Stealing Records at Fairs

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  • I had a bit of an incident at the Melbourne fair where A guy tried to steal $200 worth of psych records from me. I slapped him (open hand) in the side of the head and took his bag from him. He had $200 worth of other dealers stuff as well which I returned. The funny thing was he came back with a friend and wanted his bag back I kind of lost it and threatened to hospitalize both of them. I am 115kg and 188cm and train martial arts twice a week so they both realised from my demeanor I was for real and left.

    I later found that the guy had his empty wallet in the bag which contained his licence and credit cards. I just gave it to the organizer but i should have scanned his credit and got $200 off the prick as compensation for the stress it caused me.

    I know I have lost a few records to shoplifters over the years and can handle that but not in this quantity.

    It took a lot of self control to just slap the dude. My hand was a split second away from forming a fist and I had his earhole lined up for an open handed burst eardrum but pulled it away at the last moment and got the side of his face

    Please share your shoplifting stories

    slapping sucker silly

  • WoimsahWoimsah 1,734 Posts
    Not a fair but I'd be more than happy to steal from the Record Collector on Melrose. F*ck that guy.

  • karlophonekarlophone 1,697 Posts
    Not a fair but I'd be more than happy to steal from the Record Collector on Melrose. F*ck that guy.

    agreed! now theres a guy who needs to have his world disrupted.

  • nzshadownzshadow 5,518 Posts
    Not a fair but I'd be more than happy to steal from the Record Collector on Melrose. F*ck that guy.

    agreed! now theres a guy who needs to have his world disrupted.

    Why?

  • WoimsahWoimsah 1,734 Posts
    Not a fair but I'd be more than happy to steal from the Record Collector on Melrose. F*ck that guy.

    agreed! now theres a guy who needs to have his world disrupted.

    Why?

    Do you live in Los Angeles? If you do, stop by some time and check it out. Then go back a few months later and see if it's changed at all.

    Honestly, I'd be willing to not only steal from him but to vandalize his store on top of it. He's by far the biggest dick I've ever come across in ANY sort of store.

    I'd fight that dude, honestly.

  • nzshadownzshadow 5,518 Posts
    I dont live in LA

    what does not change?

    i remember some older posts about the place, none positive.

    whats the deal with this guy?

  • WoimsahWoimsah 1,734 Posts
    I dont live in LA

    what does not change?

    i remember some older posts about the place, none positive.

    whats the deal with this guy?

    Well, it pretty much boils down to the fact that he's just a complete dick. He basically eyeballs everyone who comes in - and if you're below 40 or so, it's on. He basically just has it out for you from the minute you walk in because he thinks you're going to ruin his records. I've been accused NUMEROUS times of mishandling the records and putting them back in the wrong location - never one time has that been the case.

    He has a guy that works for him who's very kind and tries to be helpful, and who I think has a slight mental deficiency. Sandy, the schmuck owner, consistently bosses him around in the rudest manner and treats him like shit. I've even heard them have a scuffle before.

    No record is below $20. Doesn't matter if it's Leo Sayer, it's still at minimum 20. If you even BEGIN to try and negotiate with him, something i learned to immediately stop doing, he gives nothing but attitude. In doing so, he'll mistreat said vinyl way worse than what he'll eventually imagine you did to the record and accuse you of. Last time I was in there before I relocated to NY, I walked in, was my extra kind self as to not piss him off, and was told something to the effect of "are you going to buy anything? if not - don't look at the records. last time you left em all over the place". That simply was just impossible and never happened.

    My friend went in a few weeks back and kindly asked to browse through the vinyl to which good old Sandy replied "we don't do that anymore. you have to make an appointment."

    Now, you might be wondering why we would venture back to this store time and time again knowing that we're going to be treated like complete shit. Well, I've pulled some pretty killer shit from there before, a pristine Rufus Harley RE-Creation, numerous Italian soundtracks, and some pretty heavy private soul stuff. My buddy has had even better luck, having walked out with a Countdown to Kussini and a Malcom X Philip Cohran, both sealed, each for under $60.00. And those are just the things I'm remembering off the top - there's been many other miraculous finds in there.

