PSA 8 1955 Topps Clemente.... STOLEN!

[bobbyw8469]

With so many good guys out there, there is no reason to bid with bad apples. That is why I quit bidding with Lew Lipsett. Just because you been in the game a long time doesn't give you an excuse to screw over people.

[1952boyntoncollector]

whoever he sold the stolen cards too at the convention now know why they got such a good deal....time to send them back and eat the loss

[x2drich2000]

Does any have a recent picture of Festburg so I have an idea of who not to deal with instead of just a name?

DJ
x2drich2000

[irv]

Looks like he was talked about quite a bit on here about 9+ years ago.

Found this doing a Google search using his name.
http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=92635

[samosa4u]

I know a dealer friend who sets up at the Expo here in Toronto (held twice a year), and he always has members of his entourage chilling at his table. He sometimes brings his neighbor, his GF, brother, etc. and a few of his close friends here drop by - it would be IMPOSSIBLE for anyone to steal his cards.

And as for anyone who is thinking "well, can't members of his entourage steal from him?" The answer is "no." He has been doing this for 20+ years, and if any one close to him wanted to steal, then it would have happened by now. He surrounds himself with the right people and he doesn't have to worry about a damn thing going missing.

[hcv123]

Originally Posted by samosa4u

I know a dealer friend who sets up at the Expo here in Toronto (held twice a year), and he always has members of his entourage chilling at his table. He sometimes brings his neighbor, his GF, brother, etc. and a few of his close friends here drop by - it would be IMPOSSIBLE for anyone to steal his cards.

And as for anyone who is thinking "well, can't members of his entourage steal from him?" The answer is "no." He has been doing this for 20+ years, and if any one close to him wanted to steal, then it would have happened by now. He surrounds himself with the right people and he doesn't have to worry about a damn thing going missing.

It is not a question of "if" you're employees are going to steal from you, it is a question of how much you are going to let them get away with. In the first place I think it is quite naive to think that you or a dealer that you know is "theft proof" - that thought alone makes you more susceptible. That your friend has family and friends that he trusts "chilling at his table" is certainly a great help for him. To depend on that alone and think he is impenetrable.....well, I hope he doesn't find out the hard way. I trust a couple of people with everything, I trust most people as much as they earn, I trust my video camera 100% all the time. I have unfortunately been stolen from by people who I never thought would steal from me. Theft is usually a function of motive and opportunity - we don't know enough about most people to consider if they have motive. We do have a large degree of control over the opportunity we provide to people looking to make a bad choice - some great opportunity controls have been suggested previously in this thread.

[Yoda]

Dan, do you know Dave Festberg and what he looks like?

[samosa4u]

Originally Posted by hcv123

It is not a question of "if" you're employees are going to steal from you, it is a question of how much you are going to let them get away with. In the first place I think it is quite naive to think that you or a dealer that you know is "theft proof" - that thought alone makes you more susceptible. That your friend has family and friends that he trusts "chilling at his table" is certainly a great help for him. To depend on that alone and think he is impenetrable.....well, I hope he doesn't find out the hard way. I trust a couple of people with everything, I trust most people as much as they earn, I trust my video camera 100% all the time. I have unfortunately been stolen from by people who I never thought would steal from me. Theft is usually a function of motive and opportunity - we don't know enough about most people to consider if they have motive. We do have a large degree of control over the opportunity we provide to people looking to make a bad choice - some great opportunity controls have been suggested previously in this thread.

First of all, I'm very sorry that you've had people steal from you. I hope the items weren't too expensive. Now let me explain what I was trying to say earlier: if you have your brother, your neighbor, a couple of buddies at your table, then it's impossible for someone to take a card out of the display case without it being noticed.

Now I want you to compare the above to what other dealers do. You'll have one guy, for example, who is alone, has very expensive cards in his display cases and sometimes has his back facing the people - which one is better?

[Rhotchkiss]

Originally Posted by irv

Looks like he was talked about quite a bit on here about 9+ years ago.

Found this doing a Google search using his name.
http://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=92635

Totally OT, I love post #4 in this old thread- in 2009, Sandy (I don’t know Sandy) is claiming how expensive Festberg’s prices were in the late 80’s, but that he wishes he could buy those cards today (In 2009) for those “exhorbitant” prices.

[oldjudge]

Originally Posted by bobbyw8469

With so many good guys out there, there is no reason to bid with bad apples. That is why I quit bidding with Lew Lipsett. Just because you been in the game a long time doesn't give you an excuse to screw over people.

Lew, like so many dealers in his day, was “optimistic” in his grading. However, he did not screw over people. He did more for the hobby than most people will do in ten lifetimes.

Jay Miller

[calvindog]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

Lew, like so many dealers in his day, was “optimistic” in his grading. However, he did not screw over people. He did more for the hobby than most people will do in ten lifetimes.

Jay Miller

I found Lew to be a very decent guy -- compared to today's auction house owners and dealers he'd be a saint.

[1952boyntoncollector]

Originally Posted by calvindog

I found Lew to be a very decent guy -- compared to today's auction house owners and dealers he'd be a saint.

thats high praise.

[Republicaninmass]

They've set the bar so low, you can practically trip over it

[CurtisFlood]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

Lew, like so many dealers in his day, was “optimistic” in his grading. However, he did not screw over people. He did more for the hobby than most people will do in ten lifetimes.

Jay Miller

All the stuff I ever got from Lipset was accurately graded and priced.

[bobbyw8469]

Originally Posted by CurtisFlood

All the stuff I ever got from Lipset was accurately graded and priced.

Maybe there was a time it was.....near the end, he got sloppy.

[Babe3Ruth3]

I like the previously mentioned idea of using a clear plastic holder with the cardholder inside it, secured with a steel cable bolted to the table. This wouldn't cost very much and it seems to work for stores. At the very minimum, you could also have a sign saying you are on camera right next to the high-value cards.

[rdwyer]

Use a baseball bat on the thief.

[Babe3Ruth3]

Originally Posted by rdwyer

Use a baseball bat on the thief.

The statement you made sounds good but in reality, I wouldn't want the assault charge unless I was physically threatened.

[Sean]

Originally Posted by rdwyer

Use a baseball bat on the thief.

That only works if you catch him first.

[benjulmag]

Living nearby, I am familiar with the venue of the White Plains show. The dealer display area is not that large, and being part of a sports arena, there are ample areas in the upstairs seating areas to position security cameras that could cover the entire floor. Being in the real estate business, we use such cameras to blanket the common areas of our properties. They have proven quite effective in not only catching crooks, but as important in dissuading people from engaging in such conduct. Had such a system existed at White Plains, by zeroing in on the table where the theft occurred, almost certainly there would have been a tape of the theft taking place. Cameras these days are of such quality that once the act is spotted, the image can be blown up and the thief identified.

Yes there is a cost to do this. But for a venue such as the Westchester County Center where the show takes place and that is in the business of attracting shows such as this, it would likely pay for itself though lower insurance costs and higher dealer participation. Think of it -- if you are a crook how likely would you be to steal a card when you know that your actions will be captured on a video for all to see? Better still, if the stolen card is resold at the same show, the camera system will enable one to follow the perpetrator after the theft and show him selling the card. So not only will the perpetrator be caught, but there will be a good image of the person who bought the card.

[Republicaninmass]

Good advice Corey, and from what they charge for a table, they should provide this at least