Theft at Swap Meets

[Reicholzheimer]

Last October I mentioned on the forum about 3 well known vendors losing items at Hershey. They were vendors selling advertising items. Spring Carlisle this year, Fill-er-up had a ECO Air Meter stolen off the back of their trailer.  Matt couldn't keep an eye on everything at once while dealing with customers. These crooks are very good, and nobody can be trusted unless you know them. Maybe vendors can be warned by the region?  The value of the meter was $1800.  and one of the signs stolen at Hershey was $3000.  I'm sure there are more items lifted and not reported.

Edited July 18 by Reicholzheimer (see edit history)

[Trulyvintage]

I heavily promoted the

Inaugural 2024 Bakersfield 

Pre War Swap Meet for months 

in advance that took place 

earlier this year in April.

 

It was heavily attended by

HCCA and folks had spaces

to park their motorhomes 

and campers on their 

vending site and pets 

and carts of all types 

were allowed.

 

Experienced vendors 

have friends and/or family

watching their treasures 

during the day when they

sell and they stay with their

treasures at night - some 

sleep by their vending tables.

 

No amount of event provided

security is a substitute for

a watchful eye and due diligence.

 

 

Jim

[zepher]

It is truly amazing that people can be such scumbags.

Anyone caught pilfering items at an antique car swap meet should be dealt with by the vendors before being handed over to the police.

And, other attendees should alert a vendor should they witness a thief stealing an item. 

[7th Son]

5 hours ago, Trulyvintage said:

 

Experienced vendors 

...stay with their

treasures at night - some 

sleep by their vending tables.

That's not always possible. Many swap fields are emptied of sellers and spectators at night, but the security is thin and lax with few or no protective barriers. It's not easy, but I only attend for a single day, taking only what I can reasonably off-load, watch, and re-load in the evening, and, luckily, always have a helper. More events seem to be scheduling just a single day swap meet.

 

 

 

[Reicholzheimer]

I only brought this up because there seems to be an uptick in theft. I know with 3 of these vendors the items left during the day.  It's a tough way to learn a lesson these days. The only solution is to make vendors aware. 

[Oz Dodge 4]

What amazes me is the number of swap meets I have been to and after seeing something I am interested in finding out the seller has left the stall unattended and gone for a wander to have a look around !

[dl456]

We vend occasionally and have never met any better folks than the old car community. I have witnessed a thief at Hershey dealt with by vendors ! 
I don’t care if it’s daylight, dark , attended or not ,there is no room for thieves in our hobby.

It disappoints me to hear the reports of stolen property but if you see something do something. No sympathy for 

thieves. 
Dennis

[Brass is Best]

With all the online venues to sell parts and antiques it makes it easy for thieves. They can steal at a swap meet and then sell online. With small items it becomes almost impossible to watch everything. What amazes me is when large heavy items just disappear. It is indeed very sad. Many car auctions have a problem of parts coming up missing off of cars. I have heard some horror stories about some rare parts. I even had a customer take his car to be serviced and the shop changed out all of his dash knobs with old, cracked and damaged ones. He called me in a panic and asked me to send him all of the dash photos I had taken. So, he could show the police the difference. Once the police became involved a mechanic at the shop admitted to taking all the knobs for his own car. 

[John348]

On 7/18/2024 at 7:58 PM, Oz Dodge 4 said:

What amazes me is the number of swap meets I have been to and after seeing something I am interested in finding out the seller has left the stall unattended and gone for a wander to have a look around !

I leave my spaces all of the time, if someone is going to rob something they are going to rob it! A thief is a thief, and an honest person is an honest person. I was raised in the Bronx and am far from naive, just because you are in your space or not there does not mean anything to a thief, it just changes their approach, not their determination.

The big stuff getting stolen during the day while the space is attended that does not make any sense to me.

 

Did anyone ever meet a vendor who treats all of the potential customers like they are thieves?  I don't like shopping in stores like that and I don't like going in vendor spaces where they follow you and look at every move you make, I usually leave. There is nothing I need that bad anymore that need to get insulted while purchasing  

Edited July 20 by John348 (see edit history)

[pmhowe]

26 minutes ago, Brass is Best said:

and the shop changed out all of his dash knobs with old, cracked and damaged ones.

That is appalling. As, of course, is any type of theft. I love driving my old cars, but worry about parking them unattended. Many of the pre - WW2 car parts are irreplaceable, especially things like radiator caps/hood ornaments and maker scripts and emblems. I often wonder how people on tours or stay at a show or meet overnight protect their cars.

 

And what do you do if you catch someone in the act? You are not allowed to shoot them and I don't think you are allowed to break their legs and leave them in the parking lot - assuming you could. The old fashioned solution of providing cement boots is no longer acceptable either. 

