ALERT....huge, huge BB card collection theft....UPDATED

[sportscardtheory]

That is WAY too much time and money to not have some kind of insurance. As some have said, common thieves normally don't know much about cards and would probably walk right by them. I'm speculating that this has to be someone he knows or associates with or a friend of a friend type situation. I would check in with all pawn shops, card shops and auction houses in the area. Get more details about the cards out there and post them here and on all the other big trading card forums. I would post this on FCB, PSA, Beckett, SCF, SGC and other forums. The more eyes you have looking for clues the better your chances of finding the culprit/culprits. I wish your friend luck in finding and prosecuting this/these scum.

[egbeachley]

Can some scans of the key cards be provided? There are enough details on each card to permanently identify them. Print marks, staining, rounded corners, chips, etc.

[t206wagner]

Not sure where in upstate the collection was taken from, but there is a card show coming up in Syracuse in the 18th. Perhaps you or your friend might want to contact the promoters of the show to get the word out. Here is their website.

http://www.cnypromotions.com

[bwiller]

Originally Posted by t206wagner

Not sure where in upstate the collection was taken from, but there is a card show coming up in Syracuse in the 18th. Perhaps you or your friend might want to contact the promoters of the show to get the word out. Here is their website.

http://www.cnypromotions.com

There is also a small show here in Buffalo on Sunday. I would be happy to hand out flyers to the dealers there if I could get some details/who to contact, etc. also. Unfortunately the term "upstate" seems to apply to any part of NY that is not NYC, so that is a wide area!
Bob

[bigtrain]

Burglars usually want to get in and out in a few minutes and will be after cash, jewelry, electronics. The authorities probably can tell whether the crooks targeted this collection or just stumbled upon it. If the collection was targeted, anyone who knew of it could be involved, friends, relatives, neighbors, dealers, collectors, repair men, meter readers, etc. Most crooks are not very smart. The cards may start showing up on ebay, craigslist, at shows, or antique shops. Thinking of where there are a number of small dealers in relative proximity, I would alert the Cooperstown Chamber of Commerce as well.

[T206Collector]

Definition of "Inside Job" from the on-line dictionary:

n. Slang
A crime perpetrated by, or with the help of, a person working for or trusted by the victim.

I was insinuating nothing more than the definition implies. Someone with knowledge of the collection, property and security system was likely involved if a genuine alarm system was disabled to advance the theft. While an inside job may include insurance fraud, I was of course not challenging the veracity of the victim.

Chicago are you down to now 1 pre-war card that you still own?

[T206Collector]

"And, spare us your lawyer diatribe?"

What the hell does that mean?

[Chicago206]

Originally Posted by T206Collector

Definition of "Inside Job" from the on-line dictionary:

n. Slang
A crime perpetrated by, or with the help of, a person working for or trusted by the victim.

I was insinuating nothing more than the definition implies. Someone with knowledge of the collection, property and security system was likely involved if a genuine alarm system was disabled to advance the theft. While an inside job may include insurance fraud, I was of course not challenging the veracity of the victim.

Chicago are you down to now 1 pre-war card that you still own?

Thanks for the clarification....as far as cards I own, is there a requirement that states you must own a pre war card to participate in this forum? I guess I missed that caveat.

[T206Collector]

Originally Posted by Chicago206

Thanks for the clarification....as far as cards I own, is there a requirement that states you must own a pre war card to participate in this forum? I guess I missed that caveat.

Just following up on your B/S/T thread where you stated "I have decided to part ways with both forums as well as with my collection," and note that only the Drum is left.

Just trying to figure out why you're still here. I mean, basically you said we're such a bunch of a$$holes that you decided to liquidate your collection and leave the forum. It would be TOTALLY INSANE for your to liquidate your collection for this reason and also stay on the forum.

[Chicago206]

Originally Posted by T206Collector

Just following up on your B/S/T thread where you stated "I have decided to part ways with both forums as well as with my collection," and note that only the Drum is left.

Just trying to figure out why you're still here. I mean, basically you said we're such a bunch of a$$holes that you decided to liquidate your collection and leave the forum. It would be TOTALLY INSANE for your to liquidate your collection for this reason and also stay on the forum.

What makes you certain that the cards I listed on the BST were the only ones I own(ed)? I may have another group of 8-10 that I may list after the Drum sells (or I decide to keep just that 1 card). Although my departure from this forum is inevitable, I do not have a specific timeline set. So why dont we try to keep our exchanges a bit more civil for the time being?

[Wesley]

Ted,

If you have scans, that would help people identify the cards when they see them.

[T206Collector]

Originally Posted by Chicago206

What makes you certain that the cards I listed on the BST were the only ones I own(ed)? I may have another group of 8-10 that I may list after the Drum sells (or I decide to keep just that 1 card). Although my departure from this forum is inevitable, I do not have a specific timeline set. So why dont we try to keep our exchanges a bit more civil for the time being?

I'm happy to keep it civil and did not start with accusations on this thread. In any event, it is very difficult to have reasonable conversations with people on Net54 when they say things like "my departure from this forum is inevitable." You are going to have a hard time being taken seriously.

