*alert* SEVEN DISPLAY DOLLS MISSING FROM NY DOLPA

So here's a list of the possible suspects:

Fashion Institute of Technology Staff and/or Student(s). =*___*=

fellow doll enthusiast(s) / collector(s). =>M<*=

this really pains me to point out..... Volks' own staff and/or a rival BJD company. =._.'''=

 

Perhaps I read too many Sherlock Holmes books when I was little... but the idea of art theft should not be dismissed as a silly far fetched thought. they all share a similar aesthetic (except for the Ruby...) and no "duplicates" were taken.

Also just to point out... at one point I had 40 dolls, and I had not posted any pictures to any forum(it took A LOT of poking and proding from certain members for me to share my cute kiddos) . I dont like sharing my collection, and I know there are many others like me so its not THAT unlikely.
But I would prefer to think it was a snatch and dash... that way these beautiful dolls can come back to the public eye.


whatever the case I can only hope that Volks sees how much our community is suffering with them... I really hope they continue doll partys in North America...
*goes back to lurking*

 

It's horrible!! I cant believe it!!!! It's so sad

 

All this is horrible !!! >_<
Be sure I'll watch the french and european market too...
Hope the SDs will be give back. I keep the faith !

 

I also can't help but speculate that this was an inside job. I just heard on the TV about some NY custodial staff at a hotel stealing things from someone's room. I know this happened at a school, and one custodial team cant justify for all, but it is a rather tempting position. I truely hope that the police have been notified and that this case can be solved with the dolls' safe return.

I know someone mentioned that the #1 best way to get away with this would be to export the dolls out of the country. At this point, the only way that could be done is if someone was flying out today. Post is closed on Sundays, so unless the thief/thieves had this pre-meditated, theres a good chance the dolls are still in the state, or at the very least, the country.

 

Well somebody did mention before that the table with the elf dolls was closest to the exit, also, they were the only ones there. With so many dolls, it could easily have been that they took what they could hold and ran off with that. I'm not sure how they were arranged but if the dolls closest to the exit were stolen that's a very possible option? Also, as Starherd said, someone might've been approaching or the thief could've gotten scared off and thus didn't have time to get the remaining dolls.

I'm just saying that it seems way too fantastic of an idea to me that this was a highly organized crime. Though there are plenty of thieves out there, how many of the really expert level ones are doll collectors/follow the doll community/are known by someone in the doll community? I'm not saying expert as in Catwoman-like or Mission Impossible, but I'm saying "expert" as in knowing who to deal with and getting hired to steal the dolls; the organized crime type of thief ((not just your average petty one)).

It seems more believable that the person just couldn't hold them all so they chose the ones that could be carried the easiest. All the smaller dolls were taken and only one SD16 was stolen out of the four. If they were an educated thief they would know to take the SD16 girls because they're worth more and are a lot rarer ((besides Irvin of course)).

Though it makes a lot of sense that the person who stole the dolls could've been a doll person as well. All the dolls besides Irvin can be obtained second hand on the doll market. If you sell a blank FCS doll nobody would know it was a display model and Ruby was released at a previous doll event. If you sold the doll blank and wiped off the signature it would be the same case in that nobody could really tell it was the stolen doll.
The owner could think of selling the other stolen dolls, while keeping Irvin to themselves. It may be hard to keep 7 dolls in your collection a secret but one doll could easily be hidden away and kept till a bigger release of Irvin after the dolpa. Even this way, after the dolpa, the Irvin could end up getting sold with the rest of the second hand Irvins that would pop up.

It could be a prank even... though that's a sick sick joke... College students can be major idiots. FIT or not, there are some really dumb college kids out there.

Again, this is all speculation. In the end they're all just stories until we find out ((which we may or may not)) what really happened.

I just really feel bad for everyone at the dolpa and for the Volks staff. I can just imagine some people there crying... I just really hope everything works out alright and that maybe something good will come out of this tragic event.

 

I'm with you Insane-Chan.. it's all the more reason to keep alert, especially for the NY-area locals.

 

Sadly, I agree with you. It seems that there are several monied private collectors out there who are willing to pay and organize this kind of theft. If those dolls were specifically targeted, then the thieves knew their value.

If there is demand, there will be buyers. If there are buyers, there will be thieves.

Sure this scenario sounds like an episode from Law & Order Criminal Intent, but we don't really know anymore since Volks dolls are becoming widely known and sought after.

