Real Thieves Loose at GenCon
- Thread starter Col_Pladoh
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shaylon
First Post
I always try to stay extra cautious in groups that size. Thieves are everywhere. Thankfully nothing has happened to me at GenCon. I am sorry to hear about your son and his loss. Jerks are everywhere it seems, and it is sad that even in a place that brings gamers great joy we must be cautious and wary.
It is nice to hear that you will be there next year, Mr. Gygax.
It is nice to hear that you will be there next year, Mr. Gygax.
kigmatzomat
Legend
One simple fact is that when you advertise an event, you sometimes attract predators. GenCon is an excellent target for thieves since you can steal an item and sell it at the same place with virtually no chance of being caught. CCGs are small, easily palmed (see "magic trick" above), fairly high value ($5-$50) and as untraceable as bearer bonds. Steal from the game room now, sell in the dealer room tomorrow.
It sucks but it happens.
It sucks but it happens.
RSKennan
Explorer
Send my condolences along to your son.
Sadly, a similar thing happened to me in the early days of Magic (the days of ante). I practically had a problem in terms of buying cards, and had amassed a collection that had cost me about 3,000 dollars (and would be worth who-knows-how-much now). I was in high school at the time and had only started collecting a few months before. I was very into the game, needless to say, and played every day. It seemed like everyone in my school was into the game as well.
Anyway, we had a sort of magic miniconvention one Saturday at a friend's house, and I stupidly brought my entire collection with me. There were maybe 30 people there, all of whom I knew and considered friends.
At any rate, I left most of my cards in a friend's truck under a big blanket. About half way through I went out to get another deck, and of course my cards were gone.
I never played again.
Sadly, a similar thing happened to me in the early days of Magic (the days of ante). I practically had a problem in terms of buying cards, and had amassed a collection that had cost me about 3,000 dollars (and would be worth who-knows-how-much now). I was in high school at the time and had only started collecting a few months before. I was very into the game, needless to say, and played every day. It seemed like everyone in my school was into the game as well.
Anyway, we had a sort of magic miniconvention one Saturday at a friend's house, and I stupidly brought my entire collection with me. There were maybe 30 people there, all of whom I knew and considered friends.
At any rate, I left most of my cards in a friend's truck under a big blanket. About half way through I went out to get another deck, and of course my cards were gone.
I never played again.
Thunderfoot
Hero
Gary, sorry to hear about this. Living on the east coast, I was happy to be able to "go home" (I'm from Southern Illlinois so I really was going home.) and get away from the things that I dread about the east coast, crime, rudeness and general lack of care for others.
I should have known that you can't escape the worst of humanity when the best of humanity gets together to have fun.
Gladly, it sounds like he is taking it well.
T-Foot
I should have known that you can't escape the worst of humanity when the best of humanity gets together to have fun.
Gladly, it sounds like he is taking it well.
T-Foot
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Cut a finger off the offender when caught the first time, a hand the second and the head the third and you will reduce the number of thieves out there. Ya, I am harsh; I hate criminals. ![:]](http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png "Devious :]")
What ante yours, don't belong to you, leave it the hell alone.
Sorry for your son's hurt feelings, the money isn't that big of a deal in the long run, but his feelings and the memories of what he had- that is what will hurt.
What ante yours, don't belong to you, leave it the hell alone.
Sorry for your son's hurt feelings, the money isn't that big of a deal in the long run, but his feelings and the memories of what he had- that is what will hurt.
Too bad Magic cards are nigh untraceable. I could imagine this scenario otherwise...
*Dude walks into RPG store*
"Yeah.. So I have those cards to sell?"
*Owner looks at the cards... Gestures towards a bunch of gamers playing in the store*
"Yeah. About these cards.. See, I know where you got them. Read the report at ENWorld. They got stolen from Mr Gygax's son."
"Gy..Gax?"
*Largest of the gamers who came over interjects*
"Yeah. Gary Gygax. You know, the guy who invented our hobby?"
*Cracks knuckles*
"I.. I found them? Could ya'll.. You know.. Make sure they get back to him? Please?"
*thief flees*
Ahh it's nice to dream.
*Dude walks into RPG store*
"Yeah.. So I have those cards to sell?"
*Owner looks at the cards... Gestures towards a bunch of gamers playing in the store*
"Yeah. About these cards.. See, I know where you got them. Read the report at ENWorld. They got stolen from Mr Gygax's son."
"Gy..Gax?"
*Largest of the gamers who came over interjects*
"Yeah. Gary Gygax. You know, the guy who invented our hobby?"
*Cracks knuckles*
"I.. I found them? Could ya'll.. You know.. Make sure they get back to him? Please?"
*thief flees*
Ahh it's nice to dream.
Agent Oracle
First Post
I feel for your son Gary, if he's interested, he can have some of my old M:tG cards... I hardly ever play anymore and would be delighted to help anyone who was the victim of such a senseless thing as gamer-on-gamer crime.
Incidentally, did he write his name in the binder? I'd be worried about being cursed for life if I ever found out I had stolen something from the Gygax family...
/Like that guy who hit Stephen King with a van? they found him dead a month later.
Incidentally, did he write his name in the binder? I'd be worried about being cursed for life if I ever found out I had stolen something from the Gygax family...
/Like that guy who hit Stephen King with a van? they found him dead a month later.
That really sucks. I've never been to a Con but I can imagine in a place that busy it's inevitable someone would be a jackass and think they can pull something.
I have over the years lost a couple of D&D books: while it's possible I jsut left them behind, in all cases the place I played was somewhere I was well known and the only D&D game of the RPGers there, so it's more likely a player "borrowed" the book without telling me and decided it wasn't worth worrying about returning it. It's hardly the same as loosing a grand of Magic cards though. :-/
I have over the years lost a couple of D&D books: while it's possible I jsut left them behind, in all cases the place I played was somewhere I was well known and the only D&D game of the RPGers there, so it's more likely a player "borrowed" the book without telling me and decided it wasn't worth worrying about returning it. It's hardly the same as loosing a grand of Magic cards though. :-/
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