PlaymoFriends
General => News => Topic started by: playmofire on February 11, 2010, 17:05:43
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I saw this in the newspaper today.
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It's really a shame. There is another article regarding LEGO theft on this blog that I frequent:
http://www.brothers-brick.com/
I guess when things become valuable it attracts attention, and thieves.
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Wonder how someone gets rid of a load of stolen Lego? Or, Playmobil?
Do you suppose that there are people who specialize in "fencing" stolen toys?
How would any of us ever know if that very special Playmobil item on eBay that we just "won" in a bidding war was stolen or not?
Never thought about it before ... :o
Thanks, Gordon ... For giving a few of us something else to think about ... ;D
All the best,
Richard
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Hello
Interesting stories. I guess in a sort of weird way it is better to collect Playmobil as less people know about it so there is less of a chance of somebody eying it.
If you look on the back of Playmobil there are white #'s printed on the packages. From what I understand some of those are production codes. If a large truck was stolen they could be traced with that info, as long as the items were still in the original packaging that is. If somebody was to open every set and sell them with out the box, who knows, slim chance on tracking it.
The article of Gloobey's is in my old neighborhood. I do not look for Lego's as often but now that I know I can take note if I do see some items for sale.
Thanks for the stories
Rasputin "The Mad Monk"
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What about the miscellaneous figures & partial sets we were talking about not long ago from someone who got them from a storage building? Could they have been from a heist :hmm: P)?
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What about the miscellaneous figures & partial sets we were talking about not long ago from someone who got them from a storage building? Could they have been from a heist :hmm:P)?
Hi Bill
Well when I received my boxes the Playmobil did not feel hot, actually it was not even lukewarm :P
You know if you think about it, if someone did snag a truck, put the thousands of boxes in storage, waited many years then auctioned them off slowly they would have quite a haul. If one measly box could sell for $100 a whole truck could easily fit 1000 sets in it. Even common thug bank robbers are not lucky enough to get over 10k most of the time.
Thats all that we need is some silly Mafia gang heisting Lego and Playmobil trucks :lol:
Rasputin "The Mad Monk"
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You know if you think about it, if someone did snag a truck, put the thousands of boxes in storage, waited many years then auctioned them off slowly they would have quite a haul.
Rasputin "The Mad Monk"
Hmmm ... :hmm: Do I smell a "plan" coming together? ... ;D
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Hmmm ... :hmm: Do I smell a "plan" coming together? ... ;D
Hi Richard
Yes I am full of bright ideas, just ask my beloved wife :lol: One of my recent ones was a deal with the Ghana Government and the Somalian pirates 8}
(http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/6775/ghana2.jpg) (http://img535.imageshack.us/i/ghana2.jpg/)
(http://img535.imageshack.us/img535/7527/ghana.jpg) (http://img535.imageshack.us/i/ghana.jpg/)
Rasputin "The Mad Monk"
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They arrested a fellow here last summer I believe who was 'stealing' Lego to sell on eBay, he was actually from Montana (?) and he drove the western states with a large trailer and a setup that allowed him to print barcode labels. He would go to Target stores and put his labels on the large expensive Lego sets and buy them very cheaply then sell them online, they found over $200,000 worth of Lego in his house when they searched it.
Gepetto
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They arrested a fellow here last summer I believe who was 'stealing' Lego to sell on eBay, he was actually from Montana (?) and he drove the western states with a large trailer and a setup that allowed him to print barcode labels. He would go to Target stores and put his labels on the large expensive Lego sets and buy them very cheaply then sell them online, they found over $200,000 worth of Lego in his house when they searched it.
Gepetto
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06298/732855-28.stm
I'm suprised that worked. Barcodes are usually printed directly on the box by the manufacturer, so a stuck-on barcode label would stick out as a fake to any watchful cashier. Besides which, if the replacement barcode doesn't match something in the retail outlet's inventory, it won't ring up on the till.
The only way I can see that working is if he was a Target employee and stole one of their electronic pricing guns, a printer and a roll of labels. Then he might be able to use their own system to print replacement barcodes with a lower price.