[leomara]

No one should be surprised by any of this.  After all, it's not a crime to shoplift anymore.  The more lax we become the more we encourage bad behavoir.  Someday we will all return to our senses......I hope.

[28 Chrysler]

7 minutes ago, leomara said:

No one should be surprised by any of this.  After all, it's not a crime to shoplift anymore.  The more lax we become the more we encourage bad behavoir.  Someday we will all return to our senses......I hope.

In Sacramento Ca a Target store is a so called public nuisance for calling in thefts multiple time a day. 

[John_S_in_Penna]

28 minutes ago, leomara said:

After all, it's not a crime to shoplift anymore.  

Please be sure not to cite the worst instances

and extrapolate that conclusion to everywhere else.

Justice varies, and there are plenty of good, safe

places where criminals dare not tread.

[jp1gt]

1 hour ago, Brass is Best said:

With all the online venues to sell parts and antiques it makes it easy for thieves. They can steal at a swap meet and then sell online. With small items it becomes almost impossible to watch everything. What amazes me is when large heavy items just disappear. It is indeed very sad. Many car auctions have a problem of parts coming up missing off of cars. I have heard some horror stories about some rare parts. I even had a customer take his car to be serviced and the shop changed out all of his dash knobs with old, cracked and damaged ones. He called me in a panic and asked me to send him all of the dash photos I had taken. So, he could show the police the difference. Once the police became involved a mechanic at the shop admitted to taking all the knobs for his own car. 

Sad story. Like they say most thief's are stupid, did he think the owner would not notice?

[The 55er]

A few years ago at Spring Carlisle there was a huge spread of parts for sale. Thousands of parts on two outside spaces and two spots inside an enclosed tent by the same vendor. They had several threatening signs posted, You're Under Surveillance, Shoplifters Will Be Procecuted, Never Mind The Gun, Beware Of Owner, like that. I saw a part outside on a tarp that I really wanted to buy. I tried to find the person in charge of the spaces for several minutes but there was just no one around. I asked several people but nobody knew who the vendor was. I didn't want that special part to get away so I picked it up and held it up  above my head in plain sight and paced around the four spaces for awhile until the vendor showed up and I bought the item. I understand that vendors have to leave their apots occasionally for necessary reasons but if they have big unattended displays of desirable parts like that, stuff is surely going to grow legs and walk off.

[DAVES89]

We were on vacation in Mexico when the power was lost in the shopping district. All the shop owners with outside displays went from behind the counters to the outside looking into there displays as a shopper would to watch for shoplifters. We saw them catch one. There was no calling the police, they just pounded on the guy. I didn't see anyone else try anything after that.

[TerryB]

My wife and I have had things in local antique malls since the mid-1980s and retail theft was a problem then and still is today even with the improved security systems most antique malls use.  Theft has been around since the dawn of time.  We can try to minimize its effects but we will always have some form of it around.  We find stuff missing in our sales area and know it’s just how the wold is and will always be. We did leave one antique mall because of theft and that was due to inside help being part of the theft ring.  So it goes.

[Reicholzheimer]

This is probably a couple of thieves who attend most of the swap meets. They enjoy stealing gas and oil high end items. Probably does not affect 99 percent of the vendors.  Dixie Gas, Carlisle, Hershey they get around. 

[Oz Dodge 4]

13 hours ago, Brass is Best said:

 I even had a customer take his car to be serviced and the shop changed out all of his dash knobs with old, cracked and damaged ones. He called me in a panic and asked me to send him all of the dash photos I had taken. So, he could show the police the difference. Once the police became involved a mechanic at the shop admitted to taking all the knobs for his own car. 

I know of an instance where a bloke took his car in to get it serviced and have a tune up done, and it came back with a different clapped out engine. The car was an Australian Ford falcon fitted with a 351 4V Clevland engine in very good order, and when he got it back it had a clapped out rattly 302 Clevland (an Australian engine of 302ci based on the US 351) He contacted the cops but couldn't "prove" it had the good engine in it when he dropped it off and because the garage denied they took it he never got it back. 

[TAKerry]

7 hours ago, Oz Dodge 4 said:

I know of an instance where a bloke took his car in to get it serviced and have a tune up done, and it came back with a different clapped out engine. The car was an Australian Ford falcon fitted with a 351 4V Clevland engine in very good order, and when he got it back it had a clapped out rattly 302 Clevland (an Australian engine of 302ci based on the US 351) He contacted the cops but couldn't "prove" it had the good engine in it when he dropped it off and because the garage denied they took it he never got it back. 

