Featured My consigned items were stolen in consignment store

It is not broken; it was disassembled, which took some time, and, as komokwa said:

unless the screwdriver was one kept around by the store & known to the perpetrator.

Does this mean you had not checked in yourself during that time?

Unless the item was one of a kind, it should be possible to establish an approximate value to the satisfaction of law authorities. Guidelines vary by jurisdiction, but sounds like it would qualify as grand larceny. I certainly wouldn't leave it to store owner to file a police report; if they're not on the hook for the money, they have no incentive to do so & to do so accurately.

Who keeps the key to the case? Was the door just leaning there? Or had some attempt been made to replace it? My suspicious mind is wandering to scenes of the door being removed to hide the fact that valuables were not taken by force. It has a very bad smell.

 

glad you said this Bronwen, I was thinking the same thing.

 

I'd definitely be wondering.

 

I am in Oz so all probably quite different but I do have a stall in a mall [or centre as we call them here] and vendors are responsible for their own goods although there is insurance for fire I guess and cameras and some patrols or whatever. But it is amazing what gets taken. Not so long ago, someone walked in, picked up an anvil
[a big one] and walked out with it. All on camera.

 

Most of the comments seem to be based on US law and practice.

In some countries both law and practice are wildly different. Are you in a country where the police can be bought for a reasonable price, or where small claims may involve kneecaps and iron bars? Just where was this? The insurance figure sounds insane, was the $ symbol for some non-US currency like Korean Won?

 

Yes, and maybe the coin value also?

 

The number of items that go missing astounds me. I can see how certain small things seems to just wisk themselves into someone's pocket; it's the larger items that truly baffle me. For instance, while my parents were IN their antique shop, someone walked out, and made away with, a PAIR of those tall blue and white Asian jars (like over 4 feet). ??????!!!!!!!!!

 

Last year @Asian Fever mentioned that she had just moved to Texas, in the U.S. I'm not sure whether she is still there or not.

 

Thank you for posting a Bill Reid. I saw it at Vancouver airport.

 

I saw him....on Granville Island !

& see him every day..in an original Sam Tata photo behind my screen..

 

I know, you told me before, you lucky guy.

 

I just sold the bracelet I was wearing when I saw him.....that he handled...to a client I'd not seen, in over 25 years ! funny how life is !

 

At the local antique malls around my area they pay many of their employees slightly above minimum wage. Financial desperation and the keys to a display case with expensive easily fenced items is not a recipe for success. I wonder how often "shrinkage" AKA theft by employees happens in these situations.

 

Also remember that if you file a claim, it will most likely be settled at Actual Cash Value (ACV) or market value, NOT replacement cost ($5500).

 

If you have photos of what was stolen, consider listing said item(s) on http://www.artloss.com/ --- sometimes art and antiques, etc., are stolen by people who want to keep them, but more often then not, people who steal want to turn around and sell; that's when this website comes in handy. No assurance that you may recover your lost item(s) but worth giving it a shot? Good luck.

 

This thread is from 2019.