Had a friend with some pins stolen out of storage. Found them in a pawn shop locally!!!!
Sorry to hear Rob, I'll keep my eyes out around here.

If you see something up my way via internet or something lmk ill go scope out the game, of course practicing my rights on the way (Just Incase, Trust No one!!!)
I'm with bad Billy on the BOOBIE traps!!!
Put up plenty of warming signs that property has now been armed with un know bodily harming devices!!!!!

MY parents live in the country. My father has a sign at the drive way entrance that states!

DUE TO THE INCREASE PRICE OF AMUNITION WARNING SHOTS WILL NOT BE FIRED!

JT

That is awful news Rob but it is just a matter of time before the games will surface, be patient.

Agree with this, but you also have to have someone, if not yourself, staying there armed & ready to defend your property.

First of all, I'm glad the OP is ok. This sounds like a seriously dangerous situation. Armed home invaders?! It's interesting, when I first moved into Boston proper my parents were very concerned about crime and privacy, and there's certainly a decent amount of city crime, but I don't think I ever worried about someone coming into my home with weapons. So scary. Again, glad you're ok!

Second of all, I'm sorry the criminal justice system is failing you. This has got to be frustrating and heart-wrenching. In this age of ubiquitous cameras, you'd think making a case is so much easier... but I feel like a lot of law enforcement resources are being directed at drugs or small ticketable offenses, not property crimes. If you can't get restitution from the CJ system, might be worth it to share your story with local papers or TV networks?

Third, I really hope your games turn up unharmed. again, sorry this happened!

Why would the law not be involved in this period of time? I'm not passing judgment on you but, many elements of this story sound fantastic.

I think you should post serial numbers, pictures, any and all identifying characteristics if not for recovery, for the safety of the public.

That's exactly what I was going to ask. Does the Sheriff's department notify pawn shops near you? I'm assuming they do.

Yes, licensed pawn shops are required to provide the local law enforcement agency with copies of all purchase slips within 30 days

Rob, can you file an insurance claim for this loss?

Do you realize what you sound like right now?

image-792.jpg

That listing has been on many many times over the months.

It's a really rural area. Lots of space between everybody/everything. Without dense police coverage. You can't exist in that kind of area without the others around you having the basic human decency to leave your stuff alone, unless you're there 24/7 ready to defend it.

I'm not saying it's a lie, I'm saying it's a fantastic story, it is. I knew I was opening myself for criticism by chiming any opinion.
If some armed maniac is stalking and stealing as described than every detail of the stolen property should be disclosed for recovery and the well being of everyone. What would happen if someone were to buy a machine and then this maniac follows them home and becomes fixated. This is an atrocity perpetrated not only on the op but the entire community.

Just highlighting this bit in case people missed in in the body of the other message. Important details. Especially if they're attempted to be sold as is.

Elvisinmypants -- RE:

I assumed this meant locked storage units on the 74 acres of property in the middle of nowhere. Not at some local "STORIGE IZ US" place. You'd think if you had property like this, where you were not there a large portion of the year, you'd want lockable storage that's a bit more protection than a house full of windows.

Just a thought - a wanted ad, perhaps be a few of us, on craigslist or mrpinball, might find something? Perhaps this isn't allowed b/c its not a "real" wanted ad, but just wondered what you guys think of the idea?

I like the Craigslist idea, that could work. The Mr Pinball probably won't, only us geeks know that exists.

I did also but it was "the period of time" If I noticed someone elses lock on my shed I would call law enforcement and wait for them to arrive and take some sort of action. I don't understand allowing a period of time to elapse.

My mind is blown; this guy breaks into a place, and puts his own locks on it? WTF? Was he afraid of some other thief beating him to clearing out the place?

Sorry again for your loss; honestly this story sounds like it is coming more out of a Mad Max movie than something that should be happening in the strongest, most powerful, (in theory) law respecting country in the history of the world.

Just awful.

More assuming on my part - but Rob is not often there. So I took the "period of time" to be between whenever the guy changed the locks to whenever Rob discovered them, and got tools to the property to chop the lock off.

No posting the serial is dumb. Knowing the serial is smart. Don't publish the info that lets the criminals know that you can Id the stuff. Most people won't know the serials so most people wouldn't bother removing them. He could let a few people he know have the numbers privately so that if a game pops up they can verify it.

Please please please Mr POS burglar, bring those games to Texas and try to move them at TPF or at the swap meet. Texas has a special welcoming committee for vermin like you!
Sorry to hear this Rob! We'll keep an eye out.

Honestly a lot of what you said in here seems like common sense to me, but it was not clear this had been done based on a quick scan of the first post.

I certainly am not trying to pass judgment, it is good to know you have done these steps since day one. It is depressing that things went from bad to worse though.

If your property has a long driveway put in a row of hidden tyre shredders in the middle of it. Notify the sheriff or anyone else that will visit it where they are.

At least if the prick returns and has all four tyres slashed, they will be stuck for a while. Put a camera to film the area, get an ip camera that stores info off site so even if it is taken the footage is stored elsewhere.

Some ip cameras have a built in motion sensor so when it is triggered you can remotely view the scene and get law enforcement there.

This is bad news indeed. Sorry rob.

Rob is a great guy and it's a shame this has happened to him.

For those that don't believe his story. Look at the list of games that was taken. Would anyone make up a story with that list of games? Should be very hard for them to unload those on the secondary market since they really stand out being such a hodgepodge group. I dont' know how the hell they got a EP1 out of there not knowing how pins work. Sucks they got the security shit too.

