Has this ever happened to you?

Rob, why not start up a conversation and mention to the guy that the car is missing and see what..... and how he answers.

Or..... you could also  just ask him if he borrowed it to try on his layout and when will he be returning it.

The direct approach might get it back.

Norm

Boy that really stinks! Like the saying goes... NO good deed goes unpunished. Now if you had a surveilence camera running in the room then you would really have him. looks like he will not be invited back again. While not outright accusing him, I would point blank ask if he had seen your car and insist it was in that spot while you were repairing his train and see what he saysor his reaction. IT doesn't hurt at this point on your end.

I had a family member steal something at a train get together with family and friends. I know who did it  because 3 people saw it. When I confronted his parents (he was 16) and confronted him they both got all upset say that their son would never do something like that but when we  looked into his back pack  there it was, broken. Think he or his parents were ever invited back. BTW his parents said somebody else must of put it in their sons back pack. 

I had this happen to me not with trains but with r/c stuff.. Theres no win here if you call him out he will be a jerk and go to others saying crap..Just dont let him over anymore cause baby sitting someone so they dont take anything sucks...On a sad note Lionel told me last years open house some  where robbing them blind... I guess that explains the cops on site today...Sad world we live in...

call him and say you found something curious on the security tape and want to discuss it with him in person before you cantact the authorities. One of two things will happen, you'll get your car back, or you'll never hear from him again.  There is an old story about a guy who loaned a "friend" $20.00 and never saw the guy again, he says he guesses it was worth the money.

Regards,

Joe Geiser

call him and say you found something curious on the security tape and want to discuss it with him in person before you cantact the authorities. One of two things will happen, you'll get your car back, or you'll never hear from him again.

WOW! I like that approach! It's clever!

You seem to be taking this pretty mildly. He took advantage of your trust.  I would kick his ***!

Kicking his *** is always an option but it wouldn't be my first course of action.

The "security video" ploy might work to frighten the guy into returning the car. As for me I'd go over and confront him straight up. Maybe a good idea to consult your local PD first and see where you stand legally. We all feel violated when somebody steals from us, but you shouldn't resign yourself to being a victim when you can possibly recover your stuff.

I like the "security tape" idea.  Have an answer ready if he wants to see the tape though.  One problem with this is that you can't be absolutely sure unless you saw him do it or have other than circumstantial evidence.

When I was a kid, we had someone who came over and cleaned our house and brought her kid.  Something of mine disappeared and after searching high and low, I blamed the kid.  My mother confronted the woman who was extremely hurt and offended and quit.  The item turned up in a place that I hadn't looked.  I did apologize to the woman and her kid but it did not make up for the false accusation.  I was sure but I was wrong.  It was an extremely valuable (but expensive) lesson.

A few years ago we had a friend, his wife and kids over.  Shortly after that I noticed that a certain book was missing that has a great deal of significance to me.  Did one of the kids slip it in their backpack?  I don't know but unless I see the book at their house, I am not going to say anything.

Nothing like you guys but did have a neighbour in with his kid and after noticed a few little figures had gone and a while later noticed a diecast car.

I had invited them back before I noticed the missing items, he has not returned & I will not be inviting them or anyone else again.

James 

Years ago I attended a TCA show in Norristown, PA. The exhibitor next to me had some beautiful prewar std. ga. trains. During the show, a fellow TCA member (it was open only to club members) stole some original brass trim parts from his passenger cars. He - and I - were astonished someone could be so brazen.

Happened to me too.  It was just some cars and figures from a layout.  No direct proof but the items were not on the layout when they left and when I cleaned house.  Very hard to make an accusation without KNOWING.  Sad, ain't it?

I like the security tape idea best.  No actual accusation since you don't really know he took it, you are assuming.  I just visited someone's fantastic layout and collection and he did not know me from Adam, I appreciated his trust.  We had a great hour or so talking trains.  I cannot imagine someone taking something from someone who is actually doing you a favor!   Our society has really blurred right and wrong unfortunately.  

Yep...had it happen to me too.  Many years ago I invited a person to see my collection that I had known for many years through our  membership in the LCCA.  After this person left, I noticed one of my rare Lionel military cars looked different for some reason.  Upon closer inspection, the original missiles were gone.  No doubt they had been there with the car for years on display but now were gone!!  I never said a word but now I have security cameras.

Alan

The security tape idea is perfect---since we all think we are being "watched" all the time anyway.

He will know that you know.

Keep us posted

Joe S  

Yes!

Years ago my Wife and I had a rear yard sale and a small porcelain item was gone, worth about $20.00.

A young lady present saw an elderly, sweet woman pick it up and walk away, without paying for it.

