Memory Lane sold cards they didn't have per SCD

[ThomasL]

Been thinking about the crime itself...maybe we should switch to that...

novel idea since most of this topic has been generated to how the Auction House handled it...

To me the most interesting part is the second box that was reported opened but not taken. Now we are missing a key part of the story that being the size and weight of the two boxes...but here is my question:

Why take one box in whole and open another and leave it?

It suggests to me that the thief was targeting that specific box. If you just wanted to steal cards you take both boxes without opening them as opening them on site is time consuming and increasing your risk of getting caught. (now if that is improbable based on the size of the box left it changes things obviously)

Now you might say "if the box was targeted then the thief knew which box to take so why even waste time opening the second box?"

Good question...well I have three possibilities for that:
1. The thief did it in an attempt to give the impression that one box was not targeted...and yet fail to realize that logically bc the stolen box was taken in whole this line of reasoning was flawed. Flawed bc it tells us he knew who had sent the target box before hand so logically he had no need to open it and pilfer through it or any other box.

2. The thief forgot who the mailer of the target box was, or didnt know, but was only aware of the contents/items to be stolen. Thus the thief had to open both boxes to see what was inside, opened the wrong box first, opened the second box to make sure it was the box based on contents (which would suggest he had no idea if it was delivered or not either) and took the targeted box in whole once it was opened.

3. The second box being opened has nothing to do the theft at all...some random employee mistook it for something else, opened it and just left it there. This seems unlikely to me as the police would know this pretty quickly and there would be no need for it to be reported anywhere.


I would like to throw out there the most optimistic idea as well bc Im not sure anyone has posted it...what if the package isnt stolen? What if it was delivered to the wrong address or hotel and just some fedex driver and/or hotel employee didnt care to check to make sure it was the correct address...just mindlessly went about their jobs scanning and signing...Im sure we all know this is a greater possibility then anyone would like to admit, but things very similar probably have happened to anyone dealing with mailing services in the last 20 years (yes fedex isnt the usps but still). I would like to think this was quickly ruled out though but thought it was worth mentioning

Anyway I thought instead of debating insurance and claims that time might be better spent trying to come up with plausible theories to the crime...but I think if the police felt this was a targeted theft it could possibly explain why the police might advise ML to let the auction run and not report it to cosigners and bidders, for several reasons, in an attempt to help find or eliminate suspects I would think.

[Mark17]

Originally Posted by ThomasL

Anyway I thought instead of debating insurance and claims that time might be better spent trying to come up with plausible theories to the crime...but I think if the police felt this was a targeted theft it could possibly explain why the police might advise ML to let the auction run and not report it to cosigners and bidders, for several reasons, in an attempt to help find or eliminate suspects I would think.

Agree. I can easily imagine Law Enforcement saying, "Leave the auctions up and let's see what they [the thieves] do..."

[Republicaninmass]

Out of desperation and naivety, maybe they were hoping they were simply misplaced and woukd show up...soon.

[Exhibitman]

Maybe the other box was heavy, Thomas, so the thief decided to open it first before lugging it off.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Hotel employees obviously know whats coming to town, especially as the hotel that has hosted the event for years. It doesn't take a criminal mastermind to open a couple of boxes obviously intended for the show and discover cards in one, and catalogs in another and only take the good one. I think this was a crime of opportunity not some grand caper.

Also if you've stayed in ANY hotel recently you know how understaffed they are. There was likely very little danger of someone being caught red-handed opening the boxes to check them out, especially if it was someone on the overnight shift when there's usually only one desk person present.

I'd like to give law enforcement a little more credit than thinking maybe they were delivered to the wrong hotel and nobody has figured that out yet, that seems pretty far-fetched.

[Snowman]

Originally Posted by Aquarian Sports Cards

Hotel employees obviously know whats coming to town, especially as the hotel that has hosted the event for years. It doesn't take a criminal mastermind to open a couple of boxes obviously intended for the show and discover cards in one, and catalogs in another and only take the good one. I think this was a crime of opportunity not some grand caper.

Also if you've stayed in ANY hotel recently you know how understaffed they are. There was likely very little danger of someone being caught red-handed opening the boxes to check them out, especially if it was someone on the overnight shift when there's usually only one desk person present.

I'd like to give law enforcement a little more credit than thinking maybe they were delivered to the wrong hotel and nobody has figured that out yet, that seems pretty far-fetched.

I agree. This is the Occam's razor explanation. No need for an Ocean's Eleven plot here to explain how and why the cards were stolen.

Also, given what we already know about the sorts of decisions that JP/ML makes, I think we can also assume that the return address on the box read "Memory Lane Auctions" and that the box was clearly marked "Top 50 cards for display at Strongsville show" and had a giant red stamp that read "VALUABLE CONTENTS INSIDE - PLEASE HANDLE WITH CARE".

[BeanTown]

Originally Posted by Snowman

I agree. This is the Occam's razor explanation. No need for an Ocean's Eleven plot here to explain how and why the cards were stolen.

Also, given what we already know about the sorts of decisions that JP/ML makes, I think we can also assume that the return address on the box read "Memory Lane Auctions" and that the box was clearly marked "Top 50 cards for display at Strongsville show" and had a giant red stamp that read "VALUABLE CONTENTS INSIDE - PLEASE HANDLE WITH CARE".

Now I’m bummed my five figure winning card didn’t make the top 50 card list.

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by ThomasL

Been thinking about the crime itself...maybe we should switch to that...

novel idea since most of this topic has been generated to how the Auction House handled it...

