WATCH YOUR BUILDS

[evilone]

I thought i would give you guys a heads up on shows and desplaying your builds at them.Today was the 2nd pegasus hobbies show they put togeather.It was a great show i learned a little from everyone that went.Until it was time to pack up. There were individuals there that had other ententions other thens showing what the brought.These individuals decided they liked a few builds and wanted them for their collections.They stayed behind and tried not only to steal my catilina but my good friends 61 impala. Unluckly for them i was packing up my builds as they picked up my catilina and tried to walk out.The MCBA guys took care of my friends impala so these shady individuals left empty handed. If these individuals are reading this i'll see you at the san diego show as well as victorville and trust me there will be no escape.

PS these are he same people responsible for taking the airbrush at the san diego show last year.

[Blake Rogers]

wow people stealing other people models that's low man whats next?? some one stealing paint brush's????

[impcon]

that is indeed a sad testimony as to the state that our society is in. I truly fail to understand stealing - taking things that someone else has worked hard for - I just don't get it. I am glad to hear that they didn't get away with anything and hopefully, they'll get what they deserve at some point in the near future. The biggest part of that problem is that there are those who feel sorry for people like that and they will come up with all kinds of excuses why the person is a thief. I have had things stolen and it hurts.. and no one can justify theft IMHO - NO ONE! SOrry.. I feel a rant coming on.. best to shut up before I get sent to the corner. Thanks for the post..

[Jared Roach]

Yep, I've heard it happening too many times. That's why I don't show my models at shows, afriad something like this will happen.

There's some sad people out there, stealing models is just another thing you can take and either keep or sell for some cash.

[puddingwrestler]

Wait a minute - if these people are known model show stuff thieves (as evinced by thier apparent theft of an air brush at San Diego last year), why have they not been barred from entering the very building in which a model show is happening?

[crazyjim]

Don't you have cell phones on the left coast? Call the cops on those bandits!!!

[highway]

It's sad that it sounds like I'd have to start hiring armed guards to protect my builds if I ever start attending shows again.

[Scale-Master]

Why not offer up the identities of these individuals? I for one would like to know who to watch out for at my show in So. Cal. this September.

Edited June 28, 2010 by Scale-Master

[Terror]

Nothin a good shoe in the baggy pants won't fix.Kind of a complement if ya think about it,evilone.You meen to tell me you didn't toss it to them like Mean Joe Green in the commercial?lol,kids....

[LUKE'57]

wow people stealing other people models that's low man whats next?? some one stealing paint brush's????

Unfortunately, that's not as funny as you thought. Way back when I was just starting out building the local dirt track car models three kids came by my table at the track to talk and ask questions about how I did the cars. I told them to come by the house and I would show them how to do it and to cut down the brushes to hand letter them.

The came by on Saturday afternoon while I was getting some cars done for the race that night and stayed an hour or so asking questions and watching. They left and I packed up the cars to head to the track. The next day when I got ready to start on the new orders I couldn't find my three best custom cut brushes.

I cut a new one and got started trying to "train" it so I could get some lettering done when I heard a knock on the door. It was one of the same guys that had come by the day before wanting to talk and watch again. I figured I had just misplaced the brushes so I let him in and he stayed for a while and then left. When I got ready to start back on the model, you guessed it, no brush! I thought now what a set on those guys, expecially the one that came back again.

It turned out I didn't know anything yet. Those same three jerks showed up at "my" track the next Saturday with their "custom painted" stock cars for sale in the pits. Unfortunately for them, I had told most of the racers what had happened. But the cold reception they got for their models was only in part because of them not being the same quality I usually brought.

As they started to see some hostility brewing on the part of my racer friends that knew the story, they decided that the pits of a local dirt track wasn't a good location for their businees. In fact, since I never saw them down there again, they must have completly abandoned their plans for a racing car model production business.

Glad you got your stuff back.

[Guest Johnny]

About 20years ago a WalMart in Marion IL. had a contest. Had to be a new kit bought there and verified by them as such.

I hadn't entered a contest since Jr High so I thought what the heck! Bought and built a 61 Ranchero did T-Tops cleaned the body up radiused the well for the slicks British Racing green made a cool little car for a 7 day build.

Didn't win but didn't care. It was fun just to enter and see the other entries on display and talk to the kids that were asking how different things were done!

12 year old kid built a Chevelle that blew all the entries away as far as talent! He won. They kept them on display for a week and told the owners they could claim their Trophies and ribbons and their models on Saturday.

Well I went in to get mine and there was the winner at the service desk literally in tears. It seems while they were strict on verifying your entry was bought there they didn't bother to verify that the person claiming the models were the actual owners!(video showed 4 adult males picked up alll 11 one at a time over a 5 hour period and no one noticed!)

Someone else had claimed his model and trophy even though his picture was on the wall as the winner!!! 11 models including mine had been stolen because they failed to verify who they belonged to!

When asked what they were going to do they said it was on the rules sheet that they were not responsible for damage or loss!

At least the sporting goods store that furnished the trophies stepped up and remade the ones that were stolen and gave them to the right people!

[jeffb]

years ago i had my three best builds on display in the local hobby shop. stopped by one day and the owner told me that somebody had stole several models out of his display case. he said" cant imagine how they got em. i keep that case locked" i was standing next to said case. i reached over and slid the door open. he had put the lock on the wrong side of the door. had to have been kids that took em, they left several body panels to one car behind. i imagine they tossed the cars out into traffic, if they had cared about the cars they would have taken everything.

