Fountain Pen Crime In Berkeley, Ca

[AHodnik]

I would pitch in on the wood chipper, or send "them" an invite for an Alaskan Adventure Weekend: Fly-In Fishing, Brown Bear Spotting, Glacier Hiking....

[Namru]

Just some friendly words of advice.

 

BUY the woodchipper. Don't Rent it.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

Fargo suggests that this is messy. Really really messy. One should always freeze whatever you want to put through it. Edited June 12, 2014 by Namru

[jebib]

Is there any camera surveillance at or near your office? That might be a good source too. Campus Security ought to make a major case of this. Frankly, if a cleaning service is employed, I know who'd be the first person I'd suggest my Lawyer to go after. At a personal level I know how bad it feels.

[penrivers]

I would pitch in on the wood chipper, or send "them" an invite for an Alaskan Adventure Weekend: Fly-In Fishing, Brown Bear Spotting, Glacier Hiking....

Send him to crab fishing without gloves in Bering Sea in Alaskan winter. With no pay.

[penrivers]

 

Just some friendly words of advice.

 

BUY the woodchipper. Don't Rent it.

 

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

Ouch ¡¡, bloody disgusting, we set him in acid here.

[PatientType]

Sir John, I used to work at UC Berkeley as well and had some minor pilfering in my office. Things disappeared. After the fact it may not be a helpful comment but I'd not keep anything that I was particularly fond of or that had real value in my office.

I'm still in the greater SF Bay Area so I'll keep an eye out on Craig's list and in the local antique shops for anyone selling fountain pens that sound like those you've lost.

By the way, the UC Berkeley police department is a real functioning police force equal to or better than many municipal law enforcement agencies. (They should be, they're very well paid.) A theft like this from an affiliate's campus office is more likely to get attention and efforts made at recovery in a campus environmnet than had you made a property theft report to a city police department. On the municipal side they would, more likely, just accept and file a theft report for your use with an insurance claim.

[kenshiro]

My condolences on your loss, I can't even imagine the emotional toll of losing a collection that was so many years in the making.

 

I was a grad student in NYC, and set up some cameras in my office when I found things moved around, and lo and behold, the cleaning staff were using my futon to take naps when they were supposed to be working the graveyard shift.

 

Alas, this sounds far more malevolent, and thieves that have the wherewithal to surgically strike only those offices with valuables will probably have ensured beforehand that they have the ability to fence the stolen goods.

 

Is there a registry for stolen pens as there is for photo gear? (e.g. photo.net/registry) If not, that would be a really excellent added feature to FPN.

[lahlahlaw]

In line with Kenshiro's recommendation, we will be wise to learn from this terrible event. Take photos of your pen collections, write down nib serial numbers if you've got Lifetime Sheaffers, Montblancs. Make note of blemishes etc. Write your initials with a fine sharpie on converters or on ink sacs when you replace them.

[Sasha Royale]

I would pitch in on the wood chipper, or send "them" an invite for an Alaskan Adventure Weekend: Fly-In Fishing, Brown Bear Spotting, Glacier Hiking....

Chain him under the deck, while my sister-in-law sings and plays guitar. It's worse than death.

[Sasha Royale]

From Sunday comics of yesteryear -- "Smiling Jack" >>>>

 

" Fight crime with terror. Take back the night ! "

[MontblancSnowcap]

I'm truly sorry for your lost. I hope the police will find the person(s) that did this and recover your collection. I too had a few of my favorite Montblancs stolen from many many years ago. They took my Agatha Christie, a Leonard Bernstein, and a 149 from me...long story. Luckily, they didn't take my whole collection, but needless to say, I lost my passion to continue my collection thereafter. I have recently gotten back into collecting Montblanc again. Please don't do what I did and let the thief or thieves take that passion away from you as well. May your collection be back with you soon.

[kazoolaw]

As you prepare to deal with the insurance company you should read the parts of your policy which deal with (1) what you are insured for, (2) what is excluded, and (3) limits on coverage.

 

(1) Are antiques/collections covered?

 

(2) Are they excluded, either from coverage or replacement cost coverage?

 

(3) Is coverage for those items limited to specific dollar limit?

 

Reading carefully will allow you to discuss your claim knowledgeably. it is always wise to ask the company to put its position and valuation, with reference to the specific policy language, in writing.

 

Good luck,

 

gary

Edited June 15, 2014 by gary

[Mister John]

Thanks for all your help, support, and advice. I gave the insurance company an assessed value of each of the lost items based on replacement prices found all over the web. Happily, they accepted my appraisals in their entirety, so no disputes arose over any item. I've now been reimbursed for the lost and am pen shopping in earnest. Even so, while I can replace the pens, I cannot replace the memories that went with them.

[sotto2]

Excellent, congrats. Glad your efforts paid off, literally. Now keep asking around the building staff for any word from the street.

[GTOZack]

Cameras in your office from now on.

 

live stream.

[usk15]

At least is not a totally loss...

[elysee]

Thanks for all your help, support, and advice. I gave the insurance company an assessed value of each of the lost items based on replacement prices found all over the web. Happily, they accepted my appraisals in their entirety, so no disputes arose over any item. I've now been reimbursed for the lost and am pen shopping in earnest. Even so, while I can replace the pens, I cannot replace the memories that went with them.

 

I am glad for you in regard to the insurance.

 

I agree with you in regard to the memories. It is those memories that make our pens "ours" as well as make our pens special and meaningful to us.

[white_lotus]

That's good news! And the best parts is, with the new pens you get as replacements, you'll develop wonderful new memories with them. May you have them joyfully for many years!

[georges zaslavsky]

sorry to hear about your loss. I had had the same experience in one of my previous workplace where one of my mb 149s was stolen, and a second time some guy tried to steal my parker big red luckily I caught him and gave him one of the hell of a good beating.

[fjoly79]

John: I just moved to Berkeley last week so I am seeing this 3 years after the sad event. I would like to know if there are fountain pen stores/fountain pen afficionados club in Berkeley?

Francois