Claim of $80k+ theft at the National

[chadeast]

FYI. Sorry if this was already posted, I didn't see any mention of it yet.

https://sportscollectorsdigest.com/n...-atlantic-city

[HOF Auto Rookies]

How do you let that happen? That is absurd. Just assumes 100k is in a bag. Gives him 88k worth of cards who then turns and give it to his "kid" a few booths down?! Doesn't check up on it til over an hour and, surprisingly, gone?

Is this real? This is Idiocracy. Obviously I feel bad for him, but so many red flags, especially with his stature in the hobby, how did he miss this?

[Peter_Spaeth]

Strange story. Here, you haven't paid yet for these 87K worth of cards and we don't even have a deal, but take them and give them to your son. I hope it works out for Giddings.

[HOF Auto Rookies]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Strange story. Here, you haven't paid yet for these 87K worth of cards and we don't even have a deal, but take them and give them to your son. I hope it works out for Giddings.

"Don't worry, I won't bother going through the bag to make sure there is actual cash. In the meantime, here's 88k worth of cards!"

Now that I think about it, I don't feel that bad for him. Just ridiculous you let that happen. I do hope it gets resolved.

[BeanTown]

Hopefullythey are graded cards and they can be identified if they show up at auction. If, they can pull video surveillance, hopefully someone will recognize them. Sounds like the culprit had some knowledge on sport cards. Best case scenario they end up at a pawn shop and will get back to the owner. I wonder if the thieves had Gmail addresses as they escalated from the BST to the National.

[Steve D]

Originally Posted by BeanTown

Hopefullythey are graded cards and they can be identified if they show up at auction. If, they can pull video surveillance, hopefully someone will recognize them. Sounds like the culprit had some knowledge on sport cards. Best case scenario they end up at a pawn shop and will get back to the owner. I wonder if the thieves had Gmail addresses as they escalated from the BST to the National.

Well, based on these pictures posted in the "Nationals is open for business…. Quick updates" thread, it appears the cards are raw:







Steve

[NYYFan63]

Originally Posted by Steve D

Well, based on these pictures posted in the "Nationals is open for business…. Quick updates" thread, it appears the cards are raw:







Steve

I remember going by that guys booth and all of his Mantles were ungraded.


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[Oscar_Stanage]

maybe it is common in the community to let someone put $90k worth of cards in hand, but it does not really make any sense to me.

[HOF Auto Rookies]

Originally Posted by Oscar_Stanage

maybe it is common in the community to let someone put $90k worth of cards in hand, but it does not really make any sense to me.

But to hand them off to a "kid" 3 or so booths down sure as hell isn't. Even without checking to see if there is money in the bag? I wouldn't let those out of my site, especially at the National.

[Oscar_Stanage]

it does not sound like the guy is hiding. Perhaps he did some legal legwork and figured you can legally do this and leave the state?

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Oscar_Stanage

it does not sound like the guy is hiding. Perhaps he did some legal legwork and figured you can legally do this and leave the state?

Theft is illegal in most states. Probably even Jersey.

[Oscar_Stanage]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Theft is illegal in most states. Probably even Jersey.

from the article...
"Giddings, who provided witnesses who saw the incident, said detectives contacted the alleged suspect, who lives in Ohio, and requested that he return to Atlantic City to be interviewed, but he declined."

Of course its illegal, but maybe there is something equivalent to no-extradition across state lines for collectibles.... why else is this guy letting the victim know who he is and then answering a phone call from the cops?

[Exhibitman]

"On second thought, take the bag of cash and leave the cannoli."

Karma is a bitch: if I am recalling it right, this is the dealer who sold stolen cards at the last AC national and refused to give back the inventory he had when the rightful owner and the buyer presented the facts. I won't out them but

[Lorewalker]

At least this time it did not take place in a line to get ice cream. Ice cream should never be a part of a crime or a crime scene.

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Theft is illegal in most states. Probably even Jersey.

Murderers get out with barely a slap on the wrist. What happens to thieves now a days?

[Zach Wheat]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Theft is illegal in most states. Probably even Jersey.

Good one

[JollyElm]

“I’m devastated,” Giddings said. “I’m out of mind that I let him leave the booth because I trusted him because his bag was in the booth. We had no idea how much money was in the bag; it’s not my job to do that."

------------

Huh?? Calling back to another thread, I bet that guy is the type who wears a COVID mask while he's alone in his car on the open highway.

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

“I’m devastated,” Giddings said. “I’m out of mind that I let him leave the booth because I trusted him because his bag was in the booth. We had no idea how much money was in the bag; it’s not my job to do that."

Let's parse this to see if it makes any sense...

"I trusted him because his bag was in the booth."

This implies Giddings thinks the bag of money was sufficient security for the $80,000 (or whatever) of cards.