[Bruno]

Stealing model cars?!

[scummy]

It's happened here in oz too , just gota be keeping an eye out on who's doin what .

[Pete J.]

Why not offer up the identities of these individuals? I for one would like to know who to watch out for at my show in So. Cal. this September.

I concur! Lets get names and faces on the web and ban these thieves from every model show we can. They need to learn that thieves are not welcome!

[Ben]

It really makes you wonder what type of person could live with themselves for not only stealing someones hard work but probably taking credit for the builds and trophy's. Pretty pathetic!

[Jon Cole]

This is discouraging info. Sleazy people everywhere. In spite of that, I would still enter a contest or an NNL. But, NOT one at a hobby shop, for the reasons listed above. One overnight b&e, and the model is gone. No thanks. Full disclosure- I did once enter a hobby shop contest, but I was friends with the owner and his one employee (they didn't do the judging), and they had an alarm, coupled with the fact that crime is relatively low around here.

[CAL]

Yeah, I had a model stolen from a LHS display case. It sucks especailly when they say sorry, but didn't even offer to replace the kit or anything.

[MrObsessive]

Sounds like what they need is a gold old fashioned "Blanket Party"!

Those of you who served in the military know EXACTLY what that is! Believe me, that will cure the theft proclivity they have for good!

[modelhut]

I know this is probably going to sound stupid, but I will offer to do security for a model contest/show here in Reno, Nevada. After living in California for 45 years, I moved to Nevada almost 2 years ago, and I am thrilled. Here in Nevada, like a few other states, a person can carry a pistol just about anywhere, as long as it is visible. For $78, you can attend a training class, and get a concealed-carry permit.

I think it would be quite a shock, to be confronted and held for police, by a modeller that stands for what is right. It would the first and last time that someone pulls that ###### around here. I know, I know, not really politically correct, but that's what happens when you stand-up for what is right.

I must still have my head in the sand, to be shocked that a body would steal a model or models.......

Rod

[torinobradley]

I know this is probably going to sound stupid, but I will offer to do security for a model contest/show here in Reno, Nevada. After living in California for 45 years, I moved to Nevada almost 2 years ago, and I am thrilled. Here in Nevada, like a few other states, a person can carry a pistol just about anywhere, as long as it is visible. For $78, you can attend a training class, and get a concealed-carry permit.

I think it would be quite a shock, to be confronted and held for police, by a modeller that stands for what is right. It would the first and last time that someone pulls that ###### around here. I know, I know, not really politically correct, but that's what happens when you stand-up for what is right.

I must still have my head in the sand, to be shocked that a body would steal a model or models.......

Rod

This is part of the conversation with a police officer I had a few years ago when someone stole my trucks radio:

Officer: "Did you see them (lowlife jerk that took my radio)?"

Me: "Do you see a body?"

The officer laughed and said he thinks the same way...

I haven't had any models go missing since I was in my early teens but I have had other items taken like the usual cameras, phones, media, etc... Though I did loose a ceramic sculpture a few years ago. Kinda flattering when I think about it. Out of the hundreds of completed projects from the class, they chose one of mine and one other to take. Still upsets me though.

I try to keep a close eye on my models at the show and with that, it's hard to concentrate on shopping and chatting with old and new friends. Let's face it, even though most of us modelers have a high level of integrity and huge sense of right and wrong, there are those around us that don't share our ethics. Some of us are more violent and hands on than others when dealing with them but hey, sometimes that's what is needed... Don't we all have a bit of pent-up aggression to let out on some bad apple???

[Scale-Master]

I still think if you know who did it, you should provide that info as a community service. If you don’t want to make it public, send a PM, please respond either way for the sake of the modeling society.

It makes security a lot easier when you know who to watch for…

[Nick Notarangelo]

OK everyone please look up the term " Keelhaul" I think that would be good enough.

honestly if your one of the ones stealing someones hard work,just because you cant take the time or have the skills to do the same then please don't bother to show up at the shows and do this let the people who worked hard to show off there goods,weather good or bad,enjoy there day.

Nuff said.

[charlie8575]

OK everyone please look up the term " Keelhaul" I think that would be good enough.

Spoken like a true Newporter!

We've had attempted (and, unfortunately, a couple of successful) pilferages from Classic Plastic and MassCar over the years. It's very upsetting when it happens, and when it does, and we know who did it, they're banned from shows, and if it's serious enough, I believe the police have been called once or twice.

Very, very upsetting when I see this.

Charlie Larkin

[Joe Handley]

Why not offer up the identities of these individuals? I for one would like to know who to watch out for at my show in So. Cal. this September.

Might have to be careful doing that, the local drug store (West Chicago Jewell/Osco for Harry P. and CrazyJim ) I worked at back in HS would put the pics of people who had been caught stealing on a cork board in the break room so we would know who to look out for. We actually had to stop doing that because out break room and the bathrooms on that side of the store were in the same area and there was some concern that the store could get sued for Defamation of Character or some nonsense like that if someone wandered into the "break room" area while back there to use the facilities and saw those pics (primarily a family member or said thief)

Now if one were know to have pics of said scum, and various event holders knew of such pics and were to request them via PM, e-mail, or even snail mail and show them to the people working the show but not putting them out for all to see...............................