The young lady was afraid to say anything, until the sweet lady left!

I believe, the young lady was not part of the theft.

You need to have eyes everywhere!

There are good people and there are unscrupulous people, who can live with themselves!

Thievery and dishonesty are just plain evil!!!!

RJL

Because I did not actually see him take the car I am hesitant to outright accuse him of theft. When I think about the whole deal I see that he was acting a bit funny after he put the car in his baggy pants. I showed my wife last night how easy it would be by sticking one just like it in my shorts pocket. We know for sure the car is missing. The man is a little bit strange, but I never thought he would steal from me. I wonder how many times this man has done this to others or at shows? He is somewhere around 55-60 years old. I just would have thought someone of that age would not be a thief.

Rob

I just would have thought someone of that age would not be a thief.

Rob

Unfortunately, you are thinking wrong! He has done this many times to others and your thinking process, chances are he knows he will get away with it. His fidgiting signs are his was of subconciously telling others to catch him. 

Since you have nothing to loose at this point, I would play the video camera idea and see what happens! being silent about it will just have him continue on what he is doing...being a Cleptomaniac!Good Luck!

WOW!  You really never know, do you?  The sad thing here is part of the fun of the hobby is sharing it with others, it's a shame to have someone screw that up!

I recently joined a modular club and we'll be doing public displays.  I'm rethinking what I'll bring to run during our shows, perhaps the best stuff will stay home and not run on the public outings.

Rob, you have my condolences for your loss of trust.  Here'e how I rationalize putting my "toys" at risk.

A good part of my pleasure in having my Run Room is sharing it with "kids" of all ages.  I've had damage from visitors handling and operating stuff and a few small things have come up missing.  (The treasures are out of reach.  All else can be repaired of replaced.)

Good experiences:

  The 10 year old boy who crawled under the table to check out the wiring to see what made it all work,  parents who shared photos of their kids playing with accessories with huge smiles on faces, the intense concentration of guests when operating trains and accessories, and the spectacular wrecks we've had while talking and not paying attention.

  And the best of all was at a train show where I had the double helix set up with the Lionel Refreshment Stand set up for audience activation.  A little girl about 4 years old picked up the ice cream cone, licked it, and put it back on its post.

Being a victim of theft in some ways is easier than being the theif.  I've had two occassions to have teenagers steal from my home... both involved drugs & the results have been more terrible for the parents & others close to them than I could have imagined.   While I hope it never happens again, I worry more about violence than stuff (seems like getting older has a way of influencing my prioritizing). 

During the past year I was set up next to a fellow at a train show who told me that he had the light bulbs stolen out of a pair of 022 controllers.

Years ago I did have a box of signals stolen from me during load-out at a train show.

I am extremely selective about who I will allow in my house.

It's time to sell when you become paranoid...hard to enjoy by yourself.  A local Collector(in his 90's) once told me he feared LOSS due to flood/fire more than theft...reasoning at least with theft, the trains are not lost to the hobby.  I know it's hard to think that way, but I always remembered his TAKE on things!!!  ME???...I was always taught not to touch anything that was not mine...guess that's not relevant anymore.

I think there is a good distance between being careful and being paranoid.

I'll agree that if one becomes obsessed about something happening to their trains, its time to think about finding a new hobby.

This thread helps me have more understanding of the fears that some have who choose not to share their layouts with others.  I think Susan nails the healthy approach though.  The true treasures are more insulated and are not out for public display but she still has the priceless enjoyment of sharing with others - especially children.

I agree Burf...the 400E sets on a TOP SHELF, and the barrel/coal cars are on the lower shelves...LOSS-LEADERS of a sort for the shifty types!!!

I have two old friends that used to do all the local shows dealing mainly in HO,N &OO and a little in G scale.

I joined them & we started doing it in O with a layout,Ted lost a NYC 2-8-0 loco which then led to them telling me stories of their early days and how many items mainly N used to go missing.

The shame of it all is it is the honest guys that pay as the their prices were raised to cover the thefts. 

James

I'd be really unhappy if one of my $800 Legacy locomotives went missing!

One just never knows. Back in the 1970s during a session a member of our informal 9 member community HO "club" took a set of mini screwdrivers and a set of jewelers files from my layout in my N.J. basement. I didn't see it or know about it until later when a member who saw him pocket the items told me. I let it pass.

However, later the same guy took a pair of long nose pliers from another member's train room pegboard who fortunately had his name engraved on the inside curve of the handles. Eventually the accusations, denials, fuss and cuss dissolved our group when a couple of the members defended him because the items "don't amount to much". Heck, he was Cashier of a State Bank and pretty well heeled for the times.

