Memory Lane sold cards they didn't have per SCD

[bk400]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Not sure why that's amazing. Criminals, and people in general, lie every day of their lives.

You can lie without swearing on your kids' lives that you're telling the truth. I just think that's bad karma. Maybe that's why I'm not a good criminal.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by bk400

You can lie without swearing on your kids' lives that you're telling the truth. I just think that's bad karma. Maybe that's why I'm not a good criminal.

Bad karma for sure.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by bk400

You can lie without swearing on your kids' lives that you're telling the truth. I just think that's bad karma. Maybe that's why I'm not a good criminal.

Walls were clearly closing in and he was getting desperate. Definitely don’t condone anything the perpetrator did, but I suppose it’s not surprising that he would resort to a Hail Mary just because there wasn’t much else he could do by then.

[Lorewalker]

What is still most amazing is that Joe T states that they shipped these boxes regularly (maybe not with this much value) to a hotel that not only had no responsibility to safeguard it but without an agent of the auction house being on site. That puts the contents of those boxes at risk for loss each time. Incredibly irresponsible of the Memory Lane. And just because they had never had a box go missing prior to this event does not justify that they kept doing it.

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by Lorewalker

What is still most amazing is that Joe T states that they shipped these boxes regularly (maybe not with this much value) to a hotel that not only had no responsibility to safeguard it but without an agent of the auction house being on site. That puts the contents of those boxes at risk for loss each time. Incredibly irresponsible of the Memory Lane. And just because they had never had a box go missing prior to this event does not justify that they kept doing it.

From what I remember other people saying, Memory Lane isn't the only company that does this.

[Lorewalker]

Originally Posted by jayshum

From what I remember other people saying, Memory Lane isn't the only company that does this.

In my opinion it is reckless to not safeguard your property so I don't care if every dealer there does it. Not the hotel's responsibility to hold valuable packages, which is why they limit their liability. Packages should be held at Fed Ex or shipped to arrive when an agent from the company is on site.

[jayshum]

Originally Posted by Lorewalker

In my opinion it is reckless to not safeguard your property so I don't care if every dealer there does it. Not the hotel's responsibility to hold valuable packages, which is why they limit their liability. Packages should be held at Fed Ex or shipped to arrive when an agent from the company is on site.

I agree with you. I was just pointing out that your earlier comment was singling out Memory Lane when it appeared to be a somewhat common practice by AHs. I wonder if it still is.

[Lorewalker]

Originally Posted by jayshum

I agree with you. I was just pointing out that your earlier comment was singling out Memory Lane when it appeared to be a somewhat common practice by AHs. I wonder if it still is.

I was singling them out because the bumped thread was about their theft and Joe T stated they do this all the time. I had not heard other dealers did that regularly or forgot that I had read it, but again because others do it or have done it does not mean it is a great idea.

I am guessing, at least momentarily, dealers changed the way they rely on that hotel and possibly others just as dealers learned from the theft at the Dallas Show to watch their inventory more closely that is sitting in a suitcase.

[Peter_Spaeth]

It was certainly good karma for Joe T and Memory Lane that the thief was not very smart.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

It was certainly good karma for Joe T and Memory Lane that the thief was not very smart.

Comparing this to Dallas, it probably helped that it was a crime of opportunity rather than a well-planned and executed heist. Once he had the goods, he clearly didn’t know what to do with them, and had no extradition strategy to avoid getting caught.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by raulus

Comparing this to Dallas, it probably helped that it was a crime of opportunity rather than a well-planned and executed heist. Once he had the goods, he clearly didn’t know what to do with them, and had no extradition strategy to avoid getting caught.

The Dallas thieves surely will be apprehended by Friday.

[jayshum]

Memory Lane is now suing Best Western

https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2025...lle-hotel.html

[parkplace33]

Originally Posted by jayshum

Memory Lane is now suing Best Western

https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2025...lle-hotel.html

Can't see the article, can someone post?

[G1911]

Non-paywall copy here: https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/comp...el/ar-AA1KKPTs

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by jayshum

Memory Lane is now suing Best Western

https://www.cleveland.com/metro/2025...lle-hotel.html

That is just sad how people can do something extremely stupid and then try to blame others for their stupidity.

