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Thread: PSA: Stolen Pens from the LA Pen Show

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    Senior Member silverlifter's Avatar
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    Default PSA: Stolen Pens from the LA Pen Show



    I'm not sure whether or not they have CCTV at these shows, but if the perp is not caught some of these may show up for sale. Hopefully, someone will recognize the pen(s) when they do and they get nabbed.
    Vintage. Cursive italic. Iron gall.

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    Default Re: PSA: Stolen Pens from the LA Pen Show

    I arrived at the show today, and have heard this horror story from several people I know. Sarj is a great guy and I hope there is some surveillance footage to ID the brazen culprit. So despicable.


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    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
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    Default Re: PSA: Stolen Pens from the LA Pen Show

    Sarj deserves better. We all deserve better. Another vendor had cases of valuable vintage pens stolen at a show last month. I had N.O.S. vintage MB parts stolen from my table at a show in 2018. I heard cries of anguish from another vendor when he discovered the theft of his solid gold Wahl Command Performance that he swore was there only minutes before.

    We try to be vigilant, but eyes cannot be watching everywhere at the same time. The big aluminum and glass locking display case is being dusted off for the next show.

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    Default Re: PSA: Stolen Pens from the LA Pen Show

    Horrible!!

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    Senior Member Wahl's Avatar
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    Default Re: PSA: Stolen Pens from the LA Pen Show

    Really sorry to read this, I´ve known Sarj for at least 10 years, he´s a great guy who doesn´t deserve that.

    I hope the culprit is identified and caught.

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    Senior Member Fermata's Avatar
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    Default Re: PSA: Stolen Pens from the LA Pen Show

    Its terrible to think that someone has got away with a whole tray of pens with no one noticing in the hall.

    My thoughts go out to Sarj, a good man and always puts on a good show to make the show experience so good, he has stock that you seldom see elsewhere.

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    Default Re: PSA: Stolen Pens from the LA Pen Show

    This is awful! Sarj is a kind, interesting, and genuine person. I can only echo what others have said above. No one should have to experience a robbery, although we do tend to have added empathy when the victim is known to us. Hope the thief is caught and the pens returned.

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    Default Re: PSA: Stolen Pens from the LA Pen Show

    Any updates?

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    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
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    Default Re: PSA: Stolen Pens from the LA Pen Show

    Quote Originally Posted by RayCornett View Post
    Any updates?
    Yeah, here's an update: Sarj still doesn't have his pens. However, on Sunday, Cliff Harrington also had pens stolen for a 2nd time (he lost an entire tray, I believe, in Germany at a show about a month ago) and someone named Ray (I will have to ask my source for last name) also had a tray of MB heisted. So it's getting bad.
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

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    Default Re: PSA: Stolen Pens from the LA Pen Show

    This is chilling for vendors. Very sorry to hear it.

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    Default Re: PSA: Stolen Pens from the LA Pen Show

    I'm very sad to hear this. It does sound chilling for vendors. Can security features be ramped up?
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

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    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
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    Default Re: PSA: Stolen Pens from the LA Pen Show

    Quote Originally Posted by Chrissy View Post
    I'm very sad to hear this. It does sound chilling for vendors. Can security features be ramped up?
    That is a long discussion and already going on in various places and forums. A fair amount of this would fall on the presenter, the presenting location, and laws and regulations in the area of the show. The other portion is how much the vendors will have to alter their own display and behavior at these shows and how that may affect their bottom line. We have lived through an era of small volume shows with a lot of trusting, kindred spirits. My theory is that the upsurge in popularity of pens, the publicizing of pen shows and pen values, all has led to a situation for people to strike easy targets. It may be time to change the way the targets are presented.
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

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    Default Re: PSA: Stolen Pens from the LA Pen Show

    That's a massive loss. Who knows - maybe an A-wipe frequenting one of these forums? I believe you can get portable wireless CCTV systems that you can equip to your stands. Anyway, wish you luck with recovery. Sarj, I don't know you, but thems some damn fine pens and I'm hurting with you.

