Stolen Instruments

[simonking]

Anyone else seen this? Looks like more accordions have been stolen from the shop in Sunningdale, Berkshire (UK) today:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-38919379

 

[AccordionAnnie]

Such a shame for a good honest guy trying to run a business.

 

[Deleted member 48]

3 times in six months?
There are very good and cheap tracking anti theft devices in shops for music instruments, cars, bikes...

Bit strange this shop is targeted so often.

Hope it's not insurance fraud setup... Happens more and more in shops and businesses.

Read 2 articles about French accordionist and 800 wine bottles insurance fraud in 2015.

 

[Glenn]

How do thieves sell such items? It's not the sort of thing you see a guy down the pub trying to flog from the back of his Ford Mondeo. I imagine there must be a shop which takes them and sells them on. Just sourcing all the cases will be a puzzle (and maybe a tip for the police as ordering 40 cases on Amazon is quite unusual ).

 

[losthobos]

This sadly is not an insurance fraud jobby... i now Chris well and he's genuine as can be.... feel sorry as may eventually trash his buisness...
seeing him tomorrow hopefully at Eastbourne Accordion Festival unless his heart has been totally crushed
My best wishes to a decent family.... just saying..

 

[Corsaire]

I was sorry to read about this - it's where I bought my Excelsior 96 bass. Very nice, helpful folk ....
3 times in 6 months does seem a lot - I wonder what sort of security they put in after the first burglary.
The thieves may already have a market for the instruments and they are stolen to order - possibly even taken or sold abroad.

 

[debra]

Very sad that this happens. Nowadays there are so many on-line marketplaces (besides ebay and craigslist) and on-line auction houses that it is all too easy for thieves to sell these accordions, and as long as they dont try to do it too quickly there is little chance they will get caught unless it is with very rare and easy to spot instruments that law enforcement (also looking at auctions and marketplaces) can find. Stealing an instrument like the Cooperativa in the picture on the bbc site is a really bad idea. Too easy to spot because of the colors (unless they first paint it black).
I know a music store where two guys in a van pulled up and asked whether the store could be interested in a selection of saxophones. They gave some more or less reason how they got these instruments and why they were trying to sell them. The store owner (a woman) said she wanted to briefly discuss this over the phone with her husband. So she called him and needed to say only a few words for him to understand whats going on and whether he should come with a bus. The husband was a policeman...

 

[Deleted member 48]

I am confident the police will find the thieves in a short period.
Suggestion for accordion owners: lots of places inside big accordions to hide cheap tracking devices that can not be removed without doing damage to the accordion, or do can be removed (less safety)

Modern shops use DNA sprays etc etc

Sad case, but stupid thieves if they think they can get away with this.

The fraud was about the French case, condemned to 4 months in 2016. The internet never forgets...
Selling 800 top wine bottles to a top restaurant, and after that reporting them stolen for the insurance .... Bad idea in the internet age...

 

[Stephen Hawkins]

A few weeks ago, I spoke to Pete at the Rochdale branch of The Accordion Shop.

It appears that the Port Talbot connection concerns some Eastern European immigrants, and it is now suspected that these stolen accordions have been (or will be) transported to that part of the world.

The Police, it appears, do not (yet) have sufficient evidence to prosecute, though they believe they know the identity of the perpetrators of this crime.

It is highly unlikely that this property will be sold in the UK, though everyone should keep an eye out for top quality accordions being sold at knock down prices.

The stock was insured, but we all know that insurance company's will try to get away with paying out only a fraction of the true value.