*alert* SEVEN DISPLAY DOLLS MISSING FROM NY DOLPA

Well... Items of lower market value have been featured on America's most wanted - though that is just a humourous aside.

I'd balk at plastering BJDs all over that thing anyway - just in case it gives some other Cro-magnons the idea that doll theft is a good way to make money.

Yuko.

 

That actually made me laugh; thank you. The idea of a stereotyped 'cave person' bumbling around with stolen dolls is just too funny.

 

Well, that might have a better plot than 10,000 Years BC - Bong!

 

I completely agree with Iikaya's analysis. These dolls were stolen by non-collectors who think they can sell them for a big profit. That means the dolls are going to turn up somewhere for sale, probably on eBay, and when that happens the thieves will be caught.

A couple of years ago, a box full of dolls was stolen from a local doll show. It took a couple of months, but then the dolls started showing up on eBay, and the thief was caught soon afterward. And those were rather mundane dolls, much more difficult to spot than the rare OOAKs stolen at the NY Dolpa. All it took was someone who knew which dolls had been stolen and who checked eBay every day.

I personally think the thieves were probably hotel janitorial personnel. A collector would not have stolen these dolls, because they could never even show them to anyone, and what fun is it to have a fabulous rare OOAK BJD if you can't show it off??? ... Cindy

 

I've been reading this for a while now and I feel its time I put my two cents in. If I had to wager on who stole them I'd say it was someone desperate for money...or other things. I doubt they know the massive amount of effort people are putting into keeping an eye out for the dolls so, if they place them up on ebay then they will be caught, but I'd say more than likely, the local shops should be watched.

However, even then it is a long shot. the highest probability of where these dolls will go is this. The person will try to trade them for whatever it is they want, more than likely dope. Sorry to say it, but I'd bet everything on that. It has many signs of such a case, and I know the signs well having watched them in my own father untill he died, but by the time they stuff had reached my dads hands, the real owner wouldn't want it back. The dolls will simply transfer hands until someone thinks to try selling them on ebay or they are so gross no one will want them back. Then they'll get the blame. It's like a bad case of hopscotch with the one at the end turning into a scapegoat.

I hate seeing this. It's very sad. However the classic swipe before they're being boxed is a big way to get stuff. A friend of mine was all packed and ready to leave after a band show and someone simply drove off with his van when he stuck his head back inside to make sure everything was packed. He lost thousands of dollars in instruments and stuff.

I'd really like to see these returned, but I highly doubt it'll happen as quickly as we'd like.

 

I'm sitting here, trying to imagine a drug dealer going, "Ok, I'll take a doll for that."

Doesn't seem to be computing.

Honestly, anyone outside this hobby will have no idea the worth of these dolls. I'm trying to imagine some shady trades involving stolen items and I'm just finding it hard to believe that someone outside this hobby will agree to trade a TV, stereos, laptop or jewelery for the dolls. To them, they know the value of electronic items, of gold and semi-precious jewels. These dolls are just going to seem like playthings to them. Someone with an eye for collectors item (a pawn shop, for example) would possibly guess that they are worth some money, but even then, the dolls will probably be priced at just a fraction of their real value.

 

I'm not trying to downplay what happened at all. The point I was trying to make was, while this is huge news in the doll community, it's of little importance to the rest of the world. I know everyone is eager to help out, but come on, lets not get carried away.

 

Mimou: I seriously love you right about now. ^^

It is true that though this is horrible news, in the grand scope of things there are far worse things that are happening around us besides dolls being stolen. I feel for Volks, but they also took the attitude to let it be and see what comes of it. We should do the same, keep an eye out and stop creating wild cop and robber fantasies about the theft.

 

Thanks for sharing this story - I figured that there must be a number of cases in which this had happened in the larger doll community (or other communities), but so far people had only posted about stolen art and no happy endings with those. (Which is just terrible, it's really sad to think that there are people out there who would steal and destroy the hard work of others.) The Tonner dolls that were taken from the one convention, I assume they were never recovered?

Personally, I AM checking, and I strongly encourage other people who are reading and posting in this thread to do so also. It probably won't be soon, but I do believe these dolls WILL show up if we don't give up hope looking for them, and this story buoys that hope.

I have and will continue updating an info post on my doll LJ if anyone wants it for reference, it has links to pics of all the dolls, info on them, and links to searches online - whatever I can think of. Please feel free to link people to it, it's not a plot to make more LJ friends, I just want to see these dolls found. :P I'm close friends with one of the Volks staff, she's the one who got me into BJD in the first place, so I admit to taking the theft somewhat personally in addition to being affronted as a collector.

 

Well, with art, there are a number of cases of very famous paintings being stolen, then randomly turning up in a warehouse or stacked outside the museum... in one case I thinkn they were found in an abandoned car in a parking lot, but I may be thinking of something else... I do believe that somehow, they will turn up. It might just take a bit of time...

