"Hot" speakers are not sold only out of white vans

[KatWoman]

They can also be sold out of blue vans too LOL. I was on my way to deliver something downtown and stopped for gas and a blue van followed me in. This guy has the usual line..."overshipment" of speakers to their company, hot deal, blah blah. He wouldn't take no for an answer and he said "C'mon now, these these are worth over $2000!" I said, "THen you better sell em quick because you will need that money for bail." He sped off. but I got his plate number and called the police.

So if you are in Phoenix and get approached by a 1999 or newer blue Chevy Astro with a college-aged looking guy driving...that's probably him.

[Rich]

See most ppl wouldnt find that funny, but I did, cause ive never seen anything like that in my life. He was probably pretty surprised when you told him

I said, "THen you better sell em quick because you will need that money for bail." He sped off. but I got his plate number and called the police.

LoL. Even if hes not cought, maybe he will think twice about that shit again?

I wonder if the cops will actually do anything tho. They dont have proof that he has the stolen $hit in there, and they cant just search him for no reason can they?

Im wondering cause I know the laws in the US are much different than Canada.

[KatWoman]

I thought it was kinda funny in a way because over the last few days I have seen comments about "hot speakers/white vans" on several message boards.

No there is no proof off hand that he had the stolen equipment on him. I did not get out of the car when he approached me...he was still in his van too. But since I did make the call and was told by the dispatcher she would notify all the cops patrolling the area, the call itself may be their leverage to use to do a search if they do find him. I do know they can't pull you over and ask to inspect your car without reason. But now they have a reason in this case.

As to your suggestion of his thinking twice...I doubt it. If someone is gonna sink themselves low enough to deal with stolen stuff, then they aren't thinking in the first place.

[YogsVR4]

Kat, I like that answer you gave that guy. Very slick.

[Heep]

There was some young guys in the college parking lot in a light grey full-size 80's Chev van that asked me if I wanted some speakers for cheap...apparently they worked for a speaker company, etc etc etc

I couldn't think of any asshole comments right off the bat, so I just said no, I've already got sweet speakers, thanks. My friend called Crimestoppers on them, and they had already had about 30 some calls about it already.

[KatWoman]

I wonder if this is all part of a big ring or if this is just a common occurrence? I know lots of companies lose product to what they call "trans-shipping"...basically someone in the middle (usually from a shipping co.) takes a shipment (or part of) and directs the product elsewhere for their own purposes. My fiance used to work for a Phoenix-based car audio company a few years ago. One of their own employees was receiving his own employer's trans-shipped products and putting ads in the paper for them. Dumb ass put his own pager number in there and one of the managers called on one of his ads, swung a deal with him, and showed up with the police to "collect"

Originally posted by KatWoman
...I said, "THen you better sell em quick because you will need that money for bail." He sped off. but I got his plate number and called the police...

So, during the past week you have pulled .38 on a guy in a parking lot and called the cops on a entrepreneur?

You are off the chain! You are also lucky the dude didn't have a .38 of his own.

I probably would have bartered with the guy at least. $2000 speakers? How much was he asking? A guy came up to me in a white van like 3 years ago and I didn't buy only because I was a broke college student. I bought half of last years Christmas presents from the local barber shop peddler. Dude came in with dresses, encyclopedia sets, CD's, playstation 2 games, everything.

But I ain't mad at ya. Different strokes for different folks.

Also...were they out of state license plates? I was told a lot of the guys come from out of state and make a circuit selling stuff. They work a lot of bank parking lots, rest stops and gas stations.

[KatWoman]

Originally posted by Sham365


So, during the past week you have pulled .38 on a guy in a parking lot and called the cops on a entrepreneur?

You are off the chain! You are also lucky the dude didn't have a .38 of his own.

I probably would have bartered with the guy at least. $2000 speakers? How much was he asking? A guy came up to me in a white van like 3 years ago and I didn't buy only because I was a broke college student. I bought half of last years Christmas presents from the local barber shop peddler. Dude came in with dresses, encyclopedia sets, CD's, playstation 2 games, everything.

But I ain't mad at ya. Different strokes for different folks.

Also...were they out of state license plates? I was told a lot of the guys come from out of state and make a circuit selling stuff. They work a lot of bank parking lots, rest stops and gas stations.

First off, I don't own a gun, I just said that to the "steaks in mah van" dude to get him away from me and reached between the seats to make him think that....and I said .357 by the way It was late at nite...I was alone in my car. This was awhile back, not recently.

No, I was not about to barter with the speaker guy, that is stupid. First of all, you don't know what his real intentions are. He could have been a rapist for all I know. I think he followed me into the station because my car is fixed up and he assumed I would be into audio of some kind. Second, people who are willing to buy stuff that is obviously stolen are just as bad as the thieves themselves. Third, but I doubt it, it could have been undercover cops doing a sting, and I am not willing to risk my reputation, job, or life to find out.

He had Arizona plates on the van. There are alot of audio companies here in Phoenix so seeing a lot of "hot" stuff here doesn't surprise me.

Well hell, Kat, you could have got shot if the dude DID have a gun and all you had was carseat lint in your hand! You would have had your police forensic pictures up on rotten.com by Monday - brain matter all over the seat and everything.

Also, you are a woman, so a whole different set of rules apply to you. As a guy I feel safe bartering with anybody and I don't feel threatened by men in blue vans and steaks in the back of trucks. It is not wrong to buy stuff at a good price. If a guy tells me it's surplus, who am I to accuse him of being a thief? I bought 2 scalped tickets the other night to a basketball game. Shoot me. I bought a framed painting from a guy on a corner. Shoot me and lock me up. I bought a bootleg version of Friday. Shoot me twice in each knee. But then again, if he says its stolen, then that is totally different and you did the correct, Flanderly, thing in calling the po-po. Did you ask?

Nothing is obvious when it comes to electronics sales. Stuff is popular one day, the next day you can't bride somebody to buy it. And look at eBay!!! I see people selling 50 of this and 40 of that all the time...no receipts, nothing.

And you don't get raped on eBay.

[KatWoman]

No it is not wrong to buy stuff at a good price...as long as it's not stolen. I like saving a few bucks myself, but when companies lose money because someone is stealing their stuff then they raise prices to cover their loss and then it sucks for the honest person who has to pay. Some of the peddlers you see on the street selling paintings or cd's or whatever may be legit or not be. I don't go looking to buy stuff from them so I don't know. But kinda funny how the speaker guy took off when I made my "bail" comment, don't ya think? And as for the steaks guy, let's be real...why would you be trying to sell meat after 10 p.m. in a parking lot? Hmmmmm. As for both these guys, my gut feeling said they were shady, and I never discount it when I get those "heeby jeeby" feelings about people.

As for ebay, there is more to it than just selling. If you don't pay or you don't deliver your sale item, legal action can result, as you are entering a contract when you buy or sell and collect funds. Also I am sure there are a lot of people trying to peddle stolen goods. I know that some (if not most) companies keep track to make sure their products are not being sold unauthorized. 1 guy selling a few speakers and an amplifier is nothing to blink at, but if you have someone with 50 of one thing in stock, they will do what they can to check up on that. And if Ebay finds out you are dealing that way, they will ban you from using them again.