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Posts: 1433
Location: Right now? | I just found one of my recently stolen guitars on Ebay ... this is the same fellow who has fenced at least six of my guitars in the last few years. The police have been notified. I wonder what will happen. When he fenced several of my guitars the first time, I tried to be nice and I called him about it. His immediate response was to say "F*CK you, Lady. If you want them, you can buy them back."
Here's the listing. I wrote him a note via Ebay. Wanna bet he is as nasty as he was the first time? LOOK
Also, the guitar has apparently been damaged, because he states that the top is 'bulging slightly", which is total, bite me, no way, bullshit.
I'm so upset.
:( |
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Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | That sucks. How many guitars have you had stolen off you? A burglar once stepped over my (then new) legend 1117 to steal a second hand car stereo my flat mate paid $40 for. |
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Location: Nîmes, south of France | What a shame Willa.
Every time i tried to ask the seller Jacksguitar what S/N the guitar is, eBay displayed a little window saying "We're sorry we couldn't find an answer for you. Unfortunately, this seller is not able to respond to your question. We suggest reviewing the item again to see if your answer is in the seller's listing."
That is to say there is no way to contact the seller directly via eBay. Very strange.
Arnaud |
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Posts: 1119
Location: Michigan | To bad we cant have a NJ member go check it out and bring the police to the store after verifying the serial number...that would be fun. |
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Posts: 166
Location: Veedersburg, Indiana | Wow. I would think that if you have a police report showing the SN's of the stolen guitars that the police would be able to recover at least this one for you. Hopefully they would be smart enough to check his entire inventory. So sorry for your loss! Hopefully this one will come home to you. |
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Posts: 806
Location: Seymour, Tennessee | Originally posted by twistedlim:
To bad we cant have a NJ member go check it out and bring the police to the store after verifying the serial number...that would be fun. Too bad we can't have a NJ Member go over and beat the dog shit out of him !!! |
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Posts: 4055
Location: Utah | If someone were to Buy it Now could the auction be tied up so the guitar doesn't get shipped away somewhere before the police can get involved?
Also, did the shop blur out the serial number from the picture of the headstock or is the serial number somewhere else on this guitar? |
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Posts: 3618
Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | This really sucks. Here you have a name, address, phone number, and pics of the place that posesses your stolen instrument, and you just have to sit back and HOPE the police will jump on the opportunity. You would think that after the first time you contacted him about selling your other guitars, that he would check the guy out who is selling them to him.
I remember a simular situation about 30 yrs ago, where the police told me they had found the location of a Steinburger bass that had been stolen from me. It was at a pawn shop in LA. The police said I'd have to work it out with the pawn shop, as to how I could get MY bss back. The pawn shop owner wanted me to buy it back from him. In the end I pressured him to release my property, to avoid me pressing criminal charges against him for possessing stolen merchandise. in the end he gave it up. |
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Location: Upper Left USA | ( Removed picture of Charles Bronson )
...just sayin'...
sorry, that was wrong.
kinda |
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December 2003
Posts: 13991
Location: Upper Left USA | Maybe this is better...
Jack\'s Music Store
Jack\'s Music Shoppe on facebook
The Guitar Store at Jack\'s Music Shoppe
Drop in. Say hello. Ask them if they've seen your stolen merchandise lately... |
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Posts: 13991
Location: Upper Left USA | Or better yet, get social...
Nathan, the Guitar store dude
Hi, my name is Mike and I'm an Ovation fan. Don't #%^& with me... OK! |
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Posts: 1433
Location: Right now? | Hi, Gang. Thanks for the sympathies ...
Bryan, I was wondering the same thing about the serial number. To tell you the truth, I think they blurred it out, but I can't remember if it was on the inside or on the headstock ... gotta dig out the photos again. In the one photo of the listing, at the bottom, you can see the piece of masking tape on the case showing the model number (1158). That tape, I believe, was put their by our own OFC member Patch, who then sold the guitar to MusicMishka (Mike Ward), who then sold it to me. This is one of at least seven instruments that were stolen from me and fenced by this guy. Sorry if I've been redundant in these posts; I'm so friggin' mad I'm shaking. He knows exactly what he's doing. I'm sick of how the local police have handled this, and if I can get there today, I am going to the State Police. The guitars belong to me. Every, single one of my guitars is photographed from every angle and cataloged, including year made, serial number, flaws (although most of my gits are 'perfect'), etc. He also has a few of my vintage autoharps. And what happens to the instruments that he's already sold? I can also see from the photos that the guitar has been damaged. There is a rather big 'ding' on the ear showing on the back of the headstock ... that was not ever there, and I have the photos to prove it, in addition, the seller mentions a slight bulge (paraphrasing here) in the guitar, that was also NOT there, so apparently, the guitar was perhaps exposed to humidity or God knows what, but as I wrote above, I have the photos to prove that guitar was MINT and I'm fairly certain Patch or MM can back me up on that. As mentioned earlier (I think) ... I tried to politely speak to the shop owner, and he just started verbally abusing me over the phone and then hung up. Not a very stable individual I guess, or maybe just stupid to scream obscenities at a person whose stolen guitars and other instruments are in his possession. Of course the thieves need to be prosecuted, but this guy should be investigated, also. Ugh. What a pain in the ASS! :( |
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Posts: 1433
Location: Right now? | I also think this fellow has a "big cajone syndrome" (ha) considering he still has the listing up, AFTER I've written him via Ebay (no point in calling him, considering our first conversation) and told thim that THAT IS MY GUITAR, and that I've reported IT and the other guitars stolen to the local police.
