Comic Books and Original Art Stolen (Connecticut). Reward Offered 1 1

[mxs7]

Long time collector Joe Latino had over $200,000 of comics and two pieces of original art stolen from his supposedly “secure” storage facility sometime in the last 10 weeks. The theft has been reported to the police in the Bridgeport/New Haven area. He has also been contacting local Connecticut and NYC dealers, but it would be difficult to contact/find all of them. My hope is that someone on the board can give Joe a tip to break the case.

Joe is still inventorying the stolen comics, but the below should list about 90% of them. Joe and I have partial scans of the Marvel first appearance books, and he is locating as many images of the other comics as possible. This will help in positively identifying the books. Joe is offering a “no questions asked” $5000 reward for the return of the comics and/or apprehension of the thief/thieves.

Joe can be contacted at SBL40@aol.com.

Marvel First Appearance comics (conditions vary, generally VG to F+. Can supply individual grades if needed)

Amazing Fantasy No. 15 (clear magic tape on spine)

Amazing Spider-Man No. 1

Amazing Spider-Man No. 1 reprint with record

Avengers No. 4

Daredevil No. 1 signed by Stan Lee 1991 both on the cover and the interior Splash page

Fantastic Four No. 1 (clear magic tape on spine)

Tales to Astonish No. 35 

Tales of Suspense No. 39 (clear magic tape on spine)

X-Men 1

 

Timely Golden Age Comics (some CGC slabs)

Captain America 10 (8.0), 13 (8.0), 14 (8.0), 16, 53, 63, 66, 67 (8.0), 70, 72 (6.5), 76

Daring Comics 10 (2.5), 11, 12

Marvel Mystery Comics 47, 48, 51

 

Various Slabbed Comics (all CGC unless otherwise noted) Some Pedigree

DC

Action Comics 22, 138 (8 PGX), 173 (4.5), 216 (7.5), 277 (8.5)

Adventure Comics 102 , 165 (5.5), 240 (6.5)

Detective Comics 435 (9.6)

The Flash 118 (8), 144 (9.4 Mohawk Valley)

Flash Comics 52 (4.5)

Green Lantern second series 8 (8), 20 (9), 34 (8 Fantucchio), 40 (7.5)

More Fun Comics 15 (3)

Mystery In Space 55 (7), 66 (8), 79 (8.5), 84 (8)

Superman 76 (4 cbcs), 106 (5), 114, 138 (6)

Superman Time Capsule nn (9)

Tales of the Unexpected 48 (8), 68 (8.5)

 

Marvel

Avengers 7 (8), 8 (6.5 Nick Cage copy), 12 (8), 15 (8), 16 (8), 19 (9), 35 (9 Fantucchio), 100 (9.2), 141 (9.4), 171 (9.4), 500 Director’s Cut Finch (9.6 Signature Series)

Captain America 1 vol 4 (9.8)

Daredevil 8 (9), 48 (9.6 Fantucchio)

Doctor Strange 5 (9.4), 7 (9.6), 22 (9.6), 35 (9.4)

Fantastic Four 9 (5), 10 (6.5), 39 (8.5), 59 (9.4), 69 (9.4), 72 (9)

Iron Man 1 (8), 85 (9.6), 94 (9.6), 241 (9.6)

Iron Man and Sub-Mariner 1 (9.4 PGX)

Journey Into Mystery 79 (6 Hall of Fame)

Strange Tales 64 (6), 82 (4 Westport Collection), 86 (6), 90 (5), 93 (4.5), 95 (5.5 Westport Collection), 122 (7.5 PGX), 124 (8.5 Fantucchio), 132 (9.2), 136 (9.2), 154 (9.6), 156 (9.4 MA copy), 162 (9.2), 168 (9.4), 170 (9.4), 173 (9.4), 174 (9.4), 176 (9.4)

Sgt Fury and His Howling Commandos 13 (8,5)

Tales to Astonish 3 (5.5), 30 (5.5), 33 (5.5), 39 (6.5)

Tales of Suspense 27 (5), 73 (9.4), 80 (9.4 Fantucchio), 95 (9 Fantucchio)

Thor 181 (9.6)

Web of Spider-Man 1 (9.8)

 

