http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/51103312.html
In addition, two other opticals in Milwaukee were robbed a couple of months ago. I was told by an employee of one of the shops that the armed robbers emptied the display cases, taking more than two hundred frames.
Science is a way of trying not to fool yourself. - Richard P. Feynman
Experience is the hardest teacher. She gives the test before the lesson.
Good for him, I am glad that he fought back and was not hurt.
I wonder if I would have done the same. It's a shame, only the bad guys have guns anymore.
Some good guys do also!Originally Posted by Christosfer
http://www.optiboard.com/forums/grou...discussionid=2
Not if people continue to fight for our second amendment rights and the freedoms we have! If we do not keep fighting, what you have said will become reality! That is the sad truth of "Gun Control".
1.) Join the NRA and learn how to protect yourself
http://membership.nrahq.org/
2.) Join the United States Concealed Carry Assoc.
http://www.usconcealedcarry.com/
If you are interested, here is a link to a article about our OBLIGATION that I posted in a thread in the Just Conversation Forum:
http://www.usconcealedcarry.com/public/83.cfm
Here is a link to the thread:
http://www.optiboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=36047
I work by appointment, but that's for traffic flow reasons- I average about eighty minutes with my clients at the initial fitting, and about thirty more at dispense. Hopefully I won't ever need a remote lock and buzzer.
He was lucky. I hope you never get the chance to find out.
I would strongly recommend that everyone review their security measures, especially if you carry very high-end product.
Science is a way of trying not to fool yourself. - Richard P. Feynman
Experience is the hardest teacher. She gives the test before the lesson.
Do you notice that certian lines are more likely to be stolen than others?
We have even had people come in and take pictures, appearently to take back to "clients" to select which ones to steal. And yes, we according to our police departments do have "steal to order" rings in our city, some of which seem to specialize in ophthalmic goods.
Chip
Last edited by chip anderson; 07-20-2009 at 12:31 PM. Reason: Stealing to order.
I just had ANOTHER sunglass frame stolen, about 15 minutes ago...I feel so foolish...it was my fault, I trust people way too much! :angry:
I've been doing some research on security cameras...have any of you heard of using a wireless web camera? A friend of mine mentioned using something like that...but it seems like the picture might lack the quality needed. Any thoughts?
___________________________________________
I've had Vera Wang's stolen...and most recently Columbia suns and today a chesterfield sunglass.
So it looks like my Sunglasses are the most sought after.
___________________________________________
Don't feel to bad, I just read that an electronics store had someone walk out the front door with a tv! They have his pic, but he has their tv!
Milwaukee Journal just announced that The guy who robbed a couple optical in Milwaukee & the the in Fox Point was just arrested!!!! To celebrate I will have an ale tonight!
Sorry, I typed like I already had one.
Me too!!!!!!!!!
I may even REALLY celebrate with more than one!
Splashing ale down my gullet with GUSTO to celebrate sounds like a winning plan!
:cheers::cheers::cheers:
Heather, at least they are taking the junky ones!;)and today a chesterfield sunglass.
Thanks. Here's the link...
http://www.jsonline.com/news/milwaukee/51483642.html
A security consultant told me that he was at one of the shops the day after it was robbed- the store was empty of frames- they were cleaned out bare to the bone.
I sure hope the stolen product didn't end up in other optical stores- I'm not a big city lawyer but it seems likely that receiving stolen merchandise is no different than stealing it yourself, minus the gun to the head.
Science is a way of trying not to fool yourself. - Richard P. Feynman
Experience is the hardest teacher. She gives the test before the lesson.
Yeah, but fresh stolen stuff is so cheap it's hard to resist.
Hi Robert;
We had a couple of rashes of thefts in Houston, about 2 years apart back in the late 80's - early 90's. About 30 stores were hit the first time, and I believe it was 48 stores the next. The 1st rash, we were hit. Cherry picked the boards. Not just brand stuff, they knew quality lines too. We displayed around 500 frames. 286 were stolen. What surprized me the most is how they entered. We were in a strip center, middle of the night, broke out a little corner window. That window wasn't 12x12 inches! He was one skinny dude/dudette! ( went out a back, barred door..barred with a 2x4 you just lifted off, if you were inside already).
We put in alarms after that. Metal back door with bolt, key entry/exit only. Then, as luck and the optical gods would have it, we were part of the 2nd wave too...This time, they didn't bother using the small glass entrance....Threw a chunk of concrete right through the glass front door. ( I figured, it wasn't the same dude/dudette, or, they had gained substantial weight....) They also cut the phone lines before entering...( ah, wrong phone line Einstein...)
Alarm goes off, and the cops came...Not before they took 105 frames. The cops said they were probably professionals that know there's a responce time lag. And it showed in their haste to leave. More mess this time..I still remember every little piece of glass I got to pick up....