 

I think it is a bit naive to assume that these dolls can't be sold. There is a booming business in stolen art, antiques and collectibles of all kinds.

Sometimes the thief either has a buyer in mind from the start, or is actually hired by someone who wants the item. If not, there are many people who "fence" stolen goods; in NYC you probably wouldn't have to go a block to find one if you are in the know, and thieves and/or junkies make it their business to know. The original thief doesn't usually get anywhere near the full value of the item, of course. The item goes for more money as it goes up the illegal "food chain," and the dealers' knowledge goes up, too.

Finally, collectors (of anything) can include some people who will stop at nothing to get what they want. The fact that a unique stolen item can't be openly displayed is not a deterrent to collectors who are obsessed with acquisition. Many famous works of art have been stolen that disappeared into private collections. Sometimes they reappear years later, sometimes they just go from collector to collector.

Just because these are lovely dolls doesn't mean that everyone who collects or deals in them is a lovely person - just look at all the scammers!

 

for grand larceny you get life, so whoever this is is in seriously deep trouble.

 

I'd like to agree, but people into pot or worse aren't smart. Anything they can get their hands on they'll sell, trade, etc. If they were working at the site where the event happened then they can gestimate the worth by all the hype going on. Anything will sell for a quick buck. I saw so many strange things pass by my dad when I was younger. A few of which I caught before they were passed on, a sword, a small ivory pocket shrine, broken down cars, parts, tvs, clothes, fake jewlery,and yes a doll. It was a geisha doll someone had traded him for whatever it was he had, either car parts or other stuff. To someone only interested in their next hit, they don't care about value as long as it gets them a little bit.

I feel really bad bringing this up and being so adamant about it. I honestly really hope they are found and the thief is punished, but if it's ended up in the hands of an addict they will probably never be seen, or seen in good condition again. I've had lots of my stuff stolen, either by other college students, or family. Its sad to say, but I've never seen that stuff again even after warning all pawn shops and collectible shops with in a 20 mile radius. Addicts have their own little circle of trade, and just bcause one person doesn't know the value doesn't mean another won't and try to rip person a off for the item.

Really all we can hope for is the person who ends up with the doll is naive enough to share it with another owner who recognizes it.

This'll be my final say. I feel bad bringing this up, but its a viable option. Everything has a value the an addict, its the person who gets the item that might show it off.

 

When I logged in today and saw the message no longer at the top, I had hoped they had been found. Its sad to see that its not the case after all =(

 

I think they were stolen to order. Someone, most likely a collector, said to some staff at the Hotel, "i'll give you x-amount of money if you get me those dolls". The thief isn't likely to get caught, it's an inside job, and we'll never know what happened. It's sad but possible. Just because a collector won't be able to show these dolls off to their friends certainly isn't reason enough not to suspect one. Theor are plenty of private art collectors for instance, who do not show their galleries to anyone except themselves.

Not everyone on the forum here takes photographs of their dolls, and may not even actually say all they genuinely have.

 

Once again to clarify, this did not take place at a Hotel.
But your post is very valid and is definately a possibility.

But, I disagree with the stolen to order thing because one fact rules it out-
No one new what dolls were going to be on display!
Beside the Jewels and Irvin, which were announced.

I have an odd feeling the people who set up there in the early morning for the (un-announced) other even might have something to do with it, because that was way to fishy for me.
Seriously, I feel no one has enough info to say "I think it was a non collector." or "I think it was a collector" because in all reality, the possibilities are quite equal on both sides.


Lets just hope they get found, hopefully in FIT.
I know it is human to want to get into the nitty-gritty of things, especially something like this that really hurts some of us personally, but making too many assumptions may just confuse everything..
I find the comments about crack addicts and criminal intellgence not very helpful... They are a bit random and not called for. Let's not focus on the possible life story of the criminal, but just getting them back and wishing the best to Volks and the Shigetas.

*Jen

 

That is exactly what I was thinking, too.

 

I guess they figure that by now, everyone who's paying attention to such things knows the dolls are missing, and which dolls they are.

I did get the chance to talk with Shino after the Dolpa, and though she seemed certain that it wouldn't be quite the right word she was after, she and the staff of VOLKS were happy and comforted by the swift action of Ashbet and the other Mods here at DoA in getting the notification up and into the public eye.

VOLKS staff, especially President Shigeta, seemed very positive about New York Dolpa 4 and even 5. Their reaction to this very unpleasant stain on what should have been two days of unadulterated joy has only served to increase my respect for everyone over there.

~Bruce (Who, due to being mostly offline for the couple of weeks preceding Dolpa, is still trying to catch up on his e-life. I will admit to not having read this entire thread, but do plan to go back and do just that!)

 

The message was just temporarily taken down while we tweaked some new settings for the board.
I wish they were found.

 

This is more of a curiosity thing than an actual "has the alert been raised in..."

Has word reached the Japanese doll community? I wonder what they make of this commotion...