my entire collection was stolen.

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Posted By: Ben

Thank you Mike for your helpful thread, and for everyone's kindness. All the emails, advice, and offers to help were really amazing. After posting here last night, you can all imagine that I was very shaken and distraught. First thing I did was naturally to call my parents, who were extremely supportive as they always are. My mom kept telling me that it wasn't the worst thing that could happen, and while I reacted to that statement initially with anger, I realized it was true after cooling down after a while. Actually, the support of my parents proved that this was true - my dad insisted that he take the 3 hour drive to montreal on a snowy highway so that I wouldnt have to deal with this catastrophe alone. He knows how much of me is invested in my collection, or at least he knows now. My family is way more important than cards, and this situation only brought that reality into better focus.

I then called the police, who told me an officer would show up soon, but not HOW soon. So I waited a hellish 2 hours here in my apartment reading the board and watching people respond to my post before the officer showed up. Name was Luc Marticotte, who is basically your francophone version of Ray Romano. I'm no forensic expert, and I'm pretty sure Luc wasn't either, but it didnt take much to realize that this was a very clean entrance and departure, with no signs of forceable entry. The only things out of place were the two boxes I held the cards in. The one that I keep in my dresser was in my bedroom and the tupperwear container where I hold all my childhood stuff was without it's top, on my couch. The only way anyone got into the apartment was by picking the front lock, which is doable, or by entering through the kitchen window, which is my suspicion. I forgot to lock the damn window.

Ray Romano looked around, wrote the basics on his theft report, and left after 10 minutes with the two boxes that my cards were in. He's gonna look for fingerprints, but I'm dubious. I have a feeling that these lackeys aren't gonna do jack for me. In terms of helpful and agressive intervention by the police in matters of theft, I think that the Montreal police force is is far less rigorous than what most of you are used to. Maybe I'm wrong. Anyways, my dad showed up about 45 minutes later, and since I hadnt eaten all day, we went to my pet restraunt closeby, Alto's. Not much to look at, but they're cheap, great service, and they work hard for a living. And they make a great cheeseburger and poutine. After dinner I wanted to keep my mind off the cards, so we went and rented "Raising Arizona" on dvd. I was drained, and couldnt focus on the movie so we both just went to bed, my dad refusing bed to my junk ass couch. It was white when I got it, now it's a creamy brown. When we woke up in the morning, I posted here, and then wrote out a notice in english and french to hand around to all the pawn shops. I included a complete list and a page of colour scans of some of my heartbreakers. n162 kelly top left. So I spent today handing these out around town, and also to my apeish, white ponytailed, "philo-semetic" (dad's words) landloard Orel. He's a christian who loves jews, which means special treatment pour moi, but that's another story. Orel wasn't much help, but he talked his head off to us like he usually does. Sent out an urgent email to Gerry Chartrand, who is one of the only major card dealers in this area...mostly hockey though. This nhl lockout must be screwing him large, btw. He hasn't gotten back to me yet. I suppose I will continue passing out these notices around town, antique shops, junk shops, coin shops, whatever.

I was amazed at the influx of emails I got from everyone last night and today. I havent been able to write back as I've been too sad/busy to write out that many emails but I will be in touch with all of you of course. This is truly an amazing group of collectors, thank you so much.

I know people have said it alot in the past, "it's only cardboard", but I guess I'll have to discover if that's for real. Thanks for reading.