We had no idea how much money was in the bag; it’s not my job to do that.

This says Giddings had no idea whether or not the bag of money was adequate collateral for the cards.

Contradictory statements back to back, it seems to me.

Furthermore, if the bag of money had $100k in it, and the cards were priced something less than that, why not just use some of the money from the box and complete the transaction?

[Lorewalker]

Originally Posted by Mark17

Let's parse this to see if it makes any sense...

"I trusted him because his bag was in the booth."

This implies Giddings thinks the bag of money was sufficient security for the $80,000 (or whatever) of cards.

We had no idea how much money was in the bag; it’s not my job to do that.

This says Giddings had no idea whether or not the bag of money was adequate collateral for the cards.

Contradictory statements back to back, it seems to me.

Furthermore, if the bag of money had $100k in it, and the cards were priced something less than that, why not just use some of the money from the box and complete the transaction?

How many buyers would offer a seller a bag of cash to safeguard while they looked at the seller's cards? That should be a red flag right there. And how many sellers would even think of accepting a bag purported to hold 100K in cash? The only truth, it seems, in the story is that Giddings was at the National.

My wish for the day is that Giddings (and 3 of his alternate ids) come on here and posts like the purple sticker guy did when he claimed he was stolen from.

[G1911]

Originally Posted by Lorewalker

How many buyers would offer a seller a bag of cash to safeguard while they looked at the seller's cards? That should be a red flag right there. And how many sellers would even think of accepting a bag purported to hold 100K in cash? The only truth, it seems, in the story is that Giddings was at the National.

My wish for the day is that Giddings (and 3 of his alternate ids) come on here and posts like the purple sticker guy did when he claimed he was stolen from.

This is exactly how I shop for cards. I take a look at the cases at the show, if one looks promising I catch the dealers attention. I take off my designer sunglasses for dramatic effect, ask him to hold my duffel bag, tell him it has 100 racks in two carefully marked boxes with 50fat ones in each, and then make my selections. The bag gets a bit heavy after awhile, so it’s nice that the dealers will hold it for me while I go through their inventory and then just leave for several hours. I like to keep some extra rubber bands on me too, I had one of my stacks snap when I was buying a Mint+ Carney Lunsford card once and it was a little embarrassing.

[Snapolit1]

Cards were reportedly smuggled out of Atlantic City in white house subs.


QUOTE=Lorewalker;2249659]How many buyers would offer a seller a bag of cash to safeguard while they looked at the seller's cards? That should be a red flag right there. And how many sellers would even think of accepting a bag purported to hold 100K in cash? The only truth, it seems, in the story is that Giddings was at the National.

My wish for the day is that Giddings (and 3 of his alternate ids) come on here and posts like the purple sticker guy did when he claimed he was stolen from.[/QUOTE]

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by Snapolit1

Cards were reportedly smuggled out of Atlantic City in white house subs.

Now we know the story is BS. There's no room to put anything extra in a White House sub!

[NYYFan63]

So it’s not his job to count the money? Strange…


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[esehombre]

[QUOTE=NYYFan63;2249391]So it’s not his job to count the money? Strange…

This is hilarious - so find the guy whose job it is to count the money and fire or sue him!

[rdwyer]

Be interesting if Dick Giddings was arrested for filing a false police report.

[ejstel]

Regarding a heck-ton of cards being held/going table to table....Did anyone see the guy walking around with the Johnny Bench jersey? With all the bench autos bench rookie and crazy double PAGES of key topps cards from 57-72. He had like 25 1969 rose's Aaron's, bench ..mays EACH 58 mantles mays etc. I was in awe and I didn't even speak to him.

He was trying to sell and just wasnt connecting with the speed of the dealer...i was watching in awe amd big eyes like a Tom amd Jerry cartoon...

Maybe he is on here..if so, sir I have never been so impressed with a binder of cards in my LIIFFEE.

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[joshuanip]

Originally Posted by chadeast

FYI. Sorry if this was already posted, I didn't see any mention of it yet.

https://sportscollectorsdigest.com/n...-atlantic-city

Pretty elaborate hoax/theft for only $80K....

[Leon]

Originally Posted by joshuanip

Pretty elaborate hoax/theft for only $80K....

It might be worse if it's actually legitimate.


(as others have said in so many words)

Here, I don't know you that well but let me give you 85k in cards to give to someone else I have no idea about. And in about an hour I will start to get concerned = 85k lesson... bag or no bag
.

[byrone]

Charges filed

https://sportscollectorsdigest.com/n...-atlantic-city

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by byrone

Charges filed

https://sportscollectorsdigest.com/n...-atlantic-city

Some timing?

[earlywynnfan]

Holy F---, a former student of mine

[T205 GB]

If this is the same Gizmo that sells trimmed cards then oh well. He deserves it for ripping so many people off.