What's In A Thief

[SHEreefer]

I'm going to get bashed for this, I just know it.

About the "Fish Shop Break In's"

I cannot help but to think that our "Fish Shop Thief" is a regular to both stores and an aquaintance to both store owners. Maybe even a regular to this site. I believe it had to be someone who knew when both owners were not going to be around and also knew what was in both shops. Out of all the business's in Tucson that bring in more revinue, why pick a small business. Because the "Thief" is into reef keeping and knew he would get away with it. How did he know that? Because he was a regular to the shop and scoped it out.

I was under the impression that both stores had camera's. So, if there were camera's in both stores, how did the thief know they would not be working that night or at all? Were the camera's used only as a scare tactic?

Another thing that baffles me is the time it took to do this. Removing corals from a tank is a time consuming job. Everyone knows how certain corals sting eachother and how fragile they can be. Anytime you go into to a shop to purchase multilple corals, they are taken out of the tank and put into separate bags. The same goes with fish. Corals are not cheap and to many of us they are precious. We all know what mishandling of corals will cost us. So I don't understand why some one would take the chance of getting caught breaking into a shop just to rush and mishandle the corals. What would that gain the thief. Either the thief is taking the corals to sell or stock his/her tank with, so he/she should know the importance of handing. If the corals were snatched and put into the same bag, the thief risks the chance of stealing these corals for nothing. So I suppose the thief wasn't stupid and took his/her time to remove these corals. Which means he/she had to be there for a good amount of time. And no one saw anything?

Could this have been a vendetta against these shop owners? The whole situation is mind boggling.

 

[owsi]

And what do you do with the corals? Sell them to other thieves? Because the buyer should know or suspect they are stolen. Put them in your tank? I like showing off my tank, but what if someone recognizes the corals. I think there are a lot better things to steal out there for the risk of rooming with Bub-Bah.

 

[SHEreefer]

Sorry, I didn't get to finish, something came up....

I find it hard to believe that the "fish Shop Thief" would take a chance at hitting another fish shop. The first I can understand. But the second is what eats me. With everyone out there who knew about the first and looking out for other shops, how risky it was to hit the second one. AND... there was rumor of maybe having a lead right? So why would the "thief" risk getting caught on the second shop. Unless it was two different thieves or the second break-in was a ploy to deter the finger pointing. Can some one explain that one?

 

[SHEreefer]

Exactly OWSI. Why risk stealing something if you can't sell it or show it off without the finger pointing at you?

 

[owsi]

Interesting point about a regular customer, how would they know when to hit?

 

[SHEreefer]

By obtaining info from the owners. In a sly way maybe?

 

[Sk8r]

This happened in another city I lived in. The culprit was a frequent customer, I hate to say, who was also a flaming idiot, and his system was so bad and so jammed it killed a lot of the livestock he stole. Remember that rule about moving in livestock slowly?

 

[phlipper84]

How ridiculous are you being? Wasn't Zach's store broken into multiple times? Zach now closed means, pick a new target. Also, if you are stealing corals, why bother putting them in bags? 5 gallon buckets are fast and easy, you could even bring in your own water if you so choose. Also, I think you are being too limited in your thinking. I have been in all 3 stores on occasion, and when have you seen, ok pardon this generalization, a multiple of visitors from the south-side. Has anyone ever been to a reefers tank on the south-side? Do you honestly think that there are none? Half the people on here do as much shopping on-line as in the LFS. Are we the only ones who buy on-line? And what about Nogales? No reefers there? I do know there are no fish stores and I believe there is a lot of money North and South of the border.
Anyway that is just a few of the issues that I can think of. What you are saying about the fish store owners is almost slanderous. Without more knowledge, how can you be certain of anything?

