By Doug Davis – Founder & President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) ……
$20,000 Gold Theft – Suspects Identified
Rochester, Minnesota police are investigating the theft of $20,000 USD in gold coins from Med City Coins. Two white males with heavy accents entered the store flashing a large amount of cash and wanting to buy gold coins.
The suspects picked out several gold coins and wanted them wrapped and placed into a box. When it was time to pay they did not have enough money but stated they would come right back. The suspects never returned and when the owner opened the box the gold was gone.
The Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC), with the assistance of law enforcement partners in the United Kingdom, have identified the suspects.
The suspects have been involved in several other quick-change offenses in Kentucky and Tennessee.
Coins Recovered – San Mateo Vehicle Burglary
On August 23, 2019, NCIC sent out an alert regarding a vehicle burglary that resulted in the loss of approximately $60,000 in rare coins from a collector.
Soon after the alert was sent out, NCIC received a call from Vadim and Roy Polyak, owners of Oxbridge Coins in San Francisco, California. Vadim Polyak advised that a subject came into their store and wanted to sell several coins which they recognized as being stolen. Unable to make immediate contact with NCIC and fearing the coins would never be seen again, they offered to buy the coins for $2,500. The suspect accepted the offer and left the store.
Vadim Polyak made contact with NCIC who immediately assisted in coordinating the investigation between the victim, the San Mateo Police Department, and Oxbridge Coins.
Success in this case is due to the alert and quick actions of professional numismatists Vadim and Roy Polyak owners of Oxbridge Coins in San Francisco, CA.
Recovered Coins:
- Stone Mountain P-19695953 MS 66
- New Rochelle P-25542235 MS67+
- Bridgeport P-25385569 MS67
- Elgin P-25368360 MS67
- Antietam P-15741705 MS66
- Bay Bridge P-50256542 MS67+
- Spanish Trail P37466261 MS 67+
- Buffalo Nickel P37650934 PF 67+ 1936
- 2 /12 Gold P50024458 PF 66DCAM 1893
Arrest in Bad Checks Case
Over the past 90 days, NCIC has been working with several law enforcement agencies regarding bad checks written by one Jason Faraj. On September 12, Faraj was arrested by Ann Arbor, Michigan police. Faraj was using bad checks to buy coins and jewelry.
Dealers who have received bad checks from Faraj, please forward the appropriate information to NCIC (times and dates, the investigating agency, phone numbers, the investigating officer, the amount of loss, etc).
Your assistance is greatly appreciated.
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Please contact the Numismatic Crime Information Center’s Doug Davis if you have questions or information about any of the cases above. You can reach him at (817) 723-7231, or email him at [email protected].
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The Numismatic Crime Information Center is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit corporation. P.O. Box 14080 Arlington, Texas 76094.
