has there ever been any corals stolen from any LFS's?

[timdam]

just wondering. i would never do it. and i am sure that 99.9% of reefers would never do it. but there is always a bad apple.

but has anyone ever heard of corals being stolen? i only ask because alot of frag tanks are shallow. and it's not like there are security devices. seems like if a owner turned his head, then someone could reach in and just grab an expensive frag and put it in his pocket. if i was a storeowner, i'd fear that it could happen.

[eskymick]

One of our local LFS told me that many corals have been stolen from their large, shallow frag tank.

[GlassMunky]

stick it in your pocket? I feel bad for the coral =(

[Jarred1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMLcBMvNtZg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1uC549ihHk

check those out and tell me if people steal corals

[Æonic]

Easy solution: Look for people exiting the store with wet pockets :-)

I would guess that attempts to shoplift live corals are pretty rare. Well ok I stand corrected... but my LFS has deep tanks, like, it's a PITA for the staff to retrieve things from the tanks. It would be pretty ridiculous for someone to try to steal out of them.

[jcolletteiii]

Just happened here in SoCal. There was a thread on it in the local forum, but, of course, that was closed due to some, er - passionate opinions.

[TampaReefer79]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AMLcBMvNtZg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_1uC549ihHk

check those out and tell me if people steal corals

:eek1::eek1::eek1::eek1::eek1:

That is incredible. I'd think dry goods would be stolen more often than corals. My LFS have Tunzes and Vortechs on the shelf for example. I wonder if any of THOSE have taken a walk. One LFS close to me just installed closed circuit security cameras within the last year. There's a big sign next to the Tunze/Vortech shelves that says "Smile, you're on t.v.". lol I wonder if the bonehead in those youtube videos knew he was on camera. Some people just don't care.

[Æonic]

Heh that guy in the youtube vids is so busted... with a man purse too.

What I always wondered is if any disgruntled customers ever came in and dropped something bad in the water... Like check here:

Lame... so the url tag is useless. Google for "Saboteur in Toronto fish store"

If I owned a LFS I'd be pretty worried about that, even from an accidental source.

[Paco]

LFS owner told me he finally busted a guy who had been coming in and out with a big coffee cup for weeks. No wet pockets :). He'd just wait until it was clear, pop the lid off the cup and then drop a frag or two into the salt water in the coffee cup, put the lid back on and then casually buy something else and leave.

[TampaReefer79]

Walmart shopping list:

Milk
Eggs
Cereal
Cat litter
Large coffee cup

[timdam]

man, i can't watch Youtube at work. i'm assuming it's of someone stealing a coral.

i mean, i've been to a few dark basement shops where there is just the owner and a few frag tanks. it's not like the owner can always see one customer, if they are dealing with another. with the price of corals these days, i'd have a 24 hour camera/eye on it.

[skibum9884]

I must say, while I don't condone stealing, that is pretty creative. The coffee cup filled with saltwater. I would have said he was a smart criminal, but repeatedly going back to the same place? Come on, what an idiot!

[Paco]

I like reef aquaria, but not enough to steal for it.

[timdam]

any real criminal would have dividers in his coffee cup, to avoid coral wars....

:blown:

[produceb]

I once knew this guy who would go into the fish store with a big gulp cup with a lid. The cup was full of his salt water and he would snatch a few fish and toss in cup.

[username in use]

any real criminal would have dividers in his coffee cup, to avoid coral wars....

:blown:

A real criminal would figure out how to get in there after hours, and roll in with large styrofoam containers and a few hundred baggies and clean the place out. As well as taking some frag tanks and some decent lighting, then setup as an online vendor, maybe even selling some of the corals back to the store by mail;)

Not that Ive ever thought about it.

[gablett]

My LFS used to use those big cattle feeder tubs for coral because it was so nice to see the coral top down, he had quite a few stolen, most of them buy one guy. But now all are about head high tanks or have a noisy cover over them.

[Flame_Angel]

Heh that guy in the youtube vids is so busted... with a man purse too.

What I always wondered is if any disgruntled customers ever came in and dropped something bad in the water... Like check here:

Lame... so the url tag is useless. Google for "Saboteur in Toronto fish store"

If I owned a LFS I'd be pretty worried about that, even from an accidental source.
I had an inebriated man come into my store one Sunday evening and stick his hands into my open-top 300g reef that I'd had set up and running beautifully for 6+ years. His oil- and gasoline-covered hands. Then promptly run out of the store before we had a chance to do anything about it. We never found out who he was, or why he did it.

The tank never made it, despite intense water changes and skimming. :sad2:

[Dholmblad]

Do LFS have insurance against huge loss that could occur from a chemical being introduced to the system?

[timdam]

and do alot of customers touch the water? i know i never touch the water. i point at corals to look at. but never touch the water. but i don't know about other people.

[mallorieGgator]

A real criminal would figure out how to get in there after hours, and roll in with large styrofoam containers and a few hundred baggies and clean the place out. As well as taking some frag tanks and some decent lighting, then setup as an online vendor, maybe even selling some of the corals back to the store by mail;)

Not that Ive ever thought about it.

need a Partner in Crime? lol.

[d0ughb0y]

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1777241

same store

http://www.cvreefers.org/showthread.php?13756-Please-Help-Us-Track-Down-These-THIEVES

[Conrad25]

Thats just crazyness. Does her carry saltwater in the car or in his pocket lol. The coffee cup is a pretty crazy idea though lol creative. Just puzzles me that people are actually stealing this stuff.....


Conrad

[TwistedEnvy]

That IS just crazy! I can't believe the gaul of people now. I'm glad those people got caught in January!

[timdam]

hmmmm. i wonder what they could do to help prevent this. maybe barb wire tanks around the edges? or an electric fence?

[vwtanker]

We have cameras. So far 2 guys, 2years for attempting to steal pond koi, killed all of them in the process. and two different people 6months for 48" t5 light strips, one of them was in a wheelchair. Lastly someone broke in the glass on our back door to steal one flame angel. Cant wait to see that person in the store! I am sure they will return so we can ID them. Theft is huge.

[BuckeyeTodd]

Saw one where a guy had like $1200 worth of coral and was at the register and then said, yea I'll take that other one too. When the employee went to the back to get the other coral the customer took the $1200 worth and walked out the front door

[fihsboy]

I have heard of employees stealing corals.......Thats easy as hell for them.

[khaosinc]

grounded titanium bar on the stand and a poorly grounded high power pump... lean up against stand reaching in and he'll be singing suprano...

[sreefs]

If I would see someone do that he would be picking him self up off the floor from a smack along side his head with my cane, as I went and got the manager. Some people are real a$$ holes.

[timdam]

If I would see someone do that he would be picking him self up off the floor from a smack along side his head with my cane, as I went and got the manager. Some people are real a$$ holes.

Not to hijack my OWN thread, but what kinda coral is that in your avatar? it's cool.

[icechimpee]

Some people are just ridiculous...

[wickedfish]

This is an expensive hobby and very addictive add the 2 and you will always have people trying to catch up the easy way. I don't like theives but i do like clever people. I was reading the thread, and the guy with the coffee cup thats freaking sharp, but also very bad....shame on that guy......for doing what some of us would do if we were shady.