[parkplace33]

The theft caused Memory Lane to take out a $1.8 million loan to repay the cards’ owners and the loan racked up $125,900 in interest, according to the lawsuit.

It also caused the value of the cards to plummet and harmed Memory Lane’s reputation, according to the lawsuit.

I guess this answer the insurance claim question posted earlier in the thread.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by parkplace33

The theft caused Memory Lane to take out a $1.8 million loan to repay the cards’ owners and the loan racked up $125,900 in interest, according to the lawsuit.

It also caused the value of the cards to plummet and harmed Memory Lane’s reputation, according to the lawsuit.

I guess this answer the insurance claim question posted earlier in the thread.

Must've been the police then!

[Johnny630]

Originally Posted by parkplace33

The theft caused Memory Lane to take out a $1.8 million loan to repay the cards’ owners and the loan racked up $125,900 in interest, according to the lawsuit.

It also caused the value of the cards to plummet and harmed Memory Lane’s reputation, according to the lawsuit.

I guess this answer the insurance claim question posted earlier in the thread.

It also caused the value of the cards to plummet and harmed Memory Lane’s reputation, according to the lawsuit.

To me the value and reputation of Memory Lane's has not been harmed.

[Lorewalker]

Originally Posted by Johnny630

It also caused the value of the cards to plummet and harmed Memory Lane’s reputation, according to the lawsuit.

To me the value and reputation of Memory Lane's has not been harmed.

If the company sustained no harm from the owner's past criminal history then they should be bulletproof, no? Further, from my vantage point, ML is to blame for this mishap since it was a gross lapse in judgement to ship the box to the hotel with nobody from the company there to get it for days.

[Johnny630]

Originally Posted by Lorewalker

If the company sustained no harm from the owner's past criminal history then they should be bulletproof, no? Further, from my vantage point, ML is to blame for this mishap since it was a gross lapse in judgement to ship the box to the hotel with nobody from the company there to get it for days.

Correct, many people forgive and forget. It does not matter what you did in the past. If you have the card and the buyer wants it they could care less what their past criminal history may have been.

[Michael B]

Originally Posted by parkplace33

The theft caused Memory Lane to take out a $1.8 million loan to repay the cards’ owners and the loan racked up $125,900 in interest, according to the lawsuit.

It also caused the value of the cards to plummet and harmed Memory Lane’s reputation, according to the lawsuit.

I guess this answer the insurance claim question posted earlier in the thread.

I will preface by saying that I have no opinion of Memory Lane as I have never dealt with them. However, is it not Memory Lane that hurt their own reputation by exposing the fact that they were not careful with the consignor's property and did not maintain any type of chain of custody?

[Kevlo17]

Just one guys opinion, but the current auction where the preview was just made available is one of the lightest ML auctions I can remember. Could be coincidence (or a misguided opinion by me), but seems like their reputation with consignors may have been dinged by this a bit.

[Johnny630]

Originally Posted by Michael B

I will preface by saying that I have no opinion of Memory Lane as I have never dealt with them. However, is it not Memory Lane that hurt their own reputation by exposing the fact that they were not careful with the consignor's property and did not maintain any type of chain of custody?

You sound like a Smart Attorney For the Best Western

[swarmee]

Just keep digging, Memory Lane. You might find your dignity at the bottom of the hole.

[Michael B]

Originally Posted by Johnny630

You sound like a Smart Attorney For the Best Western

Was married to a practicing attorney for 12 years. Current wife went to law school, but does not practice. I have been doing legal research for 40 years. I actually believe there is culpability on both. I find the fact that Memory Lane is suing for problems they initiated to be amusing.

[Johnny630]

Originally Posted by Michael B

Was married to a practicing attorney for 12 years. Current wife went to law school, but does not practice. I have been doing legal research for 40 years. I actually believe there is culpability on both. I find the fact that Memory Lane is suing for problems they initiated to be amusing.

Agreed !

[oldjudge]

Not sure why the ill will towards ML. It seems like JP has gone out of his way to make things right for consignors and buyers after that unfortunate situation at the Ohio show. I have dealt with ML in the past and had absolutely no issues. I found the whole team to be great.