    The funny thing is, though, that no one else seems to find stuff there. That's because anybody like us in Los Angeles, for the most part, knows from first hand experience that this dude just sucks balls professionally, and it's not worth it. Dude stays open by older gentlemen buying crusty jazz off him.

    My earliest memory, though, would be when my friend purchased a record that ended up skipping heavily on one track due to a pressing error (found this out when we took it home as you can't preview vinyl at this store - no way). When my buddy tried to return it, he was accused of swapping out copies within the same sleeve. There, of course, is no way this could be proved, dude is just such a staunch prick that that HAD to be the case. This turned into a serious argument as my buddy was clearly being douched. One of his old crusty friends was on hand too egging Sandy on and chiming in with the occasional douche comment.

    So, to sum it up, that place sucks serious donkey dick, but if you're willing to be berated and deal with this guy, you might be able to find something, if he'll let you look.



    This, by the way, is Sandy, the everlasting asshole.

  • walking wax museum / overpriced record gouger/ dealer " oz "
    was getting jacked heavily at record shows.. on the strength of being a dick.

    too others disapproval (i cud gives a fux) ive taken my "fair share" from radio stations and public library's but never would i do the same from shops or dealers.

    you gotta operate from sorta code.


    Pretty loose code you got there bud....

    thank you thank you..

    i was going to tighten up the code and go into some sort of priesthood so i could feel better about my image and what people think of me.

    then i realized something....








    "public libraries/ radio stations>> shops dealers.. thats the spirit"

    not a difference in the world right ?

    **** streeeeeetchhhhh *** boy does seeing that sentence make me tired.

    this has been covered already but ill say it again.

    i guarantee any of you talking shit about " stolen library/ radio " vinyl... if i were to sell a heavy piece that you had been looking for..with radio station call letters written on it.. youd buy it from me or ebay, or your fav local shop.

    fools act like they get some trace back run down on the history of vinyl before they cop it.

    " ummm i really want this but, how did YOU obtain it... you didnt take it from a radio station did you..if so my mommy told me i cant buy it"

    "well, actually i found them all in the dumpster behind the library.. they threw out all their vinyl when the went digital..so you can feel good about spending that $150 on this syl johnson"

    guess what other wild shit went down in my life....i also used to rack paint and markers, bomb the fuk out of the city.. YES I ALSO WROTE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY!, bboy and listen heavily to hip hop like ultra mag and jungle brothers and kool g rap...oh i also hung out with some big-time crack dealers.

    badman forward, badman pull up

  • mannybolonemannybolone Los Angeles, CA 15,025 Posts
    Funny: I just stopped by Record Collector for the first time the other week and it was...interesting. Maybe because I don't look 21, Sandy didn't step to me on some asshole tip BUT he clearly is kind of eccentric. He basically managed to start up a convo with me (convo = him talking, me listening) about technology and de-evolution of humanity plus talk about how he "bought four houses by age 20 from playing the violin" and how he and Lee Strasberg were buddy-buddy.

    Luckily, my wife arrived to help extract me; I suspect he would have been happy to ramble on for hours otherwise.

    I have to say - the store is beautiful in its own way though not terribly convenient to peruse. Most of the records are shelved in tall, vertical cases, which makes it a pain in the ass to flip. He does have some horizontal bins in the front part of the store but the vast majority of the records are bookcase-shelved.

    I don't, for a minute, doubt there's some ridiculous heat there and I've heard all kinds of stories from different folks about shit they've pulled out of there but I also can absolutely see why dealing with Sandy could be a bit of a nightmare.

    That said, he doesn't strike me as a crusty dude at all. He's on some whole other tip that I can't quite place but I didn't get the sense that he was a straight up asshole so much as a bit of an LA oddball (we have a lot of those) with asshole-ish tendencies. I can't cosign on the idea that he needs to get racked but it's also not the first store I'd recommend visitors to LA hit up.

