UBB.threads Forums Edged Weapons SS Dagger Forum Chained SS missing

A chained SS dagger that was being sent from the USA along with a Paul Weyersburg Postal dagger have arrived here in the UK as a 2 bars of metal.

Please keep an eye on any sites that offer them for sale from the UK and let me know please.

I have some pictures if needed for comparison.

I have inforemd Fedex.

Regards

...thiefs are everywhere, I reall feel sorry for You ....

A) Do you trust the seller and have you dealt with him before? B) Is there any sign of tampering with the package? C) Most Important. Was the package insured to the correct amount?

Terrible to hear that mate
Please post some pics of them and I will help keep an eye out for them !
Happy New Year Collective fellows !!
Cheers, Hakan

Note to all:
I just paid my 2010 insurance premium to C I A yesterday. If the seller has insurance from them and followed their shipping regulations these daggers would be covered at full value. I had one claim(dagger stolen during shipment) since signing up with C I A which was paid.
No one want's to hear what has happened here but IMO shipping daggers without insurance is foolhardy.
Jim

Yes insurance was paid and a true value was declared. I have looked at the package. The original tape has the customs pouch and postage paid sticker on top of it. This tape is intact and not played with the box had been cut below this at one end and clear tape added. see pictures.

The metal bars are of two different sizes and may be spare parts for something.

more to show ingenuity

That totally ****s.
Can you post post some photo's of the dagger so I can keep on the lookout?

Best of luck with Fed-Ex.

What does the seller have to say about all this and were they described as daggers on the customs form?

Sorry to hear that story. Horrible

The main problem is the unfaithful peoples working at the postal sorting. They scan all packages out of the US.......and when it came to UK thay scan it again.

Some of the peoples working with this job has taken the daggers. You have to work out from that.
If this was an express package....the problem can also be on the "curer" driving the package to the doors. Check up the time the package arriwe and the time out of foreign customs for delivery!

If you work very hard..you will find out.
Maybee the USPS/ fedex or Royal Air Mail or the Customs have videotaped the area where these workers job ? Call them or send them a mail.
Good Luck.

LH

Shipper has not replied yet but he works away from home. Yes there is CCTV here in the UK.

They were described as old knives. I have had items from the same guy via the same method without any hitches. At this time of year many part time staff are employed or casuals as they call them.

Looking at the tape on the bars and the tape used to reseal the parcel I think this was planned and the package targetted. The bars are joined with brown tape the other is clear. Why would the thief use two differeing tape?

Also I am curious to find out what those bars could be part of? They appear to be colour coded.

You could help with some points though.

Is there any way in the US that you could package an item, take it to a post office, have it weighed and postage paid, then take it away again? In the Uk you cannot do this. Once you have paid the postage they take the parcel.

I ask because the stated weight for posting was 2.7lbs yet the parcel I have weighs 2lbs.

I will keep you informed

Attached pictures best I can do. Shipper onnly had a 4meg camera

SS

quote:

Is there any way in the US that you could package an item, take it to a post office, have it weighed and postage paid, then take it away again? In the Uk you cannot do this. Once you have paid the postage they take the parcel.

To the best of my knowledge the post office won't return an item that been processed.

Another point:
Due to the wide availibility of information with the advent of the Internet many more people including postal employees are aware of the hight values of daggers such as these.
I think you said the daggers were replaced with two metal bars. Why don't you get them dusted for fingerprints? I know it's a long shot.
Jim

Frank, The brown shipping tape has the USPS postage affixed over the top of it, showing that it was originally sent with this adhesive to seal the package. The metal bars are also bound with this same brown tape. Would that really make sense if the daggers were removed at some point after shipment, and replaced with the metal bars ???

Also, show that container with the blue and yellow squares. Is that what the metal bars were in ?