 

[phlipper84]

And also, now that I go back to this, who here has had a business, home or car broken into? I have had 2 out of 3, and the only one that was found was the car. And perhaps the reason it was found is that anything shiny or fabicy was missing. My business was broken into, with a central alarm system that called the police directly. The police filed a report, and I could have had the place blown-up with finger-printing powder, but, The business sees roughly 30-40 people per-day. How many fingerprints is that. Even if you were a cleaning machine, you would not erase everything.
Tucson is supposedly the number one car-theft place on earth. Don't you think the police are watching for people stealing cars? I guess nobody has alarms on their cars. Unless your husband is a policeman/detective or a reporter who is giving you inside knowledge, I think I would refrain from placing accusation theories. I have tried to get to Hector's a few times in the past week. One time he was having the glass replaced the other time his shelves were empty of product. He has told me that he has had to close a few times during the week because he has had to run around and replace and repair things. As a business-man, any time I am closed out of the ordinary, I have customers angry. In a retail establishment I usually need the product and go someplace else for the merchandise. You have your live merchandise disappear, doesn't it take a few days and a bunch of immediate cash to replace? I have a claim going in my house. It started a week-and-a-half ago, and while they may replace things, it will take time to get reimbursed for anything soft that was ruined, or any repairs that were conducted out of my pocket. Under your theory, I may have flooded my house on purpose for the express reason of having things replaced that were replaced 9 months ago for a similar flood. In the meantime, my insurance rates went up over the past 9 months and I am sure they will go up again as they are replacing 3 rooms of pergo, 70 percent of the trim molding and damaged drywall and kickplates, or whatever they are called under cabinets. Oh, and don't forget the furniture that needs to be refinished from water damage for the second time and all the oak trim pieces on the bottom of the tank, not to mention sanding where the water got behind the trim. Yeah, I am screwing the insurance company again for the thrill of living in a broken house that only recently saw the 10 industrial fans get removed.

 

[SWSaltwater]

Ok I was called by a store in town that deals in saltwater, birds, herps, etc. They were contacted by someone around the time of my break in looking to sell coral. I think they were also contacted by that person recently. I think this person is retarded but fortunately for him our very own TPD can care less to catch this person. BTW, insurance finds ways to depreciate claims, so I was fairly surprised to recover a portion of my loss. I am surprised it did not put me out of business costing me my home and livelyhood. I still think part of the motive was to put me out of the market as well as get some rare and expensive corals. I can assure you the person who laid their hands on my property will regret it when I meet them face to face.

 

[owsi]

You need to have them set up a buy so at least someone gets a face to face and finds out for sure they have your corals. It seems the dirt bag is not on here, since he don't seem shy about local business, if he's the one.

 

[SHEreefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7368347#post7368347 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SWSaltwater
Ok I still think part of the motive was to put me out of the market as well as get some rare and expensive corals. I can assure you the person who laid their hands on my property will regret it when I meet them face to face.

I totally agree with you and hope your "face to face" happens sooner than later !

 

[SWSaltwater]

The dirtbag has been identified and TPD is dragging their feet to get him in cuffs.

 

[superman1013]

Nice... Atleast the thief has been ID'ed... TPD just need to hurry the heck up and get him...

 

[SHEreefer]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=7419924#post7419924 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by SWSaltwater
The dirtbag has been identified and TPD is dragging their feet to get him in cuffs.

It's about time ! Hopefully they don't take as long getting him to his new home !

 

[fishaholicWife]

SWSaltwater,

Do you know if it was the same person who broke into both stores?

 

[SWSaltwater]

I assume it is and I hope there are not more then one coral theif in town. If tere is, it is likely no one will be in business long.

 

[phlipper84]

Sounds like it is the same method whether it is you, Hector or Zach when he was in business.

 

[pop-i]

I've been watching both of my friends shops being broken into and i think that it is bunk. the culprits need to be castrated. to heck with who ever the culprits are we need a witch to burn. when someone steals from our LFS he steals from us. lets find the SOB and take care of him ourselves. I don't know if the oncept of the LFS robber is common but it ****es me off that it is happening in my home town (Tucson). Hector i love you and zach; sorry you guys got fouled.