[Zach Wheat]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

Not sure why the ill will towards ML. It seems like JP has gone out of his way to make things right for consignors and buyers after that unfortunate situation at the Ohio show. I have dealt with ML in the past and had absolutely no issues. I found the whole team to be great.

I agree. I have always had great experiences with ML.

[calvindog]

Far be it from me to defend ML, but even though the decision to send cards to that dumpy hotel was a mistake, a hotel is supposed to safeguard what they receive for a guest. I agree that the reputational damages suffered by ML include the perception that they were negligent by sending the cards by FedEx to the hotel, for sure. But in the end the hotel screwed up way worse.

Where's the Asperger's kid, Travis, to opine? This is usually where he jumps in and provides his legal opinion based on watching Law & Order once.

[Rhotchkiss]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

Not sure why the ill will towards ML. It seems like JP has gone out of his way to make things right for consignors and buyers after that unfortunate situation at the Ohio show. I have dealt with ML in the past and had absolutely no issues. I found the whole team to be great.

+100 (from someone directly and substantially impacted by this).

JP and memory lane paid me on time, in full, even before they knew when, even if, they were going to get paid in my items. And, they gave each buyer the option to rescind their purchase and not pay. Nobody except ML was harmed here. Perhaps that harm was partly their own doing -in retrospect it was a bad idea to send millions of dollars of cards to a best western PLUS, even though that had been the normal practice of many AHs for years- but it doesn’t change the fact that a best western employed stole the cards and as a result, ML realized economic loss (in order to take care of their consignors and buyers).

As far as auction houses go, memory lane is a first class shop.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by calvindog

Far be it from me to defend ML, but even though the decision to send cards to that dumpy hotel was a mistake, a hotel is supposed to safeguard what they receive for a guest. I agree that the reputational damages suffered by ML include the perception that they were negligent by sending the cards by FedEx to the hotel, for sure. But in the end the hotel screwed up way worse.

Where's the Asperger's kid, Travis, to opine? This is usually where he jumps in and provides his legal opinion based on watching Law & Order once.

He told me what he was going to do on the forum, after I asked him not to. He is no longer here.
.

[calvindog]

Originally Posted by Leon

He told me what he was going to do on the forum, after I asked him not to. He is no longer here.
.

If it was anything like the unsolicited, insane private messages he would send me, I'm sure it was a doozy.

[ricktmd]

ML has always been great to me. Their auctions continue to have high grade material described accurately. They made a big mistake shipping a box with very valuable items. They commented to me they travel with similar items moving forward. I think they handled the situation the best they could and would have paid the consignors even if the items were never recovered. People can make any claim they want but to me that is integrity. Memory Lane's office is in Orange County an hour away from where I lived in Pacific Palisades. I have dealt with every auction house and they all know me. ML was the only auction house to ask how I was doing and offered help during and after the fire. That is my experience. My opinion of them is Top Shelf. I agree with recent prior posts from Jay and Ryan

[uniship]

Originally Posted by calvindog

far be it from me to defend ml, but even though the decision to send cards to that dumpy hotel was a mistake, a hotel is supposed to safeguard what they receive for a guest. I agree that the reputational damages suffered by ml include the perception that they were negligent by sending the cards by fedex to the hotel, for sure. But in the end the hotel screwed up way worse.

Where's the asperger's kid, travis, to opine? This is usually where he jumps in and provides his legal opinion based on watching law & order once.

😂😂😂

[Republicaninmass]

I saw a recent Facebook posting saying "contact the owner of national card investors snowman@xxz.com". Pretty odd

[BobbyStrawberry]

I stayed at a Best Western Plus earlier this summer (not the one in Strongsville). It was noticeably nicer than a regular Best Western. The staff was professional and knowledgeable, but even so I would not leave a box worth $2 million with them.

[doug.goodman]

Weird stuff happens with packages to / from hotels no matter what quality level they happen to be. For decades I averaged 200 to 250 nights a year in hotels, now probably closer to 100, but I have stories from both directions.

My favorite is the time I put a large sized manila envelope (sealed three ways via clasp, sticky flap and taped) into a fedex envelope which I also sealed, I then handed the fedex to the concierge at the Ritz Carlton hotel where I had a dozen rooms & suites for a week.

When the fedex arrived at it's location, the manila envelope inside had been opened.

And it wasn't sent to David Copperfield.