Growling and howling over here!
:(
Willa |
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Posts: 1137
Location: Germany, where delicious wine is growing (Rheinh) | Ugh. What a pain in the ASS! :( [/QB]
That's for true a pain in...........!!!!!!
THat's unbelievable...I hope they can get him!
Bernie |
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Location: Right now? | Arnaud,
You CAN contact the seller via Ebay. Click on the seller's name. Then in the little circles pick 'other' then you can write to the seller. I wrote him, and I told him I want my other stuff back too. I also told him I've informed the police, which I have.
I'm just very surprised that he hasn't taken down the listing. On Monday, I'm calling a lawyer, because this is ridiculous. Seven (I think I originally posted six) guitars, three autoharps. My house is now fully secure with cameras on each corner, alarms, etc., etc., but I only did that after the first burgulary. Over the last two years this guy has quite knowingly contributed to victimizing me. I write this because I think as I mentioned earlier, two of the guitars he fenced twice, so he surely had the serial numbers for those two, considering he decided to accept (fence) them a second time :( |
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Location: Flahdaw | Willa, aren't you close enough that you could go to this shop and verify whether they are in fact your stolen guitars, then call the police? |
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Location: Utah | Willa, be sure to record or video any contact you have with this guy. A voice activated recorder in your pocket maybe. As long as it is legal in NJ I would do it just to be sure to protect myself against false claims by him, or even a lucky slip where he admits to knowing the instruments were stolen but he took them anyway.
I understand your anger! Gear thieves and their fences should be shot. |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | It's a 1980 1158-1 and the serial number is on the inside...
There is a lot more to this mess: stay tuned...Don't assume anything...It's being taken care of...
Just saying: His description of the guitar is spot on and there are interesting pictures as well...
Nuff Said!
Toast! |
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Posts: 4055
Location: Utah | Originally posted by MusicMishka:
There is a lot more to this mess: stay tuned...Don't assume anything...It's being taken care of...
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Toast! As long as "Toast" refers to the thief. |
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Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | Keep at it Willa and Mike.
You both know how to find me. |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | Oh Yeah... |
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | I love a good suspense movie... specially when the good guys win in a hail of gunfire.
(hmmm...Would that be considered political?) |
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Location: Sydney, Australia | The suspense is killin' me! |
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Location: NJ | I don't get it.
Willa you are not far from that store in red bank even if you had to take public transportation.
you go there with your police report with your pics and your s/n's of your guitars and with a police escort and you get the guitars back and he better well have a good reason why he is selling stolen goods or he will be taken in also.
I really feel for you but I don't get why this is taking so long and why there is so much drama |
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | Perhaps the police are looking at this guy from a larger perspective... If he has been buying stolen goods belonging to her, he has probably been doing this to a lot more people. If that is the case, and there are a lot more victims out there, they would want to set up a larger sweep on this guy's operation. There is a LONG process involved in getting warrants sworn out on someone, including bringing a judge into the process. I see it often, as our police chief is a good friend of mine... and this is a small town. Just my opinion...but what do I know anyway? |
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Location: Nashville TN. | I hope you get it back |
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Location: sitting at my computer | Soooooo... what's the latest scoop on this? :confused:
Was that Willa's O? Did she get it back?