Anybody who knows a bit about Rob and reads this story should trust this story is true, even if it is terrible to the point of SEEMING unbelievable as nobody wants to believe this is something that should be happening to someone else.

He is a stalwart positive member of the pinball community for years, and has had zero drama for the sake of drama tendencies. Seems good enough for me to take his word when he asks for help.

Post the crappy pic. of the armed thief at the local gun store?

Awful nice huo star wars just listed on chicago and rockford il. Craigslist. 4 dAy old ad!

chicago.craigslist.org link

I totally respect and appreciate the concern for Taro. I'm the same way with my pits. I love seeing Taro at the pinball shows. Some things are more important than material possessions.

Couple of things *I* would do. Hopefully they checked for fingerprints on the locks the thief(s) placed, and fingerprinted the house, etc. I'd make inquires to local storage places describing the guy/pins/large property missing, same with local U-Haul, Penske, etc. A large amount of stuff moved has to be someplace, not like a handful of jewelry can be tucked under a bed. I'm sure there is a paper trail somewhere - maybe even the locks, if they were new, you could find out who local to the area sells that kind of lock. They used to have a show on TV, that showed just how vulnerable your house was, 2 guys, one acted as lookout, ex thieves. They could ransack the place in under 15 minutes, and if there were large valuables, they had people/trucks on standby. Show was called 'it takes a thief.' On one of the episodes, the hit a house that had a gameroom, and took the games.

I'd also look into private *armed* security to watch the place over the next month or so, probably expensive as hell, but they'd be trained to handle and take down an armed intruder. Best of luck to you, hope you get the guy(s) and recover your stuff.

I can understand this, had an acquaintance bring some friends and break into my 3rd story apartment via the balcony! My wife was so distraught we had to move. Unfortunately you are not renting, and have no neighbors to watch out as I did, so it's a bad spot until this guy is caught. Don't discount someone you have met.

Hi Rob,

You are reporting this each time to the police, right? Love for taking a strong stance against resolving this with violence. Thanks for providing detailed example of how and why you stood up. :clap:

Have you replaced the camera's? It sounds like guy stalked you while cameras were add the first time around.

This shit sounds intriguing. I personally would have gone down the path of delivering vengence.

Best to not post anything about booby trapping and other vigilante-esque stuff. By all means do what you feel is right.

That's some scary shit Rob. Pic of intruder walking armed and he even changed the locks. I think this advice is the best. It may cost you, but I'd get a security agency out there for 1 month. I would bait it by moving a few very large empty Stern pinball boxes, post a for sale NIB Sterns on craigslist and in your ad mention your out in XXX, MO. And sit back and let the security company catch this guy.

If I knew the burglars that broke into my house 8 years ago were definitely going to come back, I'd sell a few games to fund hiring a security team just to gain some peace of mind and catch the vermin.

Also, how would the Sheriff know they just missed him. Was there melted snow or tracks or something?

Please also, do not be sensitive to people who are trying to help. Your story has some very difficult things to understand (such as the lost cameras, etc.) Everyone wants to help you here so please be forthcoming with any facts that can help bust these losers - even if you think they are of no value.

Everyone wants him to recover his merchandise and see the filthy scumbag thieves in jail. He's not helping himself by getting all defensive when people are trying to clarify his story. Not everyone is a great writer and we all share compassion, anger, sympathy and empathy when scumbags strike.

No one is rubbing it in his face as far as I can tell. Sometimes I wonder how peoples' feelings supercede their logic because I just don't think that way. I can state with absolute certainty if these items pop up within 500 miles of me on CL, I will spot them. Now do you want to slam me for asking for clarification of the facts as written?

I'm betting it is someone who has been to your place to "buy" a machine and didn't. I know I had a guy do this to me with a truck bumper once.

This question has already been answered . The storage units are on his property (not rented ).

Hi Rob, sorry to hear about the theft of your machines. We will keep watch in the Arkansas/Springfield,MO areas for machines like you have have lost.

It would seem the crook found a way to liquidate your machines before he went through the trouble of stealing them. It would also seem he has a partner as those P2K machines are not easy to move with the heads attached. I don't think the common crook would have the smarts to know how to remove the heads.

If you have trouble with bears getting your chickens, a bear trap or two will do some good. Common animals such as dogs, coons and such are not heavy enough to trip the trap. Unfortunately if a human sets it off it will cause great pain and likely will break a leg so you have to be careful where you place them. (just kidding folks!) Digging a well in front of a storage door with a poor cap is also a dangerous thing to do.

Protecting an old farm house with a security system is a pain. I am guessing you can't gate your driveway either. I would go with a driveway pressure switch and hidden wireless camera that calls your cellphone if you expect the crook to return. We have the problem of trespassing hunter thieves stealing game cameras all the time, but not pinball machines.

I do hope the thief tries to sell your machines at the Texas Pinfest -- that'l be the end for him.

That is okcpinball #
http://okcpinball.com/

I come up with Metro Pinball and video - 3809 n. Portland in Oklahoma city
http://okcpinball.com/

Notice on the window it says "Cash paid for Pinballs".

The game on the right in that picture in the OKC ad is No Good Gophers.You can see the gopher at the front of the lower cabinet.And look at the speaker panel its the type Williams used in the late 90s.

Good catch.