Various Raw Comics (Grades vary. Can provide individual grades if needed. Some comics have identifying characteristics)

Charlton

Mysteries of Unexplored Worlds 3, 4

 

DC

Action Comics 14, 16, 18, 27, 32, 36, 41, 46, 52, 61, 63, 66, 67, 70, 91, 92, 93, 98, 103, 108, 112, 121

All Flash 11, 14, 18, 21, 22, 25, 26, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32

New York World’s Fair 1940

Superman 4, 6, 7, 11, 12, 19, 22, 24, 26, 28, 31, 32, 34-60, 62, 65, 67, 71, 74, 78, 83, 89, 102, 104, 107, 108, 110, 113

World’s Finest Comics 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 16, 19, 21, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 33, 38, 46, 58, 71, 74, 75 77, 79-85, 87-89, 91-93, 99, 100, 108, 114

 

Fawcett

Captain Marvel Adventures 4, 14, 100

Whiz Comics 22

 

Also one long box of Batman/Detective and misc Batman titles was stolen. Some Silver Age but primarily Bronze and Copper.

The artwork stolen was the Marie Severin Strange Tales 154 cover and a Charles Flanders Lone Ranger drawing originally done for George Roussos in his famous book of sketches. Joe is offering a separate “no questions asked” $5000 reward for the return of the original art.

Again, Joe can be contacted at SBL40@aol.com. There is a $5000 reward for the successful recovery of the original art (no questions asked) and a separate $5000 reward for the recovery of the stolen comics (no questions asked) OR apprehension of the thief/thieves. Thanks for your attention and any help you may be able to provide.

 

Mike

 

PS Are there any other CGC comics boards where I should post this information (I've posted the original art on the OA board)? Not sure which would be the best to catch the eyes of people who might run across these books.

[Mmehdy]

good luck and please check craigslist in your area, some amazing stuff to be put in storage?....

[James J Johnson]

3 hours ago, mxs7 said:

PS Are there any other CGC comics boards where I should post this information (I've posted the original art on the OA board)? Not sure which would be the best to catch the eyes of people who might run across these books.

How about starting a Facebook page. Stolen Comic Book Collection, or something like that. Document on that page everything stolen and your reward specifics.

Also, Community sections on Craigslist  $10,000 Reward: Stolen Comic Book and original art collection.

Or even in the sections where they list comics for sale or wanted sections. "WANTED: The return of my comic book collection: large REWARD"

Or even general wanted sections

Any lost and found: REWARD  venues.

Local and nearby newspapers. May be syndicated and picked up nationwide.

You're going to have to think inside and outside the box, but get as much exposure out there as possible. The original art stolen is very helpful. People can mistake one comic for another, if sold ondividually, but there's only one each of those art pages and no mistaking that. Same thief(thieves) for the comic and the art, find one, find the others.

[James J Johnson]

Also:

https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=rwhHXaDXPKy2ggefja2ACQ&q=best+site+to+post+reward+for+stolen+property&oq=Best+site+to+post+reward+for+stolen&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.33i299j33i160l2.8566.20734..23999...2.0..0.248.3230.30j6j1......0....1..gws-wiz.....0..0i131j0j0i22i30j33i22i29i30j33i10.5_xjs0ankw4 

I googled: Best site to post reward for stolen property

loads of good hits, good ideas.

Try different searches along these lines. You ay come up with more.

Where to best offer rewards for stolen goods, How to recover stolen merchandise, etc., etc.

Varied wording along the same lines, google search, will present a wide range of relevant sites that look promising.

[thehumantorch]

Ugh, so sorry to hear this.  Storage facilities are not safe.  We've seen similar thefts and pics of storage doors cut in half.

I'd suggest printing up handout sheets of the details to give to dealers at local shows.

[James J Johnson]

13 minutes ago, thehumantorch said:

Ugh, so sorry to hear this.  Storage facilities are not safe.  We've seen similar thefts and pics of storage doors cut in half.

I'd suggest printing up handout sheets of the details to give to dealers at local shows.

And promoters to give out to the dealers.

[mxs7]

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I will forward them to Joe.