Did the alleged thieving turkey(s) get their giblets roasted yet? |
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January 2009
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Location: Flahdaw | The alleged "thief" was killed with a 12 guage shotgun. Turns out it wasn't Willa's guitar though. Donations for MusicMike's defense fund will be appreciated. |
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Location: sitting at my computer | bummer.
hmmm, wonder if legal counsel will use the crime of passion or temporary insanity defense? :o |
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Posts: 1453
Location: Texas | Once again, we all sympathize with the victim, but detailed discussions including their real name, locations, serial numbers of items stolen, current status of investigations, name and address of the thieves or the recipient of the stolen goods, etc., should not be posted on a public board like this. Almost any Google search for anything Ovation-related inevitably results in OFC links on the first page of search results.
Why provide any information that might alert any thief with just enough intelligence to use the internet? I know this is a unique situation, since the victim has had direct contact with the store, but posting that info might cause the guitar to "disappear" before the police can catch the guy red-handed selling merchandise he knows is hot.
We've recently seen that posting information here about a stolen guitar can sometimes successfully help locate the whereabouts of the item, but if you already know where it is, why alert the thieves?
And to those of us who know the OP and can offer help, suggestions or intimidation. ;) I suggest that further discussion be taken to PM, email, phone calls or any less public communication.
And BTW, to the "victim": You know how to reach me. ;) |
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Location: Texas | standing +1 |
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Location: Flahdaw | True enough, but the original post was FROM the victim with a link to the supposed thief or recipient of the supposed stolen goods, with further posts that included the name of who sold it to them and who was gonna go looking for it.
This is a weird thread from the word go. The whole thing should have been handled discretely, but since it wasn't...oh well. |
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Posts: 4413
| Originally posted by MusicMishka:
It's a 1980 1158-1 and the serial number is on the inside...
There is a lot more to this mess: stay tuned...Don't assume anything...It's being taken care of...
Just saying: His description of the guitar is spot on and there are interesting pictures as well...
Nuff Said!
Toast! So what happened? |
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Location: Flahdaw | Toast! (whole wheat) |
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Location: 6 String Ranch | I prefer garlic toast..... |
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| Originally posted by alpep:
...I don't get why this is taking so long and why there is so much drama Yeah really; sounds like there's something else going on. |
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Location: Right now? | True enough, but the original post was FROM the victim with a link to the supposed thief or recipient of the supposed stolen goods, with further posts that included the name of who sold it to them and who was gonna go looking for it.
Um, Darkbar. What do you mean "supposed recipient"?
The owner of the store had SEVEN of my guitars and several of my autoharps, all of which I had cataloged at home on my computer with photos, S/N, sellers' names, etc. In addition, I found several of my guitars in his 'sold' history on Ebay after the fact. There is no supposition here.
Of course the police have been informed. The police are the ones who told ME who had them and how he came by them. And I never wrote who he got them from, so if you know of a different post, do tell.
As for discretion, I posted the topic so that my fellow guitar players and friends here on the OFC, some of whom know what guitars I own, could be warned about buying from the guy, unless you want to be hunted down and made to return my stolen property. Geez.
Drama? Yeah. I think so.
Willa |
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Location: Latitude 39.56819, Longitude -105.080066 | So Willa, with all the info you had (proof in the computer) what are the police doing about this?
Seems pretty clear that the guy is fencing stolen goods. |
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Location: Flahdaw | Originally posted by WillaMuse:
Um, Darkbar. What do you mean "supposed recipient"?
And I never wrote who he got them from, so if you know of a different post, do tell.
Willa "Supposed" because until he's been arrested, all he is is an alleged (or supposed) recipient or thief.
And I wasn't referring to who HE got the guitar from, I was referring to who YOU got the guitar from. You said you bought it from Mike Ward, and standing posted that we shouldn't be posting real names. |
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | Well, with everything said by now, I just hope you get your instruments back, and whoever is responsible be brought to justice. |
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Location: Flahdaw | Agreed! |
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Location: Texas | Well, with everything said by now, I just hope you get your instruments back, and whoever is responsible be brought to justice. Or justice brought to them. |
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Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | Keep me posted Willa. You know how to contact me if you need to.
Hoping for the best! :) |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | ebay was contacted; they put a hold on the auction to "check the authenticity of the instrument"...the police acted, the auction was stopped...as to the rest, I don't know: speculate away... |
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Posts: 823
Location: sitting at my computer | Originally posted by MusicMishka:
speculate away... okay...
1- Willa will EVENTUALLY get ALL of her Os & As back
2- The guilty culprits will receive the MAXIMUM penalties allowed by law
3- PEACE and ORDER will be restored to the world. (well, at least the OFC world)
... but then, I tend to be an optimistic SOB |
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December 2001
Posts: 7225
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | Kinda closing the door after the horses are out.. but apparently standing's subtle suggestions didn't work...
in other words.. nosey nellies... yeah you.. S T F U
topic closed. |
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STOLEN