your friend attend the show on Sunday....or was this a day later?

Cladiator · January 9, 2006 5:36AM

<< I wonder if we're going to start seeing armored car companies with booths at the major shows... >>

Have the coins shows at the same time/location as the gun shows. Problem solved.

flaminio · January 9, 2006 5:49AM

<< Jeeze, do the crooks have their own forum where they were tracking and planning out all these hits?

Seems like some pretty organized stuff going on out there. >>

It kinda seems that way, doesn't it?

I wonder if a "sting" operation would be successful. Have some dealer walk out of show with two huge cases (empty), drive to a local Waffle House or Denny's, park someplace out of the way, and when the perps come to pop the trunk, nab 'em.

TheNumish · January 9, 2006 5:59AM

Don't know if this is true but I heard the robbers put a sticker on the dealers bags that they could track with the GPS. That way they could follow people without getting close.

Barry · January 9, 2006 6:01AM

Have the coins shows at the same time/location as the gun shows. Problem solved.

How is getting robbed by a bunch of gun nuts any more desireable?

Cladiator · January 9, 2006 6:03AM

<< Have the coins shows at the same time/location as the gun shows. Problem solved.

How is getting robbed by a bunch of gun nuts any more desireable? >>

Thiefs will already have their guns, they like to prey on those without them. If all the dealers were armed the thiefs would not even try. Thiefs are lazy and don't want a risk, they'll go for the sucker 10 times out of 10 and leave the well prepared guy all alone.

coltgus · January 9, 2006 6:09AM

<< Have the coins shows at the same time/location as the gun shows. Problem solved.

How is getting robbed by a bunch of gun nuts any more desireable? >>

Gun nuts are honest people and wouldn't rob anyone.
If everyone were like gun nuts, as you call them, there wouldn't be any crime.

JoshL · January 9, 2006 6:14AM

That is a lot of money to leave in a car.

JDelage · January 9, 2006 6:15AM

The slabbed coins are registered, right? So the thiefs plan on cracking the slabs and sell them raw, or re-submit them. In any case, it doesn't seem like something you can do without a friend on the retail side.

coynclecter · January 9, 2006 6:16AM

There was no mention of guns in this. These sound like well planned robberies by professionals who probably did use some tracking mechanism.

Fortunately these types are usually greedy and will continue till they get caught. Now what should be in place is a clearinghouse for tracking stolen items. The major graders and dealers should have all slab number and coin photo's etc to work from.

The coins are no good unless they can sell them.

1985ChicagoBears · January 9, 2006 6:22AM

The bottom line is to be very careful and don't take chances.

Thieves are more sophisticated than ever and more brazen.

My daughter just told me of a friend of hers that got held up at gun point after leaving a bar in a very good neighborhood here in Chicago. The thieves have "scouters" looking for naive, etc. people. They will follow you and then hit at the right time.

Folks, if they go after people for $50-100, then think what they will do for coin collections.

Be careful and beware!!

monsterman · January 9, 2006 6:31AM

********attetion all thieves reading the boards*******

1) i have 5 guns and all are locked kocked and ready to rock

2) i have shot one of you before and im looking for another target

3) i was a expert with guns in mil training and still am

4) i do carry a throw down incase your not packin and i shoot ya

5) all my coins are brinks ed ....all 2 of them!!!

6) all my coins then go to a safe...all 2 of them!!!

parole board members...just say no!!!!

they might be innocent of what they are in for but they all have rap sheets as long as a bus schedule....and guilty of dozens of crimes they were never caught for

coynclecter · January 9, 2006 6:37AM

I've always thought about fake PCGS/NGC holders with a GPS in them. One in each box. A nice chance for the good guys to recover thieir coins.

I'm suprised it hasn't been created yet. Then again, many coin dealers are so techno-challanged they are still having trouble answering email.

Russ · January 9, 2006 6:39AM

<< 4) i do carry a throw down incase your not packin and i shoot ya >>

Russ, NCNE

TorinoCobra71 · January 9, 2006 6:39AM

<< Who would leave $250,000 worth of coins in your car? It's the equivalent of leaving $250,000 cash in your car, it's just dumb. >>

Word, Thiggy, Word............

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Money Talks.................

TorinoCobra71

Michigan · January 9, 2006 8:03AM

This sounds like an organized group behind all of these crimes.

I wonder if they are just based in Florida or if they are going to
follow the coin circuit around the country.

I would guess they would be most interested in the larger coin
shows and I believe Long Beach is next on the schedule.

Everybody be extremely careful.

Conder101 · January 9, 2006 9:15AM

What surprises me is that everyone here keeps mentioning the "professionalism" or the that the crooks appear to be organized. It's professional or organized to follow a car tha you know has valuables in it? What keeps jumpin out at me is how AMATURISH the dealers are. This follow the car till they stop them smash and grab type of theft from dealers has been going on with great frequency for well over thirty years. We see DOZENS of reports of such robberies every year. There isn't a dealer on the circuit that doesn't know someone this has happened to and exactly how it happened. And then what happens? The next show some dealer puts 100 to 200 thousand dollars worth of coins in his car and wanders off leaving it unattended.

Now I MIGHT be able to understand it if it just newbie dealers it was happenning to. I say might because most of them have been collectors for some time and they have heard these robbery stories over and over before themselves. But when it is a longtime established dealer, who has had heard this story hundreds of times and has had several business aquaintances have it happen to them wanders off leaving the coins in the car I have to wonder "Hello, Earth to dealer. WHERE ARE YOUR BRAINS?" It's like all of a sudden they think that the rules of security don't apply to them and that it's inconceivable that THEY might get robbed.

Bear · January 9, 2006 9:22AM

Perhaps in stead of bringing coins to shows, dealers will be

bringing books of colored coin pictures. Then people can exchange pictures

of money for the picture of the coin.

src53 · January 9, 2006 9:30AM

Randy,

This man is a dealer, has been for 20 some years,and attended the show all 5 days. The robbery occured sometime Sunday afternoon or early evening.

He knows better than to leave coins in his vehicle, but he told me he is reasonably certain no one followed him (unless they used GPS). He intentionally drives an old beat-up van that shouldn't attract attention. The van also has an aftermarket alarm system that was disabled by the crooks. The van was parked very close to the house.

He thought he was safe for a short period of time. Obviously that wasn't the case.

Hopefully this won't put a damper on a great coin show.

Scott

mart · January 9, 2006 9:33AM

<< 

<< I wonder if we're going to start seeing armored car companies with booths at the major shows...[/Q

]Have the coins shows at the same time/location as the gun shows. Problem solved. >>

In Texas,, many are at the same time/location as gun & knife shows, at least locally !! No robberies here that I have heard !!!

mart

gyocomgd · January 9, 2006 10:03AM

I just hope that if the criminals are caught, we have the compassion and foresight to concentrate on their rehabilitation rather than merely punishing them.

Russ · January 9, 2006 10:53AM

<< I just hope that if the criminals are caught, we have the compassion and foresight to concentrate on their rehabilitation rather than merely punishing them. >>

You shouldn't mess with the people on the coin forum like that.

Russ, NCNE

mart · January 9, 2006 10:59AM

Not to say that this couldn`t have happened to your friend but this is getting more & more unbelievable. I mean there is one here & 7 in another thread, thats 8 total ! What are the chances of 8 people who are reasonably intelligent, all leaving $100 grand plus in a vehicle when they all know better? If they know better, then why in the world would they do it? And all from the same show and no press coverage? Could it be that it may have happened to one & it just grew in the re-telling of the story? And if it was a meth-addict, why would he trade $100 G plus for $5000. or even $10,000. when there are so many places he could resell coins with no questions asked in any major city ? Once out of the slab it seems that tracing the coins to the owner would be next to impossible !! As far as organized crime being involved, I really wouldn`t think so ! I think it would be far too obvious and no repetitive value!!

Another Robbery at FUN

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