  • WoimsahWoimsah 1,734 Posts
    Funny: I just stopped by Record Collector for the first time the other week and it was...interesting. Maybe because I don't look 21, Sandy didn't step to me on some asshole tip BUT he clearly is kind of eccentric. He basically managed to start up a convo with me (convo = him talking, me listening) about technology and de-evolution of humanity plus talk about how he "bought four houses by age 20 from playing the violin" and how he and Lee Strasberg were buddy-buddy.

    Luckily, my wife arrived to help extract me; I suspect he would have been happy to ramble on for hours otherwise.

    I have to say - the store is beautiful in its own way though not terribly convenient to peruse. Most of the records are shelved in tall, vertical cases, which makes it a pain in the ass to flip. He does have some horizontal bins in the front part of the store but the vast majority of the records are bookcase-shelved.

    I don't, for a minute, doubt there's some ridiculous heat there and I've heard all kinds of stories from different folks about shit they've pulled out of there but I also can absolutely see why dealing with Sandy could be a bit of a nightmare.

    That said, he doesn't strike me as a crusty dude at all. He's on some whole other tip that I can't quite place but I didn't get the sense that he was a straight up asshole so much as a bit of an LA oddball (we have a lot of those) with asshole-ish tendencies. I can't cosign on the idea that he needs to get racked but it's also not the first store I'd recommend visitors to LA hit up.

    Hmmmmmm interesting. Maybe he was in a "good" mood that day?
    Those bins are filled with crap for the most part, the soul section below (a few inches from the ground) is where I've pulled some pretty solid items way back when.

    I can see what you mean about the eccentric part - I just lump him in the "crusty" category bc he's def got get off my lawn tendencies, just in the less traditional sense.

    I'll agree that the store is certainly attractive, though. The old speaker cabinet he has is stunning.

    Dude can still get the bozack, though.

  • DJ_WubWubDJ_WubWub 874 Posts

    you kinda murdered it at the fair, brought that "american" type of quality down under... good work man, people are praising you for saving it....
    peace.

    Brisbane was good I even had other sellers bitching about me. I plan to return to the states fairly regularly while the dollar is good and my supply in Australia has dried up.Thanks for the encouragement

    You doing the Glebe fair in Sydney? Or the Parramatta one?
    Both see you there

  • hertzhoghertzhog 865 Posts




    "public libraries/ radio stations>> shops dealers.. thats the spirit"

    not a difference in the world right ?

    **** streeeeeetchhhhh *** boy does seeing that sentence make me tired.

    this has been covered already but ill say it again.

    i guarantee any of you talking shit about " stolen library/ radio " vinyl... if i were to sell a heavy piece that you had been looking for..with radio station call letters written on it.. youd buy it from me or ebay, or your fav local shop.


    I did not mention radio station records. I could really care less who you've stolen from. But acting as if stealing from a library (common good) is less worse than, God forbid, stealing from a dealer (one man's wallet) is just ignorant.

  • HorseleechHorseleech 3,830 Posts




    "public libraries/ radio stations>> shops dealers.. thats the spirit"

    not a difference in the world right ?

    **** streeeeeetchhhhh *** boy does seeing that sentence make me tired.

    this has been covered already but ill say it again.

    i guarantee any of you talking shit about " stolen library/ radio " vinyl... if i were to sell a heavy piece that you had been looking for..with radio station call letters written on it.. youd buy it from me or ebay, or your fav local shop.


    I did not mention radio station records. I could really care less who you've stolen from. But acting as if stealing from a library (common good) is less worse than, God forbid, stealing from a dealer (one man's wallet) is just ignorant.

    Stealing = still a child.

  • Options
    ^^

    oof

    b/w

    I was watching an episode of Seinfeld last night where uncle Leo steals from a bookstore (Brentano's?). Too funny.

    Stealing after a certain age is ghetto and hilarious in a smh sort of way--especially if you have money!

  • HorseleechHorseleech 3,830 Posts
    Stealing after a certain age is ghetto and hilarious in a smh sort of way--especially if you have money!

    Years ago a friend of mine worked in an upscale mall in Greenwich CN and told me that shoplifting by rich housewives was practically an epidemic and that many stores had a lucrative sideline soliciting payoffs from their husbands in order not to press charges.

