Comic Book Caper Solved

[Apotheosis]

My mother is kind enough to watch out for comic stories that I might be interested in and sent me this story when she saw it. For those of you who don't know, Flagstaff, Az is a city of about 53,000 people located in the mountains (it's true... not all of AZ is desert). Not exactly where you would think to find a nice comic collection.

 

I wonder if this will qualify for a pedigree when he sells

 

Link to article

(I've typed out the article since it costs to read it on their website)

 

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Comic book crime caper solved

 

 

By LARRY HENDRICKS

Sun Staff Reporter

02/24/2005

 

 

Spider-Man would be proud of this crime-fighting caper.

 

An 18-year-old Flagstaff man who burglarized an eastside home in late January apparently knew he stumbled upon something valuable when he took a bundle of comic books sealed in protective plastic coverings.

 

On Feb. 1, he took the comic books to Bookman’s Used Books, Music & Software to exchange for cash. Store staff offered to give the burlar $600 for the lot. The burglar accepted and walked out of the store with a check.

 

Had the burglar done a little homework, he might have discovered the comic books were worth more – a lot more.

 

$140,400, to be exact.

 

The comic books are now back in the hands of the owner – primarily because a Flagstaff Police Department lieutenant decided to make a call to Bookman’s, and the store’s manager decided to keep the comics under lock and key, suspecting they were stolen.

 

According to Flagstaff police reports, a Flagstaff man, who lives in an eastside neighborhood, went away on an extended vacation with his wife. When they returned hom Feb. 6, they saw somebody had been inside and called police.

 

Officers found pry marks around a kitchen window. The man discovered that several items of property and cash were gone.

 

Among the missing items were the first five issues of “Amazing Spider-Man,” the first six issues of “Incredible Hulk,” and the first 10 issues of “Fantastic Four.” The Man told the officer that he had bought the comics back in the early 1960’s when he was a child for about 10 to 12 cents each.

 

The man also told the officer they are much more valuable now.

 

The man, contacted by the Daily Sun, declined a request for interview, citing concern that if his name or address were divulged, hi comics would continue to be in jeopardy.

 

The officer, using an industry guide to prices of old comic books, estimated them to be worth more than $100,000.

 

According to a Bookman’s estimate of the comic books’ worth, based on information from www.comicspriceguide.com, the comic books were worth $140,400. the No. 1 issue of “Amazing Spider-Man” was worth $32,000 alone.

 

RED FLAGS GO UP

 

Gene Roberdeaux, manager for Bookman’s, said the deal was suspect from the get-go.

 

“Pretty much every red flag went up when these kids came in with these comic books,” he said. “they didn’t know what they had in their hands.”

 

The staff told them of the value of the extremely collectible comic books, Roberdeaux said.

 

“They just wante to get rid of them, which is another red flag,” he added.

 

The store has no safeguards in place to prevent the purchase of stolen items like comic books, Roberdeaux said. Comic books don’t have serial numbers, and there is no way to know if they’re stolen – other than somebody reporting them missing.

 

“We take the stuff in, hold onto it, check with the police, see if there’s anything going on and wait it out,” Roberdeaux said.

 

Police seized the comic books, and with the help of Bookman’s staff, identified two suspects in the case.

 

Detective Margaret Bentzen siad she called one suspect, and he agreed to turn himself in.

 

During and interview with the suspect, Bentzen said the suspect admitted to the crime that he had been “looking for something to rob.”

 

Bentzen said the oung man told her he had scoped the neighborhood for some time – checking mail in mailboxes, looking for newspapers in the drive, even knocking on door to see if anybody was at home.

 

“He said he needed money,” Bentzen said, adding that the young man would not say for what. She said he did admit to previous drug use, but he would not specify the drug.

 

Devin M. Fredericks, 18, (address withheld), was indicted by county grand jury Feb. 17 on four counts of second degree burglary, one count of felony theft and one count of trafficking in stolen property. An arraignment date has not been set.

 

MOST ITEMS RECOVERED

 

Police served a search warrant of Fredericks’ home and recovered approximately 80 percent of the items taken from the burglary, Bentzen said.

 

The second suspect also has been identified in the case, Bentzen said. He is a juvenile who has already been sentenced to jubenile prison on an unrelated matter.

