this is really bad news, sorry for the loss. really hope they get who did it. its really sad that people would do this to any one.
Hopifully these losers will be caught, and punished accordingly! We're all pulling for you George and Debbie.
I would not suspect Ebay. THat would be too easy to track. I would sooner expect pawn shops, or possibly hobby shops.
That type would probably not even know where to fence the stuff. The only way they would know its worth was the price sticker on it. The S.A. police check out the local pawn shops quite regular and that stuff will send up all kinds of red flags if it starts showing up there. Good Luck, and I hope they nail these guys.
I would not suspect Ebay. That would be too easy to track. I would sooner expect pawn shops, or possibly hobby shops.
Since Wig-Wag products have that nice yellow sticker on them with the Wig-Wag price, look for items on ebay that list that price. Anyone who has done price comparisons online knows that the prices of Wig-Wag, BLW, Feather River, etc, for a product all have unique prices that are off from each other by a few bucks. So if you see an item on ebay that says that the suggested retail price is “Wig-Wag’s unique price” that would be a dead giveaway. Best of luck to Wig-Wag while getting back on their feet, and finding the people who did this.
My guess is the thives probably dont even know that ebay exists and will try and offload the merchandise to a local Pawn shop. hopefully the goods can be recovered locally.
I will be in Houston this weekend for the NMRA Lone Star Region convention, so I'll be on the lookout. Didn't know about the GATS show but I'll probably head on down there as well. George and Debra have made it possible for me to enjoy this hobby on a whole 'nother level so I'll make the effort to see if I can find these idiots. Actually I wish I would find them in a non-public area and I'd take care of this the ole-fashion Judge Roy Bean way, but I digress.
As part of the registration for the Lone Star Convention you get a pass to GATS on Sunday. See you at the convention. I don't know if I will make it to GATS or not.
George, very sorry to hear of your misfortune...too often, it seems to rain harder on the just! I'll bet if the perps try to sell this stuff, there will be a lot of eyes open. But I tend to agree with those who say it's probably as the police suppose, and local pawn shops, second hand stores, and hobby shops would be the most likely places. Ebay is probably too much work for these people! They most likely want to dump it in a few big lots and get some fast cash. Hope it is recovered...
People stupid enough to steal are usually stupid enough to try and sell the items to the public. Hopefully someone down there will catch these SOB's trying to do that at a show soon. George and Debra, I'm sorry this happened and I hope things work out for you both.
I agree with you. As soon as George posted I thought about how he was hit at the motel. This is nothing new & is always a terrible problem for people pulling trailers or U-Haul trucks they are easy targets at many motel/hotels. The thieves know this, & travel the interstates hitting them like a ATM for Crack or more likely Crystal meth money. It can happen at a Holiday Inn or a Motel 6 really makes no differance though security might be better at some places. You learn to back the trailer or truck against a wall if possible or back up to another vehicle where the doors can't be busted open. Further you learn maybe to park in a secure lot such as OTR driver's use in larger cities then cab or rent a car to the motel. All of these add a bit in time and cost, but worth it even if you are insured. You park in the open not the back or side of the motel even if it could be out of sight from your room window (does little good if you are sleeping to "guard" your loot), in front on a side road near the lobby could be a better bet along a main road where maybe a cop will roll by. A excellent place if available is near the windows & open parking lot of the common 24 hr waffle house, or donut coffee shop- constant truckers, travelers, & cops 24/7 You never park between big trucks or in obstructed areas!!! Big locks help little. You can seperate your inventory if possible so that all isn't held in one vehicle. The very valuable stuff should be brought with you or in the most secured place even a car or SUV is better if it will fit than a easy to hit truck or trailer. Generally you learn that the interstates interchanges are a rolling sewer for scum who cannot easily be traced as they can hit ya at a motel six in TX then be in Tenn later that day. So you try to stay away from interstates or easy target areas. I know as what has happened to George & Debra has happened to many trade show people that are friends, & when I moved 1,200 miles with a UHaul trailer I was a nervous wreck. Restricted to the interstate interchange which is America's new town. Built up with Burger Huts and chain motels while further away from the Hiway the city or town dies. However there could be safer locations a target is a target. Pawn shop, is my guess. If certain items were taken of less or little value to the serious modeler & more expensive items were left then you can pretty much tell the thief didn't know what they were doing it was a grab & run, but if cheaper inventory was left & strictly more expensive proto modeler stuff was taken then it was a hobbyist who knew what you had & what they wanted. As a hobbyist I regret that these things happen, bad people are all over. My thoughts are with the Wig-Wag team, so sorry to hear of this loss. Its a huge burdon. ~ Mike
Man this stinks. I hope you guys have good insurance. One good thing is that you have your train posse on alert now and the chances of them being caught are a lot better. I'll be keeping my evil eye out for them.
