Recent Alerts from Doug Davis – Founder and President, Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC) ……
Person of Interest Wanted in Possible Gold Coin Scam
The male subject pictured below entered a coin shop that services the areas of Poquoson, Hampton, Newport News, Yorktown, and Williamsburg, Virginia. The subject selected $9,500 worth of gold and silver coins. During the transaction, the subject kept his head down, continuously touching and arranging the coins and requested a box for the coins since it was a gift for his father.
When asked by the shop owner to see the cash for purchase the subject pulled out approximately $800 and said that he would have to return. The shop owner advised he had several cameras in operation and the subject attempted to keep from having a full facial recorded. The subject left and it is unknown if he was alone or what type of vehicle he was driving.
The owner described the subject as Spanish or of South American descent. The M.O. is similar to that used by Romanian gang members previously tracked by the Numismatic Crime Information Center (NCIC).
Coins Lost or Stolen in Mail
5/8/24:
A package being shipped via the United States Postal Service (USPS) has been reported lost/stolen. The last reported handling of package was at the Sharonville, Ohio Post Office. The package contained a 1921-S Walking Liberty Half Dollar (PCGS F15 #48289737).
5/13/24:
A USPS Express package has been reported lost/stolen. The package was shipped from Southern California and was last scanned location was in Lilburn, Georgia. The package contained the following banknote:
- 1878 $2 Legal Tender FR48 Allison/Gilfillan SN A1965758 – PMG 62 (5014724-004 PMG)
5/13/24:
A victim reported that, according to tracking information, her USPS package arrived in Sacramento, CA and was processed but never sent out for delivery. USPS employees have been unable to locate the package.
The package contained the following coin:
- 1893-S Morgan Dollar PCGS G06 #81451800 (PCGS Secure Gold Emblem)
5/30/24:
A victim has reported that a package sent USPS priority from CA to his residence in Tennessee arrived with the contents missing. The package had been clearly cut open and re-taped. The package contained the following coin:
- 1820/19 Square Base 2 Capped Bust Half Dollar (PCGS #49223213)
Strong Armed Robbery After Indiana Coin Show
On May 25, 2024, a dealer traveling home from a show in Crown Point, Indiana, was the victim of a brazen theft that occurred in Crete, Illinois. The dealer stopped to eat and while in the restaurant, two suspect vehicles pulled up on both sides of the victim’s van. The suspects then broke the van’s window and grabbed totes with the dealer’s inventory. The incident was captured by the restaurant parking lot video and took less than one minute. The suspect vehicles were described as a blue Odyssey and a blue Dodge Caravan.
Vehicle Burglary After Virginia Coin Show
A dealer attending the Salem-Roanoke coin show in Salem, Virginia, was the victim of a vehicle burglary after leaving the show for the evening on June 1, 2024, and stopped at a restaurant to eat. The victim went inside the restaurant and when he returned to his vehicle, unknown suspects had broken out the rear window and removed his inventory. The victim had taken his coins out of the show cases to take back to the hotel instead of leaving them at the show. No suspect or vehicle information is available at this time.
Partial Listing of Stolen Coins:
- Five boxes of large cents in various grades (raw)
- Group of New Jersey Obsoletes
- CSA $500 1864 (T-64) PMG 63 Ch Unc s/n20308 ppB
- Virginia Colonial FR VA-125 s/n2920
- Continental Currency FR CC88 s/n68843
- Raw and slabbed coins various dates and grades
Paper Money Stolen from Priority Mail in Texas
A USPS Priority Mail package shipped from CA to Texas was received with contents missing. The package was last scanned in Houston.
Stolen Contents:
- $5 1934A HAWAII FEDERAL RESERVE NOTE L54904990A
- $1 1935A HAWAII SILVER CERTIFICATE S40425661C
- $10 1934A HAWAII FEDERAL RESERVE NOTE L43448928B
- $20 1934A HAWAII SILVER CERTIFICATE L88774911A
- $500 1934 FEDERAL RESERVE NOTE G00143512A
- $1,000 1934A FEDERAL RESERVE NOTE G00265363A
- $10 1875 NATIONAL CURRENCY NOTE #2596 LOGANSPORT, IN 1335/E445895
- $500 1934 FEDERAL RESERVE NOTE B00055107A
- $5 1950A FEDERAL RESERVE NOTE G94474191B
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Please contact the Numismatic Crime Information Center’s (NCIC) 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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