On follow up, weeks latter, it was determinded ( they thought) these frames went over the border, or gray marketed. We, as an optical community, looked for a rise in POF's, new. Never saw that. Other than flea market type of environments, most all opticals are known and frequented by salespersons. No increase in not purchased frames was noticed. So I do think these large thefts leave the area with the product.
A side note; It was touching, hearing from all my reps...how sorry, and terrible all these thefts are. How helpful they were to rush in replacement frames.....And to see the $$ signs dance in their eyes..
In retrospect; The Good: I got rid of some lines I didn't want any longer anyway. "Sorry, I'm not replacing those." ( The look in their eyes just wasn't the same..) And, I got a rock and a niffty chunk of concrete I use as a door stop! ;)
Anyway, all you be safe out there, don't be a hero!
Chip, I know I didn't capitalize "gods". I wasn't referring to God. :)
:cheers::cheers::cheers:
Maybe it isn't gray market. Maybe it's reps and they just junk it or re-sell if it's thier line. Maybe the big money is in helping you re-stock.
We did have a rep caught here a couple years ago with about 70 frames light fingered from his accounts while he was "working the boards."
Chip
There's a local rep here that sells more on e-bay than he does to his accounts- and it's not the same line he carries.
The way we found out was that a friend of mine ordered a high end frame that he didn't want to buy the minimum on. The rep's name and address was on the invoice! He e-mailed him through e-bay, and the rep told him that he could get just about anything he wanted... no minimums needed.
When my friend called the company that the rep worked for, the dm told him that it was no problem, as he doesn't sell non-competing lines.
Now, I'm not saying that they were stolen, but it sure does make you go hmm....
Ophthalmic Optician, Society to Advance Opticianry
About 6 years I had my deadbolts double keyed, and was written up my the fire marshall. He said if someone broke in, and there was a fire, how would they get out? Anyone want to guess my answer? Oh, and it was the wrong one, so I called the locksmith.:hammer:
Maybe another kind of STEEL DEADbolt would have been more appropriate!
:cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers::cheers:;)
Maybe, but there are a few people around here who will give you a good *** kicking if it's determined that a doctor or optician was buying this stuff.:angry:
So let's see... coming through the back door we've got a lens company that's theatening our livelihood,:angry: and through the front door the crooks are threatening our lives and stealing our merchandise.:angry:
BTW, I've heard that to provide some cover, this lens company asked another lens company (can't say who yet) to join them,:angry: in their on-line venture/soon to be fiasco- and they wouldn't play along. Bravo. My guess is that this has been demoted to trial balloon status.
78 stores and they still couldn't pin it on anyone? I hope you still don't have the same police chief. An occasionally sober suit with at least one eye open would have caught on after a dozen or so thefts.
I'm sorry to hear you were robbed. It really sucks, big time.
FYI the Milwaukee robberies were armed, daytime affairs.
It now appears that there were additional armed robberies, in addition to the three that I posted. What bugs me is that I had to hear about this from a security company. Nothing from the police, not even a letter saying keep your head down.:angry: And not a word from the press- at least three robberies netting close to six figures worth of product- but steal five thousand from the local bank and it's front page.
Thanks for nothing Milwaukee media.:angry:
Damn right. I'm not going to get in a gunfight over merchandise. OTOH, I identified a robber and told the uniform to give me a trial date and I'll be there. The crook pled out once they knew there was a witness.Anyway, all you be safe out there, don't be a hero!
I think we all know who the bad guys are, and I don't mean just the street- we just need to stand up to them and make their lives as miserable as possible, when they misbehave.:finger:
Science is a way of trying not to fool yourself. - Richard P. Feynman
Experience is the hardest teacher. She gives the test before the lesson.
We have people casing all the time. Wasn't born yesterday. We know what they're doing. What do I do? Stand 2 inches from their face asking what kind of frames their looking for and be as "helpful" as I possibly can to these "customers" while talking to them with my yummy coffee breath until they leave.
Works every time.
If it doesn't work-louisville slugger
We just got Baby Phat where I have been working(wally-world) and I know 4 stores that have been CLEANED OUT of those......including my former location the DAY we got them in
Here's another view point on the above cited article:
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/c...,1898474.story
"He just likes to be around glasses."
Maybe we could all raid our junk drawers and send them to him in the penitentiary.
Last edited by paulcr39; 07-31-2009 at 12:58 PM. Reason: oops
We caught a rep putting our frames into his cases once. Needless to say, he is not allowed to open his bags to show us frames unless someone is with him at all times. And we show that we are uncomfortable when he walks around.
There are currently 1 users browsing this thread. (0 members and 1 guests)
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks