[benjulmag]

Living nearby, I am familiar with the venue of the White Plains show. The dealer display area is not that large, and being part of a sports arena, there are ample areas in the upstairs seating areas to position security cameras that could cover the entire floor. Being in the real estate business, we use such cameras to blanket the common areas of our properties. They have proven quite effective in not only catching crooks, but as important in dissuading people from engaging in such conduct. Had such a system existed at White Plains, by zeroing in on the table where the theft occurred, almost certainly there would have been a tape of the theft taking place. Cameras these days are of such quality that once the act is spotted, the image can be blown up and the thief identified.

Yes there is a cost to do this. But for a venue such as the Westchester County Center where the show takes place and that is in the business of attracting shows such as this, it would likely pay for itself though lower insurance costs and higher dealer participation. Think of it -- if you are a crook how likely would you be to steal a card when you know that your actions will be captured on a video for all to see? Better still, if the stolen card is resold at the same show, the camera system will enable one to follow the perpetrator after the theft and show him selling the card. So not only will the perpetrator be caught, but there will be a good image of the person who bought the card.