I can't believe it.

[Ace-Garageguy]

The Hobby Town near me always has several open, pilfered kits on the markdown table. They're usually expensive kits, like 1/24 scale aircraft, or the Renwal military repops like the "Atomic Cannon".

I don't have any idea HOW anyone could open this stuff in-store, but the last 1/24 aircraft kit I looked at there was missing the clear tree, the engine tree, and the decals.

[GaryR]

It's been 20 years since any Walmarts in the San Fernando Valley sold models. The boxes were always opened, just laying there.

I bought a Polar Lights FC when they came out, inside it was just sprue and paper towels. Somebody bought it, stole the kit, put shrink wrap on it and returned it. 

[youpey]

it makes no sense when you can contact the manufacturer and get replacement parts for free. i had bought the revell ramcharger and the body was toast. completely warped and crushed from bad shipping.

i contacted revell, and they just asked me to send them the proof of purchase. i sent it and in a few days they sent out a new body. i dont think i had to pay for anything except the stamp. 

i think they even said i only needed to send the proof of purchase because it was a body. if it was just a misc bit they wouldnt have bothered. 

[Jim N]

My wife was shopping at Wal Mart a few weeks ago and received quite an education from one of the employees.  My wife asked for help finding an item.  She walked through the aisles with the employee and there was an old shoe on the floor.  An aisle over was its match.  The employee said that a new pair of shoes walked out of the store.  The employee then said a common problem they are now dealing with is someone will cut the UPC code off of an inexpensive item and attach it to a higher dollar item and then pay through the self check line.  It is amazing the lengths some people with go to cheat or steal.

[thatz4u]

3 hours ago, OneTrickPony said:

I had a friend who worked at Hobby Lobby. He got me about a dozen kits that they were throwing out because someone had opened them. Several were complete but three low rider kits were missing the wire wheels and tiny tires.

I should have a friend like that !!!!

[martinfan5]

8 hours ago, espo said:

There is a fine line between being cheap and being thrifty. I know many here and elsewhere that are thrifty, but I don't think anyone here is cheap enough to steal .  

My post was NOT implying that, it sort of seems you may feel like it does.

[Tom Geiger]

Per Jonathan's assessment of people...

It doesn't stop at the store...  people in this hobby can suck the fun out of running a show.  Note that the Fort Knox tight security and rules at NNL East are because of the 50 ways people have tried to scam us.

+ Vendors who try to sneak in their entire club for free as "helpers"

+ People who try to sneak into the vendor rooms early.. one year we had a couple with a pregnant woman who needed to use the restroom badly.  Two minutes later we removed them from the vendor room.

+ One year someone stole two of our walkie talkies that were left unattended for a moment.

+ People have vandalized our equipment.  One year someone stood in our tent smoking and burnt a design in it with a cigarette.

+ One year a guy went into the vendor room, saw a vacant table and set up for business!  When the real vendor showed up, the guy we had running the vendor room thought we were a table short and set up another one.  Artificial vendor brags about scamming us in his club's newsletter. I'm on the club's mailing list. I contact artificial vendor who accuses me of spying on his club!   Banned.

+ At another show someone stole a stack of voting ballots off the registration table. The guy was not smart. The show would've had to give him every award at the show!  

and it goes on!   Folks do not realize or do not care that the $5 to $10 they scam a show out of may be the difference whether there is a show next year!

I will end by saying that 99% of the people who attend our show are great honest folks.  In fact, if you try to scam us you are very likely to be turned in by the 1000 sets of eyes looking out for us!  There was a shoplifter a few years ago who was nabbed by two show attendees. 

 

Edited October 13, 2018 by Tom Geiger