  • ddownddown 65 Posts
    Woimsah:

    I've had the EXACT same experience at that store. I simply stopped going.

  • willie_fugalwillie_fugal 1,862 Posts
    walking wax museum / overpriced record gouger/ dealer " oz "
    was getting jacked heavily at record shows.. on the strength of being a dick.

    too others disapproval (i cud gives a fux) ive taken my "fair share" from radio stations and public library's but never would i do the same from shops or dealers.

    you gotta operate from sorta code.


    Pretty loose code you got there bud....

    thank you thank you..

    i was going to tighten up the code and go into some sort of priesthood so i could feel better about my image and what people think of me.

    then i realized something....




    "public libraries/ radio stations>> shops dealers.. thats the spirit"

    not a difference in the world right ?

    **** streeeeeetchhhhh *** boy does seeing that sentence make me tired.

    this has been covered already but ill say it again.

    i guarantee any of you talking shit about " stolen library/ radio " vinyl... if i were to sell a heavy piece that you had been looking for..with radio station call letters written on it.. youd buy it from me or ebay, or your fav local shop.

    fools act like they get some trace back run down on the history of vinyl before they cop it.

    " ummm i really want this but, how did YOU obtain it... you didnt take it from a radio station did you..if so my mommy told me i cant buy it"

    "well, actually i found them all in the dumpster behind the library.. they threw out all their vinyl when the went digital..so you can feel good about spending that $150 on this syl johnson"

    guess what other wild shit went down in my life....i also used to rack paint and markers, bomb the fuk out of the city.. YES I ALSO WROTE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY!, bboy and listen heavily to hip hop like ultra mag and jungle brothers and kool g rap...oh i also hung out with some big-time crack dealers.

    badman forward, badman pull up

    this "logic" is totally and completely fucked. stealing records from a radio station/library is completely different than writing graffiti. doesn't matter how much of a "big dude" you are, this sounds pathetic.

  • WoimsahWoimsah 1,734 Posts
    Woimsah:

    I've had the EXACT same experience at that store. I simply stopped going.

    Definitely makes the most sense...but if you've had the luck that me and my buddy have had there over the years, it'd make that move a little more difficult.

  • selperfugeselperfuge 1,165 Posts
    i had an odd experience with a thief working in a university music library. real easy work study job. they had maybe 8K classical and orchestral, 1K rock, 1K jazz. nothing too out there or rare. music books, video, cds, all that.

    one time this jittery white guy comes in. didnt really seem like a student but i didnt care. i'm f*cking around surfing the internet and he's going through the shelves. when he left the room out the corner of my eye i see this pregnant bulge under his hoodie, like he's got twenty LPs in there.

    at first i wanted to chase him down then i said ahhh go make your beats dude i only get paid $6 an hour for this shit.

  • dukeofdelridgedukeofdelridge urgent.monkey.mice 2,453 Posts
    Record Collector on Melrose Sandy yelled at my mom to not lean on some giant waist-high unplugged speaker, as she came in to retrieve my pops from the store. My dad looked at him, already tripping that this dude came with his "record browsing rules," put the stack of records he was going to buy down, and walked out. He hasn't been back. I've never been there, but I'm dying to check it out. There's something about being rude to my parents that I respect LOLOL!

    ...and I'll tell my dad that he got "under-40 treatment," that'll stoke him out...

    Record Store Weirdos are good. The world is a more interesting place with them.

  • facesdfacesd 236 Posts
    Not a fair but I'd be more than happy to steal from the Record Collector on Melrose. F*ck that guy.

    agreed! now theres a guy who needs to have his world disrupted.

    Why?

    Do you live in Los Angeles? If you do, stop by some time and check it out. Then go back a few months later and see if it's changed at all.

    Honestly, I'd be willing to not only steal from him but to vandalize his store on top of it. He's by far the biggest dick I've ever come across in ANY sort of store.

    I'd fight that dude, honestly.

