High octane Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I got fed up with cars at one time, all cars, car shows, drag races, model cars, etc. I sold all my kits, most all my built ups, my tools, and parts. I followed drag boat racing and unlimited hydroplane racing for awhile and even got into R/C boating also. Well after 7 or 8 years it was back to cars and now that's for LIFE. So if you can pack up your stuff for awhile and put it aside, do it and you'll be happy you did. I wish I would have. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Johnny Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Not at all my wife supports it. I was our apt manager as no forced entry was evident Lost over 150 You have proof of that? If not I would not be posting such on an open forum! Could it have been a former tenant with a key? Seen that happen with my grandma's rentals when I managed them! Sterted changing locks after a tenant moved out. Still not a reason to quit though! I had several boxes of my finished models along with a few sealed 60's kits stolen. Including many of my first builds as a kid! Lost others and a 1:1 63 Corvette to a fire. It didn't stop me from building though! Just things that happen in life that you have to man up and deal with. Think it over before throwing in the towel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Cranky Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Christian, that's a wonderful and generous move on your part, but it's true. I will be more than happy to send you a couple of kits, Rick, to keep you going, and to prove to whoever stole your kits you ain't giving up so easily. Let me know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve7119 Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I too would be happy to help out. Just give me an idea of what you want and I will send it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rob McKee Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I would be happy to send a kit or two to you as well. I still would go to the police with this. They would investigate if they feel there is enough. Maybe this guy is doing this to others in the building as well. A lawyer can't charge this guy, only the police can do that. Don't let this goof get away with it! Let me know about the kits. Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dougp Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I'm too sorry about your loss. I hope you don't give up on your building. Also unless you have some reason to believe it was your manager (other than no forced entry) it may have been someone with a bump key. How to make and use them is on the internet and we had the same problem in our area last year. The burglar can enter your home without forcing entry by easily unlocking your door with a bump key. The only way to beat them is by installing a bump proof deadbolt. Good luck... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Danno Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Rick, He stole your things ... and you can't do anything about that now. Just don't let him steal your hobby from you! You have control over that. PS: Just one word ~ POLICE. Call them; report it; even if they don't have enough right now, you never know when something new will develop (informant, other similar cases, pawn shop, who?knows) but you've got to have a record on file of your loss ... got to!! They might find your property somewhere down the line and the only way they can connect you to your property is through a report already on file. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crazyjim Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 I think you should report to your insurance company. They should cover the loss, shouldn't they? They would probably want a police report for their records - so call the cops! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikemodeler Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Not having the whole story, I agree that at the very least I would file a police report. If you have renter's insurance, you may be able to file a claim, provided you can show what was taken. If there was no coverage for the kits, then you probably are out of luck. If in fact it was the property manager who removed the kits, maybe the police checking around and doing some investigating will prompt him to 'fess up or return the kits if they haven't been disposed of. Either way, a police report may bring some comfort to you if it gets the property manager to change his ways. I know you have had a rough time of it Rick and life seems to kick us when we are down, but don't let this keep you from building models. If you can keep us updated how this turns out, I am sure the forum will help you get back to the hobby when you are ready. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranma Posted February 16, 2012 Author Share Posted February 16, 2012 I know what that is like. Don't do a bloody thing about it, it'll only errr... what's the fancy word for it? errr... frustrate you. Let me know which currently available kit you would like to build and if I have it, I send it to you free of charge. pm sent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranma Posted February 16, 2012 Author Share Posted February 16, 2012 I too would be happy to help out. Just give me an idea of what you want and I will send it! pm sent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranma Posted February 16, 2012 Author Share Posted February 16, 2012 i have a question here with this, where were the kits being stored? were they in your apartment or some other area? pm sent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranma Posted February 16, 2012 Author Share Posted February 16, 2012 Not having the whole story, I agree that at the very least I would file a police report. If you have renter's insurance, you may be able to file a claim, provided you can show what was taken. If there was no coverage for the kits, then you probably are out of luck. If in fact it was the property manager who removed the kits, maybe the police checking around and doing some investigating will prompt him to 'fess up or return the kits if they haven't been disposed of. Either way, a police report may bring some comfort to you if it gets the property manager to change his ways. I know you have had a rough time of it Rick and life seems to kick us when we are down, but don't let this keep you from building models. If you can keep us updated how this turns out, I am sure the forum will help you get back to the hobby when you are ready. pm sent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lordairgtar Posted February 16, 2012 Share Posted February 16, 2012 Hang in there, ranma. Lots of good people on this forum who have your back and are willing to help if they can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranma Posted February 17, 2012 Author Share Posted February 17, 2012 Hang in there, ranma. Lots of good people on this forum who have your back and are willing to help if they can. Thank you all for your kind words and support.My wife and I talked about it alot this week. I decided that like the phonix I to will come out of the ashes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nitro Neil Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Rick, No one else mentioned it so I will - a theft like that is also something you can claim as a loss on your taxes for the year in which the theft occurred. 