Should I also post this in the CGC Golden Age Comic Books and Silver Age Comic Books boards? Or is that overkill? I don't know how many people read the Comics General board versus skipping straight to a more narrowly focused board.

Mike

[James J Johnson]

1 hour ago, mxs7 said:

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I will forward them to Joe.

Should I also post this in the CGC Golden Age Comic Books and Silver Age Comic Books boards? Or is that overkill? I don't know how many people read the Comics General board versus skipping straight to a more narrowly focused board.

Mike

Art theft reporting. And more than $5000 is involved here, so perhaps you can seek FBI involvement by filing a report: $200,000 in total? I would file a report anyway in the general section. Couldn't hurt.

https://www.fbi.gov/investigate/violent-crime/art-theft 

[James J Johnson]

1 hour ago, mxs7 said:

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I will forward them to Joe.

Should I also post this in the CGC Golden Age Comic Books and Silver Age Comic Books boards? Or is that overkill? I don't know how many people read the Comics General board versus skipping straight to a more narrowly focused board.

Mike

News too. The media. Should contact the media, local and large scale. They may want to tell Joe's story as a collector and report on the theft and his efforts to reclaim them. Again, couldn't hurt, the more exposure the better. It's definitely media newsworthy.

Edited August 4, 2019 by James J Johnson

[comicnoir]

Looks like the storage unit was targeted and the perps knew the contents to some degree. Is there no surveillance footage? Mine is 24/7.

[mxs7]

 

3 hours ago, comicnoir said:

Looks like the storage unit was targeted and the perps knew the contents to some degree. Is there no surveillance footage? Mine is 24/7.

Last I heard the storage company was still going through the video footage.

Mike

[thehumantorch]

6 hours ago, mxs7 said:

Thanks for all of the suggestions. I will forward them to Joe.

Should I also post this in the CGC Golden Age Comic Books and Silver Age Comic Books boards? Or is that overkill? I don't know how many people read the Comics General board versus skipping straight to a more narrowly focused board.

Mike

Yes, post this in other forums.  Not everybody reads comics general

[mattn792]

Why are so many high value items being put in run of the mill storage facilities????????  😞

[kav]

1 minute ago, mattn792 said:

Why are so many high value items being put in run of the mill storage facilities????????  😞

I dont gettit

[James J Johnson]

5 hours ago, mattn792 said:

Why are so many high value items being put in run of the mill storage facilities????????  😞

Sense of adventure, mystery, and suspense? Rolling the dice; gambling with your collectibles? Charitable contributions/philanthropy? Testing the honesty of your fellow man? Insanity? Could be any of, or a combination of these reasons why. The storage facility personnel know the entire contents of a storage locker. More often than not, the profits from owning a storage facility come from access to and the rifling of these contents. In most storage facilities, the only people who can get within shouting distance of a locker and its contents are insiders. With the cost of overhead, small to moderate sized facilities have a tough time showing a profit.. Overwhelming, most theft is by these personnel or enabled by them, "I'll take my cut, thank you!".

Edited August 5, 2019 by James J Johnson

[kav]

14 minutes ago, James J Johnson said:

Sense of adventure, mystery, and suspense? Rolling the dice; gambling with your collectibles? Charitable contributions/philanthropy? Testing the honesty of your fellow man? Insanity? Could be any of, or a combination of these reasons why. The storage facility personnel know the entire contents of a storage locker. More often than not, the profits from owning a storage facility come from access to and the rifling of these contents. In most storage facilities, the only people who can get within shouting distance of a locker and its contents are insiders. With the cost of overhead, small to moderate sized facilities have a tough time showing a profit.. Overwhelming, most theft is by these personnel or enabled by them, "I'll take my cut, thank you!".

I worked at a lab and we had no problem with thefts until we hired security guards.  Stereos etc began to immediately disappear.

[James J Johnson]

1 hour ago, kav said:

I worked at a lab

Dr. Kavenstein?

 

[mxs7]

I can't go into detail at this time, but I am thrilled to report it appears all of the comic books have been recovered, although it will take some time to get a full accounting due to various circumstances. The Strange Tales 154 cover has been recovered as well. The Lone Ranger piece is still missing, but outside of that, the news is about as good as could be hoped for.

Mike

[comicdonna]

[ADAMANTIUM]