    I cannot cosine this enough....I would literally punch this cat in his beak



  • walking wax museum / overpriced record gouger/ dealer " oz "
    was getting jacked heavily at record shows.. on the strength of being a dick.

    too others disapproval (i cud gives a fux) ive taken my "fair share" from radio stations and public library's but never would i do the same from shops or dealers.

    you gotta operate from sorta code.


    Pretty loose code you got there bud....

    thank you thank you..

    i was going to tighten up the code and go into some sort of priesthood so i could feel better about my image and what people think of me.

    then i realized something....




    "public libraries/ radio stations>> shops dealers.. thats the spirit"

    not a difference in the world right ?

    **** streeeeeetchhhhh *** boy does seeing that sentence make me tired.

    this has been covered already but ill say it again.

    i guarantee any of you talking shit about " stolen library/ radio " vinyl... if i were to sell a heavy piece that you had been looking for..with radio station call letters written on it.. youd buy it from me or ebay, or your fav local shop.

    fools act like they get some trace back run down on the history of vinyl before they cop it.

    " ummm i really want this but, how did YOU obtain it... you didnt take it from a radio station did you..if so my mommy told me i cant buy it"

    "well, actually i found them all in the dumpster behind the library.. they threw out all their vinyl when the went digital..so you can feel good about spending that $150 on this syl johnson"

    guess what other wild shit went down in my life....i also used to rack paint and markers, bomb the fuk out of the city.. YES I ALSO WROTE ON PUBLIC PROPERTY!, bboy and listen heavily to hip hop like ultra mag and jungle brothers and kool g rap...oh i also hung out with some big-time crack dealers.

    badman forward, badman pull up

    this "logic" is totally and completely fucked. stealing records from a radio station/library is completely different than writing graffiti. doesn't matter how much of a "big dude" you are, this sounds pathetic.

    attn: holier than thou mr. positive moral fiber.
    just like in the past, i knew id catch heat for this from the "do gooders" at soul strut. this has nothing to do with lil dude/big dude posturing.

    you sir.. are correct...
    graffiti: destroying property public or private, which is a felony here and punishable with prison time... vs stealing records that are not for sale ( yet ) are not the same...or i got one for you... the theft of music thats intangible.

    you know ...when your on the internet and you dl songs and full length lps for free.....
    you telling me you dont participate in this act ? CMON SON. Your a thief....grab your balls and admit it.

    logically>> art is not a crime.
    says who, you.. me or the law ?
    MILLIONS are spent trying to stop graffiti. yes.. your tax dollars.

    ask any dealer who posts here, or any shop owners around...they are paid in full and i know im trusted enough to be let into basements alone.
    im by no means a thief, its more of an attitude that goes along with this bboy/hip hop/graf mentality, that most of yall just dont have... you either have it or you dont.

    believe me..radio stations/ public libraries were not hurt in the wallet.
    stop downloading illegally, then maybe ill hear what your saying.

    if stealing music PERIOD = a child, YALL NEED TO GROW THE FUCCK UP.


  • the_dLthe_dL 1,531 Posts

    you kinda murdered it at the fair, brought that "american" type of quality down under... good work man, people are praising you for saving it....
    peace.

    Brisbane was good I even had other sellers bitching about me. I plan to return to the states fairly regularly while the dollar is good and my supply in Australia has dried up.Thanks for the encouragement

    You doing the Glebe fair in Sydney? Or the Parramatta one?
    Both see you there

    i will be seeing you here in adelaide at ocky's!

  • hertzhoghertzhog 865 Posts
    s.

    ask any dealer who posts here, or any shop owners around...they are paid in full and i know im trusted enough to be let into basements alone.
    im by no means a thief, its more of an attitude that goes along with this bboy/hip hop/graf mentality, that most of yall just dont have... you either have it or you dont.

    believe me..radio stations/ public libraries were not hurt in the wallet.
    stop downloading illegally, then maybe ill hear what your saying.

    if stealing music PERIOD = a child, YALL NEED TO GROW THE FUCCK UP.


    Are you this dense truly? It's not about who's hurting in the wallet, it's about the fact that a library is called "public" for a reason-- you know, funded by taxes, there for whoever wants to read a book/hear a record, that sort of thing. Often frequented by people who most dealers wouldn't even give the time of day.