There is guy who lives near me who is notorious for this stuff. His sticky fingers are what Stan Valchek would call the last bad pirogi on the plate. Everybody sees it, everybody knows its there, nobody is happy about it and no one addresses it.

The local hobby shop guys follow him around the store - with some diplomacy - and since they've installed a security camera network, I'm sure they would love catching him on tape. When I first started hanging around with the guy a number of people warned me, and while I believed it could be true - could anyone really be that petty as to take what - some people? a vehicle? a detail part or a tool?

The local hobby shop guys mentioned to him that they were missing something, stopping short of accusing him, but I guess he figured since I had a good relationship with them, they would tell me they suspected him. So one day we're having lunch and he tells me a story about how he found some stuff at the bottom of a box of used tube track he bought at the store for $10 or $15.00 - had NO IDEA they were there. I more stated than asked "You took them back?"

Screw them - if they don't know what they have that's their problem. 

Point being, he went to a lot of trouble to try and tell me his side of a story that they suspected him of, and it's seems like an awful lot of work to go through just to steal some stuff.

Eventually I noticed some odds and ends that "were right there a minute ago" and figured it was a guy I thought was a friend.

Rob, It should be obvious that your's is not an isolated incident and unless we police our own ranks it will continue to get worse. I can understand your reluctance to use my ruse to get your car back,  you're afraid that the 1 in a thousand chance he didn't do it would cost  you a "friend". Truth is  you will never invite this guy to your home again, you won't want to socialize with  him and will treat him differently when you meet by accident, the damage is done and he caused it, not you.

     Another approach is to report it to the police and tell them of your suspicions and let them handle it. My LHS had  this done to them, a long time customer stole a caboose, same circumstance, no one saw him take it, no video, this happened twenty some years ago, but one minute it was there the next gone, no one else in the shop at the time. He called the police, they called the guy and he admitted it over the phone. The cops brought the guy to the store with the caboose and a few lead figures he had stolen previously.

     If you don't do something to end this I'm afraid this will become one of the longest running threads in OGR history, a sad testament to how prolific this problem is.

Good luck.

Regards,

Joe Geiser

I guess I am really surprised that someone who you had in your house to repair his engine would actually steal your dump car.  Anything is possible, but that seems highly unlikely.  I have had cars go missing for extended periods of time, but they always seem to show up at a later time exactly where I put them.

Earl

Joe, I would not really consider the guy as a friend, just someone I did  some work for. I thought about telling him I had it on security footage but what if he says "prove it"? I have not yet figured out what I am going to do. I have no doubt this guy has struck elsewhere before.

Earl,

I am SURE the car was taken. It is heavy and I rarely run it, and it had its own space on the shelf. I have not been working on it. I spent a few hours again today looking for it because I want to know for sure what happened to it.

Rob

hey rob! send me this guy's name!!! (e-mail) we have a lot of people that is interested in joining our club. i don't want those kind of members!!!!!..........roger

There is a guy in one of my local clubs (not trains) who's informal handle is "Klepto XXX." Everyone says that he takes stuff, but I have no proof.

One day he and a number of other guys from the club were visiting. After everyone left I noticed that a somewhat rare toy car was missing from the shelf. I felt bad about it, but did not have the evidence to accuse him, or anyone else. But I still felt bad about it.

Two years later, I found the car where it had fallen behind the book case and between it and the wall. Then I really felt bad, but was glad I had not said anything about it at the time.

I believe someone had light fingers at a club in our area. Some train items went missing one day...

I usually made a mark, only my mark on the rolling stock I would bring to run there and it proved very useful when inventorying and recovering the stock.

However, "Lightfingers"  will find it very difficult to hide the unique nature of the stock that is well known to many. It's been years and it has not shown up.

Need to keep your eyes open Folks, Society today is unfortunately different than the one we (Who is this "WE?") enjoyed.

thanks rob!!!!!!...................roger

that will work as long as the guy in question isn't reading these comments .-jim

It's a shame that you can't trust people. I don't have any train stories like this, but I did hear of a guy at a car show with a 57 Chevy. Well, he went to do something at the show, and when he came back someone had stolen some of the small trim off his car!

This is a good time to really consider how safe your layout is from theft. Does your layout have windows? How many people know about it? Do you have cameras? Do your display shelves have glass? Are your rarer items up high or not right at the edge of the layout?

I never gave it much thought, but my layout is fairly safe. My staging yard is in the back corner of the layout, the only shelves are behind my control panel/work area, which is in another corner. The most expensive stuff that would fit in a pocket within reach is probably hot wheels, which aren't worth much.