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    Senior Member FredRydr's Avatar
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    Default Re: PSA: Stolen Pens from the LA Pen Show

    Quote Originally Posted by Jon Szanto View Post
    ...on Sunday, Cliff Harrington also had pens stolen for a 2nd time (he lost an entire tray, I believe, in Germany at a show about a month ago....
    Damn! Poor Cliff has taken a real beating. Having it happen a second time could have a real impact on his future participation. He's on the list for Baltimore/Washington and I hope he will be there with his Wahls and more.

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    Senior Member Jon Szanto's Avatar
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    Default Re: PSA: Stolen Pens from the LA Pen Show

    Quote Originally Posted by FredRydr View Post
    Damn! Poor Cliff has taken a real beating. Having it happen a second time could have a real impact on his future participation.
    My thought exactly.
    "When Men differ in Opinion, both Sides ought equally to have the Advantage of being heard by the Publick;
    and that when Truth and Error have fair Play, the former is always an overmatch for the latter."

    ~ Benjamin Franklin

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    Default Re: PSA: Stolen Pens from the LA Pen Show

    I’ve worked high end knife shows for years and the truth is you need to watch your table and booth and when unattended everything is in glass and locked

    If someone wants to see an item they are handed it and when busy you can’t put multiple thousand dollar + items out in too many hands

    I’m talking shows like the Blade show in Atlanta where thousands of people are in the room

    I went to my first Pen show the Philly show and I was surprised to see so many unattended watched tables with many small items that no one would miss for hours or days

    I of course followed what I consider proper etiquette and will not pick up an item when a table is unattended and when atttebded asked if I may pick up an item when attended

    When I was done examining an item I handed it back and thanked the vendor for their time

    I was especially sad when a very nice woman showed me a TACCIA pen case and than a $1000 dollar pen she inadvertently slipped the -en in the case and set the case back down with the other cases

    I bought the case a few minutes later and opened it and handed back the pen

    She smiled and thanked me

    When working a show it’s easy to get distracted and caught up and miss things

    Regretfully there are a lot of scum bags

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    Senior Member Wahl's Avatar
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    Default Re: PSA: Stolen Pens from the LA Pen Show

    Cliff too

    Ray, may be Ray Walters from the UK

    I´ve had a table at the Madrid Penshow since the first one. Never had a problem myself, but I have to agree that most vendors are too trusting. We should be much more careful, as we are displaying high value items before hundreds of visitors.

    I just hope to see Sarj, Cliff and Ray next November

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    Member sjssf's Avatar
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    Default Re: PSA: Stolen Pens from the LA Pen Show

    I would bet there would be an army of volunteers who would be willing to help. I noticed a lot of vendors eating at their booth, with food right on the pens sometimes. it would be great to have a team of volunteers who could roam and help as needed. I think fountain pen people in particular would love to do this.

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    Senior Member Fermata's Avatar
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    Default Re: PSA: Stolen Pens from the LA Pen Show

    We are coming up to pen show season, the organisers need to think about how to prevent these large and probably uninsured losses in the future. My suggestion would be CCTV for those entering and leaving the show, single point of exit, visible security - although there was a big guy on the door at LA, no one to carry jackets over their arms, trusted people roaming the stands and everyone to be vigilent.

    Still trying to think how you would steal a whole tray of pens froms Sarj's stand and walk away with no one noticing, meaning visitors, sellers, security, admission staff.

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    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
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    Default Re: PSA: Stolen Pens from the LA Pen Show

    Quote Originally Posted by JParanee View Post
    ....I was especially sad when a very nice woman showed me a TACCIA pen case and than a $1000 dollar pen she inadvertently slipped the pen in the case and set the case back down with the other cases

    I bought the case a few minutes later and opened it and handed back the pen

    She smiled and thanked me

    When working a show it’s easy to get distracted and caught up and miss things

    Regretfully there are a lot of scum bags
    Regretfully there are. One of them might not have been as honest as you and might have walked off with the pen case and the pen inside it.
    However, you also have to be on the ball as a vendor and be sure to not do things like that.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

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