150 kits, even at the low end of $10 per kit is $1500 you can claim, and double that is probably more like it. You may also have a valid insurance claim if you have renters insurance. Both of these things will require a police report. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve7119 Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Since I am the police, I will echo the suggestions of the others. Talk to your local PD. Without the details, I can't be speific, but If the kits were stolen because someone thought they could make a buck and have been or are trying to sell them, the police have some options. Most states have some kind of law requiring pawn shops and second hand shops that would buy/sell to keep records of what they purchased and ID from where they bought it. Illinois created a new law last year making it specifically illegal to use the internet to sell stolen goods. Police have options to try to locate the kits and ID the sellers. With the value of 150 kits, it would likely be a felony theft charge at the least. Different states call it different things but I would think that a burglary or residential burglary would fit too. They will do everything they can. If the kits got disposed of as trash, there are still few options. Less likely to be able to recover the property, but still possible to ID a suspect. either way If they can gather enough evidence to get someone into court on charges, resitution could be part of sentencing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Cole Posted February 17, 2012 Share Posted February 17, 2012 Would be interested to know, since you brought it up, are you, or are you not going to report this to the police? I believe in being 100% pro-active. You get ripped off... you report it. That reaction should come automatic. I would help you with a few kits, but only if you are willing to help yourself. Don't just take it... do something about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranma Posted February 18, 2012 Author Share Posted February 18, 2012 Would be interested to know, since you brought it up, are you, or are you not going to report this to the police? I believe in being 100% pro-active. You get ripped off... you report it. That reaction should come automatic. I would help you with a few kits, but only if you are willing to help yourself. Don't just take it... do something about it. A police report filed the same day it happend. my wifes dad was a deputy sheriff. also talked to a lawyer. I know have a disabled neigbor helping by watching our apt hes a great guy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranma Posted February 18, 2012 Author Share Posted February 18, 2012 Would be interested to know, since you brought it up, are you, or are you not going to report this to the police? I believe in being 100% pro-active. You get ripped off... you report it. That reaction should come automatic. I would help you with a few kits, but only if you are willing to help yourself. Don't just take it... do something about it. PM SENT Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMChladek Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 That many kits, if whomever did this tried to unload them at once, it is going to show up. At the very least it wouldn't be a bad idea to get in touch with shops in the Fort Wayne Indiana area and ask them to keep an eye out to see if anyone might be trying to unload a large grouping of car kits (saying they belonged to a relative who died recently). As small as your town seams to be, I don't think the person would be dumb enough to try and unload them there necessarily. But I don't live in your town either, so I don't know the local dynamics of it. Keep your head up. A bad incident doesn't have to kill your hobby. But, it is certainly not a bad idea to get the locks changed because if it happened once, it can happen again. And the apartment manager should at least owe you that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ranma Posted February 18, 2012 Author Share Posted February 18, 2012 That many kits, if whomever did this tried to unload them at once, it is going to show up. At the very least it wouldn't be a bad idea to get in touch with shops in the Fort Wayne Indiana area and ask them to keep an eye out to see if anyone might be trying to unload a large grouping of car kits (saying they belonged to a relative who died recently). As small as your town seams to be, I don't think the person would be dumb enough to try and unload them there necessarily. But I don't live in your town either, so I don't know the local dynamics of it. Keep your head up. A bad incident doesn't have to kill your hobby. But, it is certainly not a bad idea to get the locks changed because if it happened once, it can happen again. And the apartment manager should at least owe you that. have a old friend in Ft.Wayne checking places for them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sportandmiah Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 The person who stole your models knows you very well, and probably isn't going to sell them. Your suspect will be your friend,and will probably call you inquiring how the police investigation is going...but is really fishing for info. Or could be a friend that suddenly is absent and drops off the face of the earth. Regardless, models are a niche market. Everyday criminals are after three things right now: alloys, copper, and jewelry. Models aren't even a blip on their radar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Cranky Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Rick, No one else mentioned it so I will - a theft like that is also something you can claim as a loss on your taxes for the year in which the theft occurred. 150 kits, even at the low end of $10 per kit is $1500 you can claim, and double that is probably more like it. You may also have a valid insurance claim if you have renters insurance. Both of these things will require a police report. Rick, bless your hear, this is why this forum just RULES! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Cranky Posted February 18, 2012 Share Posted February 18, 2012 Dave, I don't know any more than what Rick has revealed to us. I think he mentioned that his manager or someone he knows in the complex where he lives broke in with his key and took all his kits. It's my understanding that Rick is living in a fairly tough place right now, and I hope he finds an answer to some of these questions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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