 

The comic books were immediately returned to the owner, Bentzen said.

 

“It was one of the highlights of my career,” Bentzen said of the reuniting. “The victim was ecstatic.”

 

Bentzen said the man told her the comic books are his family’s retirement fund.

 

“They didn’t want anybody to know about their collection,” Bentzen said.

 

Bookman’s is also a victim in the case. The store is out $600. Roberdeaux said Bookman’s will qualify to receive restitution if a conviction results.

 

“I’m just happy to get them back to the guy,” Roberdeaux said. “I didn’t even like have them here. It was just too much.”

[chromium]

If I'm reading this right....(from the first part of the story)

 

- the store gave the burglars about 0.5% of the value of the books

 

- locked the books away

 

- didn't contact the police themselves....

 

 

The second part seems to contradict the first part, but it looks to me the store owner is telling the journalist what he would do not what he did....

[Apotheosis]

Yeah... I caught that too. It's just a good PR spin.

[*paull*]

That cheapskate owner better pony up some cash for that store owner. There's no way he should be out $600.

[Aces]

If I'm reading this right....(from the first part of the story)

 

- the store gave the burglars about 0.5% of the value of the books

 

- locked the books away

 

- didn't contact the police themselves....

 

 

The second part seems to contradict the first part, but it looks to me the store owner is telling the journalist what he would do not what he did....

 

SOP at comic shops!

 

~Standard Operating Procedure~

 

*Bend Over and Grab the Ankles!*

[Red Hook]

I'm only suprised that this didn't happen in Oregon, Land of Kooky Komik Kapers!

[Aces]

[HouseofComics.Com]

If those comics are the family's retirement fund then they really should buy collectibles insurance!

 

O/W, too risky.

 

Imagine having your retirement funded by spending a few dollars as a kid.

 

Marc

[HouseofComics.Com]

Of course those comics almost turned into the comic store guy's retirement.

 

[trevorlsmith]

it's nice to hear that everything worked out. i'm sure the store will be reimbursed by the owner of the books if the store owner is not able to recover the money from the alleged thieves (which i'm sure he will).

[casey1870]

Many years ago I went through Flagstaff & I believe it was cold & snowing,kinda strange for Arizone I thought.......

[Tango 'n Cash]

I hope this is a wake-up call to the owner, and he decides to do the smart thing: sell and take the money to the bank.

 

I have heard of similar "retirement funds" being stolen, destroyed by fire or water, or even lost in a move. At this point the owner should thank God, then call up CGC/Heritage to arrange for immediate sale. Otherwise he's a dope.

[garthgantu]

If those comics are the family's retirement fund then they really should buy collectibles insurance!

 

O/W, too risky.

 

Imagine having your retirement funded by spending a few dollars as a kid.

 

Marc

 

Agreed...and the owner should also consider diversifying..! Tougher to steal an IRA (though not impossible in this day and age).

 

Further, it sounds like everyone involved, from the owner of the books to the owner of the LCS to the police and the reporter who wrote the article are simply valuing the comics at NM- across the board...? What are the chances all those books are pristine? I'm guessing the real value would be closer to $70k, assuming the books have been well stored.

[towards2112]

If those comics are the family's retirement fund then they really should buy collectibles insurance!

 

O/W, too risky.

 

Imagine having your retirement funded by spending a few dollars as a kid.

 

Marc

 

Agreed...and the owner should also consider diversifying..! Tougher to steal an IRA (though not impossible in this day and age).

 

Further, it sounds like everyone involved, from the owner of the books to the owner of the LCS to the police and the reporter who wrote the article are simply valuing the comics at NM- across the board...? What are the chances all those books are pristine? I'm guessing the real value would be closer to $70k, assuming the books have been well stored.

 

I'm guessing the TRUE value is what one person would give another

person for them. Geppi just bid more money than I would think wise

on a restored Platinum age book that could cease to exist for my lack

of interest. Again, it's only worth what you can get for it.

[tth2]

Imagine having your retirement funded by spending a few dollars as a kid.

We've got our own living example on these boards. Although I don't imagine Harry's comics are "funding" his retirement, they've undoubtedly made for a very nice windfall.