The bad thing is that it pretty much could have been anyone who did this....meaning they could pretty much be dumping it off anywhere. It could be a fellow modeler who knew EXACTLY what he was getting and the value of getting it. In that case he could either sell it all off at hobby stores or in classifieds or over eBay or even on discussion forums like this. If he did it a little at a time in lots of different places then it would be pretty hard to track. Heck....he could even be keeping it all to himself because he didn't want to spend the money to acquire a nice fleet of locos and rolling stock. On the other hand, it could be someone just needing drug money that will likely dump the entire load somewhere for far less money than it's worth just to get a quick fix. Then you've got someone who just saw an opportunity and took advantage of it and now they're just scratching their head trying to figure out the best way to make some money off of the stolen goods. Whoever it is, the more we get the word out the better chance there is of them getting caught. Just keep your eyes peeled at Ebay, hobby shops, pawn shops, classifieds, forums....anywhere these guys could go to dump this stuff and maybe we'll get lucky.
To continue on Curious_George's post, it's better to pick a motel where you can park just outside your room, particularly with the room on a second level looking down on your vehicle. That said, most vehicles with trailers are exiled to an out-of-the way spot because they won't fit anywhere else. And even if it weighs a lot, at minimum the most valuable items should be unloaded and put in the room with you.
I back up to a lamp post to block the doors in the outer parking lot where tailers are banished and take the wheel off leaving the trailer on jack stands and still hitched to the toe vehicle. The stacked wheels make a good extra suit case stand in the motel room.
Sad news. As a Texan, I'll keep a lookout for any suspicious stuff, George and Debrah. What would be funny (in a non funny situation) is if the thief tried to sell the stuff above Wig Wag's normally low prices......
I would not suspect Ebay. That would be too easy to track. I would sooner expect pawn shops, or possibly hobby shops. </font>[/QUOTE]I had a like experience happen to me back in 1988.... When I moved in with a bunch of people (the girl i was with at the time...not the Boss...plus her brother, another girl her daughter asnd her boyfriend) I never suspected anything was amiss until I was sorting through some boxes of equipment and realized that some of my stuff was missing...but i couldnt pinpoint it or where I may have stashed them... A day later, i got a call from my local hobby shop that a locomotive I ordered had arrived and was ready for pick-up. When i got there, before paying for my purchase, I decided to peek in the used baskets (this guy would buy used trains). Imagine my surprise when i spotted a Penn Central set quite like the one I had, and couldnt find...suspicions aroused, i went to see the owner and we quickly ascertained that there was a bit of my stiff....almost $500 of locomotives and cars sold for $75...I stormed back to the house to get some money to release my stuff, complaining about a thief...interestingly enough, the boyfriend slipped out of the house right after I left to recover my stuff... turned out, he sold my stuff plus my girlfriend's flute for drug and booze money....it took over a year, but he was caught and i was eventually repaid for the money i spent to recover my things It may take a bit, but be strong, Wig Wag...it all will turn up soon enough, I am certain....
