Philly Show Theft - Be vigilant

[bcbgcbrcb]

Maybe one reason that things keep happening at this show is that the venue is kind of out in the middle of nowhere for such a big event, primarily an industrial type of area. Although it’s not that far from airports, major highways, etc., I don’t recall there being even a single restaurant, gas station or hotel for at least a couple of miles in any direction. So unless you are there specifically for the show, very minimal amount of people passing through this targeted area. Does this make it more desirable for thieves? I think, maybe…..

[Schlesinj]

Fun fact: that is tnr venue where the National Dog Show is located (shown on Thanksgiving).

[Snapolit1]

Originally Posted by bcbgcbrcb

Maybe one reason that things keep happening at this show is that the venue is kind of out in the middle of nowhere for such a big event, primarily an industrial type of area. Although it’s not that far from airports, major highways, etc., I don’t recall there being even a single restaurant, gas station or hotel for at least a couple of miles in any direction. So unless you are there specifically for the show, very minimal amount of people passing through this targeted area. Does this make it more desirable for thieves? I think, maybe…..

When it was in the casino I was happy to drive down. Two vices in one stop.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by bcbgcbrcb

Maybe one reason that things keep happening at this show is that the venue is kind of out in the middle of nowhere for such a big event, primarily an industrial type of area. Although it’s not that far from airports, major highways, etc., I don’t recall there being even a single restaurant, gas station or hotel for at least a couple of miles in any direction. So unless you are there specifically for the show, very minimal amount of people passing through this targeted area. Does this make it more desirable for thieves? I think, maybe…..

There are two hotels, several restaurants a BJ's, a Home Depot, a Target, a massive movie theater and numerous other smaller shops on the same property as the show. There's a slew of restaurants and a WaWa for gas right across the street from the west entrance. Yes it used to be an industrial park but that was LONG before the show moved there.

[x2drich2000]

Originally Posted by bcbgcbrcb

Maybe one reason that things keep happening at this show is that the venue is kind of out in the middle of nowhere for such a big event, primarily an industrial type of area. Although it’s not that far from airports, major highways, etc., I don’t recall there being even a single restaurant, gas station or hotel for at least a couple of miles in any direction. So unless you are there specifically for the show, very minimal amount of people passing through this targeted area. Does this make it more desirable for thieves? I think, maybe…..

Phil, the show is basically in the same shopping center as a Lowes, BJ's (with gas), and Target. In addition within about 1 mile is a PJ Whelihans, Buffalo Wild Wings, Wendy's Jersey Mike's, Wawa, Uno's, and Bob Evans. In addition, a lot of the industrial looking buildings in that area aren't industrial at all. They are business like gyms, trampoline parks, arcardes, etc.

Unfortuantely, extra security at the show I don't really think is going to do much for this type of theft. This theft occurred outside the show property. How is security suppose to track if someone is being followed especially once they leave the venue? Folks really need to be proactive about protecting their stuff and making it less attractive to a theif. Use the drive thru, make sure you have a full tank of gas before going to the show, take your stuff into the hotel or restaurant, etc.

The other thing I've noticed is I'm seeing a lot more large transaction being flashed around. By this I mean laying out the purchase on top the display case. This year I've spotted mulitple purchase of $5-25k in cash being laid out on top of the display case. it's quite attractive to see stacks of bills completly covering a display case. If I'm seeing that, I'm sure a theif is also seeing it. Along those same lines, dealers need to do a better job securing their cards. At this past show I was making a deal and the dealer left a couple thousand in cards sitting next to the display case while he looked around the booth for a calculator. I also can't count the number of times I've seen collectors put their carrying boxes either on the floor or on a display case and then move 10 feet away to look at something else. Simply put, if you make yourself an easy victim, at some point you will become one.

[bcbgcbrcb]

Wow, I must be going to a different Philly show than everybody else. I was just there in September and don’t recall seeing anything like a shopping center in the same lot. Was also there last December and didn’t see anything then either. Maybe the direction I was coming from, does that make sense at all?

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by bcbgcbrcb

Wow, I must be going to a different Philly show than everybody else. I was just there in September and don’t recall seeing anything like a shopping center in the same lot. Was also there last December and didn’t see anything then either. Maybe the direction I was coming from, does that make sense at all?

If you enter from the east you come through a park and that's about it, but it's a HUGE complex. It's a Lowe's not a Home Depot and some of the locations I mentioned aren't noted on the map, but this is all a giant shared parking lot. map is oriented with the bottom just about due east.

[bcbgcbrcb]

Can’t tell from the map that, like you said, doesn’t show any of the businesses mentioned, other than the Lowes. I would be coming from my hotel straight down Station Ave all the way to signs for the Expo Center. I don’t see any other food or retail stores in between. Maybe if I went beyond the Expo Center and kept going. Anyway, I think where the dealers/collectors park is mostly out of public view unless you are attending the card show. Keeping in mind, these are at least semi-professional thieves, not teenagers pulling pranks. Over three days they can watch what time some of the highest profile dealers get there in the morning and leave at the end of the day, what direction they come from and head towards, etc. The trend now is heavily towards robberies taking place outside the show venue with calculated hits at local establishments if not the parking lot at the venue. This avoids the most likely chance of getting caught via security cameras.

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Station ave, coming from the east is empty. But just because they're not noted on the map doesn't mean they're not there. The map shows, Lowe's the Hilton Garden Inn and the movie theatre which were all mentioned in my post. Not sure why Target and BJ's don't make the cut. PJ Welihan's is just represented by the knife and fork symbol and the Hampton Inn is also missing. The myriad smaller shops are understandable in their absence but there is a lot going on there.

While there has been at least one theft in the parking lot, what we've been hearing about has nothing to do with the location of the show. Loading your car and getting followed somewhere and then hit makes the actual locale of the show pretty irrelevant, at least to my way of thinking.

The side parking lot that many dealers use is definitely a little secluded, but from the main entrance of the show a number of the businesses are easily within view.


However my point was this is hardly "The middle of nowhere" and I stand by that as everything I listed is within very easy walking distance of the show. The scale on my map is 1" = 500 feet

[notfast]

Since this has been something that’s happened more than once, I fully expect a visible police presence in the parking lot during/after the shows going forward. Probably should be something that happens at most shows anyway.

Maybe that would deter someone from hanging out and waiting for a person to follow.