    Now, by no means am I saying that stealing a record that's gathering dust on a library shelf is a serious crime. But making a big fuss about how you'd never steal from a dealer/shop and at the same time seeing nothing wrong with stealing from a public library, is ignorance at its very best.

    As far as that "bboy/hip hop/graf mentality" last time I checked it was stealing from the MAN, not the PEOPLE.

    I didn't see anyone talking anything about "stealing music PERIOD," by the way.

  • HorseleechHorseleech 3,830 Posts
    As far as that "bboy/hip hop/graf mentality" last time I checked it was stealing from the MAN, not the PEOPLE.

    These are usually the same thing, as the MAN will inevitably pass the cost along to the PEOPLE.

  • staxwaxstaxwax 1,474 Posts
    Eh - I racked a few records back in the day - at fairs, stores, if you were a dick, or overpriced, or you were slipping - and, most importantly, i didnt know you, - you were fair game. Believe me, I wasnt half as skanless as some associates, who would even jack equipment in broad daylight.

    Does that offend you?

    If you've never had to hide from cops by, say, crawling underneath parked cars, you probably couldnt relate.

    Of course stealing and all that petty shit is definitely a kids game.

    I can afford to pay for whatever record I want & stealing is simply not worth the hassle - it doesnt even come into my mind anymore - but I used to shoplift for the hell of it back in high school - paint, markers, candy, AND records. The thrill of stealing, and the reason it happens, is being able to get away with it.

    To a thief, 'it aint a crime if you dont get caught', and that, my friends, is the bottom line.

  • HorseleechHorseleech 3,830 Posts
    Eh - I racked a few records back in the day - at fairs, stores, if you were a dick, or overpriced, or you were slipping - and, most importantly, i didnt know you, - you were fair game. Believe me, I wasnt half as skanless as some associates, who would even jack equipment in broad daylight.

    Does that offend you?

    If you've never had to hide from cops by, say, crawling underneath parked cars, you probably couldnt relate.

    Of course stealing and all that petty shit is definitely a kids game.

    I can afford to pay for whatever record I want & stealing is simply not worth the hassle - it doesnt even come into my mind anymore - but I used to shoplift for the hell of it back in high school - paint, markers, candy, AND records. The thrill of stealing, and the reason it happens, is being able to get away with it.

    To a thief, 'it aint a crime if you dont get caught', and that, my friends, is the bottom line.

    Since I came off as the righteous dude before, I'll answer.

    Yeah, I've stolen shit, and I've run from the cops dozens of times (though usually not for stealing) and I've done a lot more extreme things than hide under cars to get away.

    But all of that dates from when I was a teenager and I regret pretty much all of it and consider it a learning experience about who I am and what I can and can't live with.

  • If I lived in LA I'd visit him every week purely to annoy him....

  • leonleon 883 Posts
    I was at a fair recently.I brought some records to trade. Spoke to different dealers to no avail. Then i got to the table of this French dealer, who i gave my records so he could look at them. He took them behind his crates, flipped through them, returned them and said no thanks.
    I walked around some more, and about an hour later i talked to another dealer. I got the lp's out and i noticed some of the records were missing, notably my Doldinger 2LP

    and Blo Phase IV


    Now, this was a big fair with hundreds of tables, and i really didn't know where or when these records dissapeared. After a while i figured it must have been the Frenchman so i took a gamble and got to his table, saying "you still have some records from me, please return them and i won't make a problem." With the swiftness he returned them to me, saying he forgot to return them.

    Should have slapped the dude on the ear.

  • DJFerrariDJFerrari 2,411 Posts
    leon said:

    Now, this was a big fair with hundreds of tables, and i really didn't know where or when these records dissapeared. After a while i figured it must have been the Frenchman so i took a gamble and got to his table, saying "you still have some records from me, please return them and i won't make a problem." With the swiftness he returned them to me, saying he forgot to return them.

    Should have slapped the dude on the ear.

    Le Takeback!

    I've never been to the Record Collector shop, but sounds exactly like the Record Man in Redwood City. I truly despise that guy.
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