We're not a total bunch of dikkheds here. I'd be happy to chat cards with you even if you only had a Drum -- that's 1 more Drum than me and most T206 collectors. It is the inconsistency of your positions that makes it hard to have a continued dialogue with you and that is what makes Net54 most fulfilling.

[ethicsprof]

Ted,
i am so sorry to hear of this horrific situation.
as you can well see, your many friends are now ready to help in whatever ways we can.

all the best,
barry

[oriolesbb6]

Sorry to hear of this incident-I will alert the local Northern New Jersey estate auction houses as well as be on the lookout at our auction service in NW NJ......

[parkerj33]

Ted, sorry to hear about this too. I will be at the Syracuse show next week and will keep an eye out for anything this significant.
Peace,
Jim

[M's_Fan]

If you post some scans of these cards we will all definitely be on the lookout.

This is why my cards are kept in a Ft. Knox safe. Theft, fire, etc., every valuable collection should be kept in a serious safe.

[Brian Van Horn]

Ted,

I wish your friend the best. It's because of these type of events, I keep my cards in the bank.

[bigtrain]

I've never used a safe deposit box but must admit it makes sense. A check from the insurance company is some consolation but would not make up for the time and work it takes to put together such a collection. Sorry to hear that your friend was not insured,

[Kawika]

Sorry to hear about your loss.

Hope you the cards back soon.

Have the police fingerprinted the area where the cards
were? With a little bit of luck they can identify the
thieves.

It would not be bad if they were caught, and they got
in the wrong line of fire, or if you decided to use
their heads as a batting practice.

Here is hoping.....

[tbob]

Originally Posted by Kawika

Sorry to hear about your loss.

Hope you the cards back soon.

Have the police fingerprinted the area where the cards
were? With a little bit of luck they can identify the
thieves.

It would not be bad if they were caught, and they got
in the wrong line of fire, or if you decided to use
their heads as a batting practice.

Here is hoping.....

David- it is shocking to most people how little investigation and forensic techniques are actually employed by police in cases like these. Maybe we watch too much CSI but I have seen too many criminal cases in which the police weren't exactly enthused about tracking down perps by doing more than filing a report and talking to a few neighbors. Unless the cards show up in a pawn shop (unlikely) or an on-line auction or one of their accomplices or friends rolls on them because of their own legal troubles, the cards will probably not be found.

[Exhibitman]

With all due respect to the people here who feel that alarm services are a joke, blanket advice to drop it or not bother is very, very bad advice. Alarm services actually have one very, very important use: they are mandatory for coverages in many insurance policies. If you insure your collection it is very likely that you are contractually required to have an active, centrally-monitored alarm at the location were the cards are stored (except if they are in a safe deposit box). If you do not comply with a policy condition your claim can be denied or greatly reduced. The same is true of certain homeowners policies. Before dropping service, I strongly recommend that you check your insurance to see if you are required to have a centrally monitored alarm system as a condition of coverage.

[bmarlowe1]

Here's an idea (always a risky intro) - at the top of the net54 window we have a series of icons for BST - Memorabilia Forum - Postwar Cards - etc.

Why not have an icon for reports on stolen collections. Scans (if available) could be posted there. Some of these items might not surface for a long time, and scans posted on this current thread will be buried after a while.

If we have a separate "forum" for this - since this fortunately doesn't happen too often, it would be easier to keep the stolen items fresh in mind over time.

[packs]

Terrible situation. I keep my cards in a safe that requires both a key and combination that is also extremely heavy and fire and water proof. How were his cards secured?

[yanksfan09]

Sorry to hear about this, that's terrible...

as for monitered alarm systems. I had one installed a couple years ago and the few times I've set it off accidentally they've called the house within 20 seconds everytime of it going off to see if everything's okay. Maybe some companies aren't as good with the monitoring aspect but I havn't had any problems there.

It probably is best to at least put your best cards in a safe depos. box.

Anything you leave home, you should buy a serious safe like a previous person posted.

Don't go cheap on a safe, The cheap ones can be pryed open. Youtube gun safe videos (tests etc...) Get a heavy gauge steel safe with many thick locking bolts, make sure it has good fire rating etc. Get a good brand one, like Fort Knox, Browning, some others etc...

I just bought a Browning and am thrilled with it. It's like a Tank. 900lbs. Make sure the weight is very heavy because that means there's a lot of steel and it's not thin and crappy. Expect to pay probably a minium of 1500 ish for a decent gun safe. Depending on size, quality and features they can go for a lot more. Personally I'd recommend spending 2-4k+ and get a serious one. Get a dehumidifier for it. You can also put a small safe inside the big one(like a small sentry) to keep some stuff in for extra fire and water protection. Get as big of one as you have the space for. You can fill them up quick and it's always better to have more room since they'll last a lifetime.

Also, If you want it in a basement you have to consider possible flooding issues. Either from rain or burst water heater or pipes. You would at least want to elevate the safe and might want to look at how waterproof your basement is...