I have to say, thats one I have never heard before. If that were my car, well....................................................

[ia-k]

It is always nice to have a helper at a swap meet, either as a second set of eyes or someone to man the booth "when nature calls".

 

I have done several Junk in the Trunk type swap meets. First time was several tables with a fair amount of merchandise. Some of it walked off, probably when I was dealing with customers and couldn't pay attention to the whole setup. Now it is one table and the back of my pick-up, much easier to keep track of things, both merchandise and customers.

 

Earlier this year my town had a multi-day craft show and sale in the local park. Apparently, despite closing their tents up and putting items back in totes many vendors lost a bunch of items overnight. They, along with the Facebook community, were in a uproar about the poor job the local police did in preventing these thefts. The police couldn't officially comment on the situation but an unofficial statement was posted saying that it was an unfortunate event, the police did patrol the area as part of their nightly patrol but they did not have the manpower to have an officer on site from 10:00pm to 9:00am the next morning. It was also pointed out that it was a private event on public property and the sponsor of the event was responsible for security which they failed to provide. Still some finger pointing at the police but the uproar died down quickly when given the information about who was responsible for security.

[TAKerry]

I dont sell parts and the amount of thefts that I have just read about at flea markets astounds me. I do not have the theft gene in my body so I guess thats why I think its crazy that people would do that. I have had more than my share of tools and material stolen off the jobsite over the years. We have a policy now, If we want to see it tomorrow, take it home tonight!

[Brass is Best]

23 hours ago, jp1gt said:

Sad story. Like they say most thief's are stupid, did he think the owner would not notice?

They were literally pulling the "your word against ours" defense. 

[Brass is Best]

10 hours ago, Oz Dodge 4 said:

I know of an instance where a bloke took his car in to get it serviced and have a tune up done, and it came back with a different clapped out engine. The car was an Australian Ford falcon fitted with a 351 4V Clevland engine in very good order, and when he got it back it had a clapped out rattly 302 Clevland (an Australian engine of 302ci based on the US 351) He contacted the cops but couldn't "prove" it had the good engine in it when he dropped it off and because the garage denied they took it he never got it back. 

I know a guy that took a new Corvette in for service. Later that day he noticed his car parked at a local sports bar. He went home and came back with a spare key. He took his car home. Then he waited for the dealership to call him.

[leomara]

23 hours ago, John_S_in_Penna said:

Please be sure not to cite the worst instances

and extrapolate that conclusion to everywhere else.

Justice varies, and there are plenty of good, safe

places where criminals dare not tread.

Very true, is it not a shame that "justice varies" in our current society?

[greenie]

For several years, before the Charlotte AutoFair swap meet died, we placed a bunch of items on our tailgate, priced from $5 to $50, and posted a note to “ put your $$$$ in the truck window”. We then walked off to shop ourselves. Returning later in the day, it was always nice to see $$$ on the truck seat/floor and no indication that anything was taken without payment. In fact, the lady next door “complained” that we did better than her and we were always gone. Very few people are dishonest at old car events. I do recognize that vendors need to protect themselves. 

[The 55er]

Sometimes you have to protect yourself from the other vendors. A few years ago at Hershey we had our annual pre-delivered Porta-Potty stolen off our spaces before we arrived on setup day. The neighboring vendors said they knew nothing about it and didn't see anything until we noticed the top of a toilet was visible on the other side of their spots hidden between their truck and a camper. Of course they claimed the potty was theirs and they had paid for it. However a quick call to the Potty supplier proved nothing had been delivered to anyone by that name on those spaces. We went to the AACA security tent and the problem was quickly resolved. I couldn't believe some older established swap meet vendor would even try a trick like that and then lie about it. Those neighbors are still there but I have absolutely ZERO respect for dishonest bottom feeders like that. That's the worst experience we've had in 40+ years of selling at the Hershey & Carlisle swap meets. In all those years the other neighboring vendors have been fine, friendly, helpful & honest folks. Almost all the items we display to sell have price tags on them. It brings a smile to my face when I'm by myself, return from a necessary lunch, drink or sandwich trip and the neighbor lady on the other side comes over and hands me $10 and says "here, while you were gone some guy bought a hubcap and a door handle!"

Edited July 21 by The 55er
Added a phrase. (see edit history)

[Jim Skelly]

The 'missing potty' reminds me of the time we had our copier stolen over the weekend from our locked office area.  It was found in the union office within the plant.  The plant has since closed.

[8E45E]

1 hour ago, Jim Skelly said:

The 'missing potty' reminds me of the time we had our copier stolen over the weekend from our locked office area.  It was found in the union office within the plant.  The plant has since closed.

