LTS was Burglarized

[eric220]

I'm putting this here for maximum visibility, but if the mods want to move it, feel free.  This was posted this afternoon on my Local Train Shop's Facebook page:

As a retail store, Just Trains is trying to adjust and survive in our “new normal” world, unfortunately we still have to deal with all the the pitfalls of the “old normal” world. At 4:16am this morning, Just Trains experienced a burglary. One or more perpetrators smashed the glass on our front door, then one climbed in and made their way directly to the HO Consignment Brass display case, breaking the glass to steal the contents. In and out of the store in two minutes. In addition to the stolen items, many other items in the case were damaged beyond repair during the crime. Today we cleaned up the debris from the break in, and secured the building. Tonight we are working on securing our emotions.
Tomorrow we will be doing a complete inventory to determine exactly what is missing. Many of the items taken were unique vintage brass pieces. From their handling of the pieces in the surveillance video, the thieves were gathering items for sale, not for a collection.

A partial list is,
Description
W&R Brass Import 2-8-8-2 Version 1, WP #252
3rd Rail, div of Sunset Models AC-9 2-8-8-4, SP Oil Tender, Unpainted Brass
IMR AC-12 Cab Forward, DCC/Sound, Unlettered
Key Imp, C-10 2-8-0 SP#2842
3rd Rail, div of Sunset Models 4-8-2 DC Loco, ATSF Unnumbered
Westside Model Company WP Outside Braced Bay Window Caboose (Brass)
WP 2-8-2 Late Tender Painted Brass
Van Hobbies RDC
Tenshodo Rio Grande F9A B Set
Tenshodo Passenger cars
Coach Yard Coaches
Golden Gate Depot, UP Coach with custom interior and weathering

The model railroad community is a close knit group and we appreciate the many people that have already expressed interest in how they can help. When the missing inventory list is ready, we will publish a link to it. We ask that people watch for items on that list being offered for sale on online platforms. Most the items will be missing original boxes.

The sickening part is this was clearly done by people who are familiar with the hobby.  They knew where the good stuff was.  To be clear, they did not clean out the brass/consignment cabinet; they picked and chose.

If you come across any of this stuff on eBay or the second hand market, please contact Just Trains and let them know.  I will update this when the full list comes out.

Just Trains
5650 Imhoff Drive, Suite H.
Concord, CA 94520
(925) 685-6566
http://just-trains.com

Here’s a link to a local news story, including a photo of the damage: http://claycord.com/2020/04/29/hobbyists-rally-around-concord-train-store-owner-after-tuesday-burglary/

[u18b]

My first thought was also.... they knew exactly what they were taking.

And then I looked at the photo.
They didn't take the boxes.
Which seems odd if they were planning on re-selling.

Maybe it's because as consignment there is some kind of identifying mark.

[NtheBasement]

Sad.  Also sad is the first comment on the article.  The thieves expertly took only the most valuable locos in the shop, but lets blame homeless people?  Some people just gotta make the world comply with their ugly vision of it.

[pjm20]

I have been on Ebay a lot since I'm not at work as often, I'll add these to my search list. Hopefully who ever did this will get caught and punished accordingly.

[eric220]

Sad.  Also sad is the first comment on the article.  The thieves expertly took only the most valuable locos in the shop, but lets blame homeless people?  Some people just gotta make the world comply with their ugly vision of it.

The comments section on news articles is the primary Internet lair of the trolls and the ignorant.

[wcfn100]

Sad.  Also sad is the first comment on the article.  The thieves expertly took only the most valuable locos in the shop, but lets blame homeless people?  Some people just gotta make the world comply with their ugly vision of it.

Is blaming a model railroader any better?

It would be very easy for anyone to case a train shop.  The most expensive items are generally up front in a locked display case.  A couple pictures and some time on the internet, you can figure out what has the most value.

Would someone who really knows brass not take the boxes?

Jason

[Dave V]

Robberies have always been with us but I do worry about what will happen as the margins of the economy move inward and more and more people find themselves losing everything.  One one hand I support maximum efforts to flatten the curve, but on the other I'm equally concerned for what our economy--small businesses in particular--will look like on the other side.  I'm making no attempt at a moral equivalency here...just saying that I'm worried about both.  And targeted robberies very well may rise in the future.

As for whether this was a model railroader...I do feel like anyone can research stuff on eBay.  You case a train shop because it probably doesn't have a whole lot of security.  You go home and check model train bras prices on eBay.  You figure out what's worth the most.  Then you do the deed.

My hope is that the owner can alert eBay to the exact items so that when they show up, the seller can be identified.

[Chris333]

Could have went into the shop for popsicle sticks and seen the display case with $$$ tags on everything, research done.

[Rossford Yard]

Our LHS added cameras and other security features in the last 5-10 years.  The owner told me that I would be surprised at who is doing the stealing - according to the cameras, it was old white guys, i.e., probably hobbyists.  He had a young, African American male in the store (first time he had seen him) who he admitted to later feeling bad about watching closely, but the kid put the merch on the counter and paid.  There is another well known train show thief he watches when he comes in.  But, so often, he found it was just his regular customers, who probably feel hobby pricing has "got too high" and that they somehow are entitled to acquire it at a five finger discount.

Overall, he said he could have bought a luxury SUV every year with the amount of merchandise that goes out the door.  Haven't asked how much the security cameras have helped, but either way, $35,000+ per year is a lot for a small business.

[John]

MBKlein used to have guards at the door, people to follow you around .. it was just part of the charm

[peteski]

Our LHS added cameras and other security features in the last 5-10 years.
 . . .
Overall, he said he could have bought a luxury SUV every year with the amount of merchandise that goes out the door.  Haven't asked how much the security cameras have helped, but either way, $35,000+ per year is a lot for a small business.

This store had security cameras, but that obviously didn't help much.  And in my experience (seeing security camera footage often shown on the news), most have such crappy quality (or only show tops of people's heads, or otherwise not really showing good view of their faces), that is it mostly useless.  And obviously not a good deterrent either. Sure there are some instances of security video that are helpful, but IMO, not many.

[Ed Kapuscinski]

MBKlein used to have guards at the door, people to follow you around .. it was just part of the charm

In their defense, some dude DID come in and put a Lionel train set under his coat and try and walk out.

[nthusiast]

Heart breaking. I've bought from Just Trains -- been in their shop. Its a great retailer with a lot of inventory.   

[Bill H]

MBKlein used to have guards at the door, people to follow you around .. it was just part of the charm

Yea but in that old neighborhood, you also needed at times to have someone watch the car...

[Maletrain]

I am not so sure these things were not just taken by somebody who wanted them and could not afford (or was unwilling to pay for) them.  If they don't show up on eBay, it will seem like that is the case.