Needless to say, I felt numb after reading this dreadful news. Last night I was just looking at the pictures of some of those dolls and admiring their beauty. Now they have been stolen.

This crime was very well-planned from beginning to finish. It wouldn't surprise me if several people were involved in stealing these dolls.

And someone mentioned that this sort of incident further tarnishes the reputation of the United States, especially to the eyes of the Japanese. Hopefully, Volks will not stop holding Dolpas here--maybe they might just add more security and change their setup for their doll displays in the future.

It is a sad day for the doll community.

 

I agree with you on this one, too! Not only college students, but high school students or just BORED kids who think it's funny to steal dolls.

What can I say, really? This is a form of vandalism/theft?

But whatever type of person/people took those dolls, they do not have any ounce of respect for other people's property.

 

i almost threw up when i saw the headline up at the top of the DoA pages.

 

The room full of dolls was left alone at night? Locked or not that doesn't sound like something that any doll company should have approved. These dolls are expensive and rare, and a locked door shouldn't be the only security measure against their theft. Japan isn't a perfect place, and in somewhere as large as NYC (or Tokyo) there should be more security against the theft of high-priced items.

 

When I saw the headline, I felt sick. This is just awful. I don't have very many doll friends, but I will post about this on my livejournal and myspace in an attempt to keep the word spreading. T___T

 

I'm now wondering if this incident affected today's Dolpa events?

With such tragedy, I bet it is a bit difficult to make the show "go on".....

 

People watching E-bay and such should also keep an eye out for just the outfits and other parts which could be sold separately. (If i were an E-bay user) I'd watch for the garments to be high priced and marked as "Volks" or "Hand made", now more than ever be aware of what you buy so as not to fund/reward thievery. For such a horrible thing to happen to our doll hobby here in the U.S.A. makes a horrible impression and makes me very sad.
I hope the dolls and all their stuff are returned to the rightful owner.

 

*nods* it makes me wonder about the security that they have there.. I know that Volks wouldn't slack off on not knowing how protected their dolls are, at least not on purpose.. so hence, the speculation of the pre-meditated crime.

or, yes.. it could've been an idiotic spur of the moment speal.

 

Erik and I just got back from Dolpa and heard the announcement right before we left.
These dolls were the ones displayed closest to the doors where the FIT and catering staff were accessing the room.
Volks was not specific about when they were stolen, but did say they were already packaged in boxes.
It was not only one larger doll taken, there were 4 larger dolls and 3 MSD sized dolls. Those are some BIG boxes to just be swooshed out the doors
without anyone noticing and I just do not believe that this is the work of one of the event attendees. This HAS to be someone (or someoneS) that either work at
FIT or were working at the event (ie. catering or security staff) and I know there were a lot of people who worked there who mentioned to several of us how
facinated they were with our dolls.
I am sure everyone at the event felt as badly as I did to hear this news and it really tweeks my knob that anyone would feel that they had the right to take them.
I am sure with the help of everyone here on DoA, FIT, FDQ and the fashion doll collectors at least a few of them may get recovered. And if this is the work of someone
who doesn't know the doll communty, I hope they realize what trouble they just started for themselves. BJD communities are some of the strongest numbers to
ban together in times like these and I know we are going to do everything in our power to help locate them.

 

this is horrible i can't believe people sometimes. all we can really do now is keep all of our eyes out. on any and all auction sites. especially ebay since they have so many different servers. US, UK, Spain, etc. even though the thief is in the US, they can list on any server of ebay and claim otherwise.

i feel for Volks and what they must be going through right now. hopefully they will drill the security guards on duty that night, find out what happened, and how someone managed to go in, steal 7 dolls, and walk out without being noticed. its not an easy task if you are trying to be gentle and wrap them up. the only quick way is to throw them into a bag and go. which i really don't want to think about, considering the damage that may have occurred.

i'm on ebay and YJ daily just checking the market out, and i will for sure save all the pictures from the news thread and keep my eyes out.

 

That is so awful!!!!! ;O; I can't belive anyone would do such an awful thing!!!!

I think if they were only aiming for specilic dolls, it's odd that only one of a mold that hd 2 there was taken D= I dunno though, this is just awful.... ;_;

 

Lord..... i hope they'll have the show go on..

i'd imagine Volks, or even the Dolpa attendees, might have a quickly assembled committee to help find the dolls. then of course, there's us watching the internets. >3