I'm guessing the copier was either company property, or leased in their name.  Would it be considered 'stolen' if it never left the premises?

 

I'm sure that happens a lot.  Countless times office staff exchange equipment for 'better' stuff, like bigger monitors, etc., especially when a fellow staff member is away on vacation.

 

Craig

 

 

[Brass is Best]

2 hours ago, Jim Skelly said:

The 'missing potty' reminds me of the time we had our copier stolen over the weekend from our locked office area.  It was found in the union office within the plant.  The plant has since closed.

A friend owns a construction company. He had a foreman that on every fill up would buy a quart of oil for his company truck on the company credit card. When asked about this he would always say the truck needed a quart. The truck was new, it used no oil. The foreman had been getting free oil changes for his personal truck and his family's cars for years. He always complained about his Christmas Bonus being less than the other foremen. He was a good foreman; it was just easier to handle the problem this way.

[Frank DuVal]

13 hours ago, Brass is Best said:

I know a guy that took a new Corvette in for service. Later that day he noticed his car parked at a local sports bar.

 

Well, things happen....

 

I had an employee take a Corvette, that was in the shop for repainting, out for a weekend stroll around the VCU area to "impress the girls" (shop was just a few blocks away from there).  A friend of the owner saw it driving and called the owner. Despite the "smart idea of a young mind" to change the license plates with another car in the shop... to avoid being caught...  🤣 Monday was interesting! I didn't fire the helper, I  made him apologize to the owner. Oh, and take away his keys....😉 "Yes sir it will never happen again" I told the owner. We still got to keep the Corvette and repaint it. Helper did not last long anyway due to other reasons, hard to keep a job while in jail.😮

 

Back to swap meet stories.

 

[Zimm63]

23 hours ago, Brass is Best said:

I know a guy that took a new Corvette in for service. Later that day he noticed his car parked at a local sports bar. He went home and came back with a spare key. He took his car home. Then he waited for the dealership to call him.

Come on now, you got to tell us the rest of the story...............

 

[Jim Skelly]

14 hours ago, 8E45E said:

I'm guessing the copier was either company property, or leased in their name.  Would it be considered 'stolen' if it never left the premises?

 

I'm sure that happens a lot.  Countless times office staff exchange equipment for 'better' stuff, like bigger monitors, etc., especially when a fellow staff member is away on vacation.

 

Craig

 

 

I worked for a different company within the plant, and my management arranged the purchase or lease.  As I said earlier, the office door was locked, and it still disappeared.  Plant Security considered it stolen, too.   

[jp1gt]

On 7/21/2024 at 7:05 AM, Brass is Best said:

They were literally pulling the "your word against ours" defense. 

That is one reason I have cameras everywhere. A guy tried to kill me and stated it was the other way around, he spent a year in jail. My wife never complained about those expensive cameras anymore!

[Bhigdog]

1 hour ago, Jim Skelly said:

the office door was locked, and it still disappeared.

They actually stole the door????      Bob

[Brass is Best]

2 hours ago, Zimm63 said:

Come on now, you got to tell us the rest of the story...............

 

Now I feel like Paul Harvey. This whole incident occurred in the late 1980s. The car was in for an oil change. So, by 5pm that day the dealership had not called the owner. At lunch time the following day the owner just showed up to get his car. The service manager explained they didn't have it. But they were trying to find it. After a lot of going in circles the owner asked if anyone had looked in the parking lot at the Shamrock Tavern. The Service Manager stopped dead in his tracks and became upset that the owner had taken his own car. Eventually it came out that the Service Manager had taken the car on a lunch date, but not with his wife. Both parties had to walk back from lunch to avoid questions from coworkers. The Owner of the dealership saw no humor in this and relived the Service Manager of his duties. The Corvette finally had its service performed. Names have been left out to protect the guilty. 

[JFranklin]

I knew a girl whose family had a brass cash register. They bought it on travels, antique shopping. The store was having a closeout sale. A few years later as they were traveling in that area again, they stopped at the very same store. It turned out that while the owners were on a vacation the employee sold as much as he could and took off. They were embarrassed to know the truth!

[Terry Bond]

I thought we were talking about swap meets? 

Terry

[JACK M]

5 minutes ago, Terry Bond said:

I thought we were talking about swap meets? 

Terry

Love these thread drifts.

Wanna buy an old cash register?

[DAVES89]

6 minutes ago, Terry Bond said:

I thought we were talking about swap meets? 

Terry

I have always looked at these Forums like a bunch of guys sitting around a wood stove in a General Store. Sure we start off on one subject but then the conversation drifts a bit... So what? We can always come back to the original topic. This is what makes life interesting.