Theft at Philly Show

[Hankphenom]

Be it ever thus. I'm sure there were thefts at the first show ever held and just about every one since. If it gets endemic, security will have to be ramped up accordingly. When I was a kid in the 1950s, we knew that if you left your bike or baseball glove unattended too long at a playground, they might not be there when you got back. Now, if dealers are getting mugged, that's a whole new ugly ballgame, and the promoters and venues will have to beef up security to try to stop it. Dealers will have to travel in pairs or packs, etc. Cameras everywhere, of course.

[parkplace33]

Originally Posted by Hankphenom

Be it ever thus. I'm sure there were thefts at the first show ever held and just about every one since. If it gets endemic, security will have to be ramped up accordingly. When I was a kid in the 1950s, we knew that if you left your bike or baseball glove unattended too long at a playground, they might not be there when you got back. Now, if dealers are getting mugged, that's a whole new ugly ballgame, and the promoters and venues will have to beef up security to try to stop it. Dealers will have to travel in pairs or packs, etc. Cameras everywhere, of course.

Two thoughts:

1. To be blunt, most show promoters don't take security into account. Its minimal at best, even at the bigger shows. I don't think that changes.

2. Thefts have happened , but 2024 has (sadly) been a banner year for big times thefts. Two that stand out are the Memory Lane Fiasco and the Dallas Show Theft. We are talking about over a million dollars of items stolen. If that doesn't change how people act at shows, then nothing will.

[Hankphenom]

Originally Posted by parkplace33

Two thoughts:
1. To be blunt, most show promoters don't take security into account. Its minimal at best, even at the bigger shows. I don't think that changes.
2. Thefts have happened , but 2024 has (sadly) been a banner year for big times thefts. Two that stand out are the Memory Lane Fiasco and the Dallas Show Theft. We are talking about over a million dollars of items stolen. If that doesn't change how people act at shows, then nothing will.

As I said, if it becomes endemic, promoters will have to beef up security, passing along the costs, of course. But very large thefts have occurred going back many years, the 1991 Anaheim National from McKee/Bosley and Huggins and Scott getting their truck hit in the parking lot at Valley Forge some years ago coming to mind, I'm sure there have been others in addition to innumerable smaller thefts over the years. A wild guess would be that there are 100 individuals and teams at the National every year whose sole purpose is to try to rip dealers off, and any good sized show will have a dozen or so there for that purpose and that purpose only. As for personal security, I remember at the Chicago National in 1998 getting a little tipsy while sitting in on a late-night bar meeting of autograph heavyweights that lead to the formation of PSA, then walking the skyway back to my car on the roof of the parking garage and thinking, "this is not smart, I've got thousands of dollars of cash and collectibles in my bag, and there is not another soul in sight, anything could happen." I was lucky and made it back OK, but just the thought of what might have been made me more cautious after that.

[MJRaider]

Starting to feel inevitable that something really tragic happens one of these days.

[raulus]

Got to wonder when insurance companies will start to jack up rates, or else charge extra for shows. Seems like it’s only a matter of time.