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They arrested a fellow here last summer I believe who was 'stealing' Lego to sell on eBay, he was actually from Montana (?) and he drove the western states with a large trailer and a setup that allowed him to print barcode labels. He would go to Target stores and put his labels on the large expensive Lego sets and buy them very cheaply then sell them online, they found over $200,000 worth of Lego in his house when they searched it.
Gepetto
Hi Gepetto
What an interesting story. If he went in before hand and bought a cheep set he could print up a bunch of labels rather easily. Then all he has to do is go in stick the label over the real code. When he goes up to the register if he is buying enough stuff the cashier is not going to notice the price especially if there is an impatient line. The cashier is so subjected to line pressures these days they just try to hustle every one out as quickly as possible. He could return all the other stuff in the next store and keep the big Lego set. What a clever and oh so wrong scam. They always catch the idiots so you have to wonder what scams are going on right now that no one is the wiser to :hmm:
Rasputin "The Mad Monk"
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Yes I am full of bright ideas, just ask my beloved wife :lol: One of my recent ones was a deal with the Ghana Government and the Somalian pirates 8}
Rasputin "The Mad Monk"
Is there a story here that you're going to share with us, Ras?
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Thank you for the link Martin, interesting article.
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Thank you for the link Martin, interesting article.
Hi Martin
I missed your link and do also appreciate you posting it, it was an interesting and informative read.
Rasputin "The Mad Monk"
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From Danish TV today :(o):
Lego attack the U.S
Lego launches on the international trade fair American Toy Fair in New York in those days the largest offensive ever in the U.S
The comprehensive campaign involving 165 items, including 10 completely new and different board games
With a tremendous growth in sales of Lego products the last five years makes Billund group now nose up to become as big in the U.S. and Europe
Afterwards Europe
We have for many years had a smaller range over there than in Europe, simply because the U.S. market for Lego is still less developed than European
But because of the strong growth recently, we are expanding now in the States, "said Soren Torp Laursen, who is head of Legos in the U.S
Besides launching new board game also for the very youngest of the largest Duplo line ever
Duplo toy is otherwise very small in the U.S., but an essential part of the fight to recruit new "Lego users."
Five years of growth
Lego currently has four per cent of the U.S. market, but has an ambition to increase the numbers significantly over time
We have had an explosive growth of the past two years
We have moved from being the eighth largest supplier of toys in the U.S. to be the fourth largest
There is no reason to believe that we cannot get our share up to European standards, so somewhere between 10 and 15 percent, "said Soren Torp Laursen, designating the U.S. as the most important growth market
From 2008 to 2009, sales of Lego in stores in the U.S with the entire 31 per cent
And it marks the fifth consecutive year of positive growth
Pingo
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From Danish TV today :(o):
Lego attack the U.S
Lego launches on the international trade fair American Toy Fair in New York in those days the largest offensive ever in the U.S
Thanks, Pingo ...
Hooray for Lego !!! ... :wow:
Let's hope that Playmobil will join the attack on the US!
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Some of Lego's new fire releases have caught my eye recently (although not my wallet):
http://shop.lego.com/product/?p=7213&LangId=2057&ShipTo=UK
http://shop.lego.com/product/?p=7208&LangId=2057&ShipTo=UK
http://shop.lego.com/ByTheme/Product.aspx?p=7206&cn=381
http://shop.lego.com/ByTheme/Product.aspx?p=10197&cn=356&d=9
And they do pavements and roadways:
http://shop.lego.com/ByTheme/Product.aspx?p=7280&cn=356&d=9
http://shop.lego.com/Product/?p=7281
although you can always make your own using MDF, but maybe not as flexible in use.
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Some of Lego's new fire releases have caught my eye recently (although not my wallet):
Continue to be STRONG, Gordon ... ;D
And they do pavements and roadways:
Yes, but they have those little "nubbies" all over them ... :P
All the best old friend,
Richard
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Continue to be STRONG, Gordon ... ;D
I shall, Richard. Those little yellow faced figures put me off!
Yes, but they have those little "nubbies" all over them ... :P
Not unlike the real thing nowadays! :lol:
All the best old friend,
Richard