To me the most interesting part is the second box that was reported opened but not taken. Now we are missing a key part of the story that being the size and weight of the two boxes...but here is my question:

Why take one box in whole and open another and leave it?

It suggests to me that the thief was targeting that specific box. If you just wanted to steal cards you take both boxes without opening them as opening them on site is time consuming and increasing your risk of getting caught. (now if that is improbable based on the size of the box left it changes things obviously)

Now you might say "if the box was targeted then the thief knew which box to take so why even waste time opening the second box?"

Good question...well I have three possibilities for that:
1. The thief did it in an attempt to give the impression that one box was not targeted...and yet fail to realize that logically bc the stolen box was taken in whole this line of reasoning was flawed. Flawed bc it tells us he knew who had sent the target box before hand so logically he had no need to open it and pilfer through it or any other box.

2. The thief forgot who the mailer of the target box was, or didnt know, but was only aware of the contents/items to be stolen. Thus the thief had to open both boxes to see what was inside, opened the wrong box first, opened the second box to make sure it was the box based on contents (which would suggest he had no idea if it was delivered or not either) and took the targeted box in whole once it was opened.

3. The second box being opened has nothing to do the theft at all...some random employee mistook it for something else, opened it and just left it there. This seems unlikely to me as the police would know this pretty quickly and there would be no need for it to be reported anywhere.


I would like to throw out there the most optimistic idea as well bc Im not sure anyone has posted it...what if the package isnt stolen? What if it was delivered to the wrong address or hotel and just some fedex driver and/or hotel employee didnt care to check to make sure it was the correct address...just mindlessly went about their jobs scanning and signing...Im sure we all know this is a greater possibility then anyone would like to admit, but things very similar probably have happened to anyone dealing with mailing services in the last 20 years (yes fedex isnt the usps but still). I would like to think this was quickly ruled out though but thought it was worth mentioning

Anyway I thought instead of debating insurance and claims that time might be better spent trying to come up with plausible theories to the crime...but I think if the police felt this was a targeted theft it could possibly explain why the police might advise ML to let the auction run and not report it to cosigners and bidders, for several reasons, in an attempt to help find or eliminate suspects I would think.

According to the SCD article, there is security video showing that the box was delivered:

"According to the company, security cameras reviewed by police show the heavy duty brown cardboard box being delivered and signed for."

[AustinMike]

Originally Posted by ThomasL

Why take one box in whole and open another and leave it?

It could be the thief had no idea what was in the boxes. They saw two boxes sitting in the storage area, opened them both to see what was in them, liked what they saw in one box and not the other, so took just the one box. Doesn't have to be targeted at all.

Edited to add: Looks like Scott beat me to it.

[mannequin1]

Originally Posted by AustinMike

It could be the thief had no idea what was in the boxes. They saw two boxes sitting in the storage area, opened them both to see what was in them, liked what they saw in one box and not the other, so took just the one box. Doesn't have to be targeted at all.

Edited to add: Looks like Scott beat me to it.

Doesn't the hotel have security cameras, especially in the front desk area?

[notfast]

Originally Posted by ThomasL

Been thinking about the crime itself...maybe we should switch to that...

novel idea since most of this topic has been generated to how the Auction House handled it...

To me the most interesting part is the second box that was reported opened but not taken. Now we are missing a key part of the story that being the size and weight of the two boxes...but here is my question:

Why take one box in whole and open another and leave it?

It suggests to me that the thief was targeting that specific box. If you just wanted to steal cards you take both boxes without opening them as opening them on site is time consuming and increasing your risk of getting caught. (now if that is improbable based on the size of the box left it changes things obviously)

Now you might say "if the box was targeted then the thief knew which box to take so why even waste time opening the second box?"

Good question...well I have three possibilities for that:
1. The thief did it in an attempt to give the impression that one box was not targeted...and yet fail to realize that logically bc the stolen box was taken in whole this line of reasoning was flawed. Flawed bc it tells us he knew who had sent the target box before hand so logically he had no need to open it and pilfer through it or any other box.

2. The thief forgot who the mailer of the target box was, or didnt know, but was only aware of the contents/items to be stolen. Thus the thief had to open both boxes to see what was inside, opened the wrong box first, opened the second box to make sure it was the box based on contents (which would suggest he had no idea if it was delivered or not either) and took the targeted box in whole once it was opened.

3. The second box being opened has nothing to do the theft at all...some random employee mistook it for something else, opened it and just left it there. This seems unlikely to me as the police would know this pretty quickly and there would be no need for it to be reported anywhere.


I would like to throw out there the most optimistic idea as well bc Im not sure anyone has posted it...what if the package isnt stolen? What if it was delivered to the wrong address or hotel and just some fedex driver and/or hotel employee didnt care to check to make sure it was the correct address...just mindlessly went about their jobs scanning and signing...Im sure we all know this is a greater possibility then anyone would like to admit, but things very similar probably have happened to anyone dealing with mailing services in the last 20 years (yes fedex isnt the usps but still). I would like to think this was quickly ruled out though but thought it was worth mentioning

Anyway I thought instead of debating insurance and claims that time might be better spent trying to come up with plausible theories to the crime...but I think if the police felt this was a targeted theft it could possibly explain why the police might advise ML to let the auction run and not report it to cosigners and bidders, for several reasons, in an attempt to help find or eliminate suspects I would think.

The most likely scenario is that it was delivered with normal fed ex deliveries to the business, opened like normal packages they get delivered and then someone saw baseball cards and decided to take them. A crime of opportunity.

The tidbit about the catalog boxes being opened makes me think this was the case.