Hello Spock,
Sorry at the loss.
Maybe I,m dumb or something but the
box shows what is a USPS box stamped by
the local Mailing Office @$101....
Yet.. you make reference to complaing to Fedex.
Who was the Carrier?
I take in stuff all the time by USPS EMS,personal and the Family.The tape is typical of the stuff used by Parcel Force when opened.
(Genuinely or not?)
I understand the incoming goes to Coventry and is sorted for further delivery to the sorting Office.In my case always Milton Keynes.
There Parcel Force "selects" for further processing on behalf of HMRC.I specifically asked during the recent strike if the Auto scan.
I was told NO.not enough staff or fully equipped.
So which Shipper handled yours ? Fedex or Parcel Force??
I will certainly look out for you.
Postals dont show up every day in UK.
Cheers
Seiler

I was told NO.Not enough Staff

The metal bars are common "standard square bars" found in most US hardware/building supply stores along with round ones. They come in a variety of lengths. The colors indicate size for quick identification. They are used for a variety of purposes.
I don't know if they have these in the UK. If not it would indicate the area of the theft would be the US.

Frank, The postage for 3 pound box by Priority is $33.00

The postage for up to $700 of insurance is $9.40. So you are at $42.40 at this point.

The postage shows $101.50 on the box. So you have a difference of $59.00


For that amount the additional postage purchased at a rate of $1 additional per $100 of insurance (USPS rate for insurance over $700), would insure your package for a total of $6600.00 for the 2 daggers.

Is this what you agreed to with the shipper or were expecting as far as coverage............. a Postal Dagger and a Chained SS insured for the value of $6600.00 ?

Mount Clemens Michigan where the package originated from, is a fairly small community with a population of under 20,000. That should make your search perhaps a little easier. Standard procedure also requires the "scanning" of an insured package when it goes through the system all along it's route. This could help as well.

Thanks for all the help.

I have never seen this type of Bar in the UK. So I agree with Houston that the theft occurred on US soil. As such I have informed the security people in the UK.

I have the bars and if they need to be dusted for prints they will only have mine on them.

The package was shipped into Stansted where the carrier is FEDEX. I will await the review of the CCTV. The package was in a secure cage in the Fedex area until removed for delivery to me.

JR the insurance value was relative to monies paid. I had not paid for both.

It was maybe a little low but once bitten as they say.

I will keep you informed though I suspect this will end up on the lap of US law enforcment.

Happy 2010 to you all.

JR.

The reason I asked about the postal process was just that. Had the bars always been in the package?

I dont see how they would have lost .7 of a pound during shipping. So I am happy that there were daggers in the box. I am awaiting the shipper to contact me.

Well in lieu of that Frank, looks like you should get your "jack" back straight away, and the shipper will need to sort out the insurance claim with USPS............... which could take some time.

The sad thing is that it is not always the peons that take the items.A postal inspector was recently charged in Montreal, I believe, with thefts going back a decade.

I usually always ship registered mail to the UK and other European countries unless its cheap. It's chain of custody type of shipping and is locked up where ever it goes.
The whole circumstances of this shipment seems extremely odd. Since it appears to have a USPS label on on side yet a FedEx label on the other? It could be that the seller of these daggers just used an old box? I am sorry you got to go through this. Dealing with these shippers to get insurance money is beyond a pain in the butt. It is a nightmare! I agree with Jim that if you ship high dollar edge weapons with out C.I.A. your taking a heck of a risk and that is definitely foolhardy. Obviously it isn't available to everyone but those who can get it should. I would think enough evidence is available to try and pursue the thief. An item of that value would classify it as a felony theft in most countries. Good luck with this.

I think you should re-think the bars in terms of finger prints. I do crime scenes in our PD and those would be great for getting a lift from. The bars and even the tape. I would try not to handle them too much until you explore this option. It is a felony your dealing with so should get some extra attention.

Strange--I don't think FEDEX would use a USPS box as that is against US federal law.

I think the brown tape before the stamp and again on the bars make it all look like it was shipped that way ...very fishy.

Frank,
Horrible news and not the kind of start you want to a New Year. I hope you manage to get it sorted and the low life was stupid enough to leave his paw prints all over those nice shiny metal bars.

Degens I like the bug

sorry to hear of your loss,,in this hobby ,you really need to know someone , because references are everything. Fortunately for me I bought an SA from a New York dealer but came highly recommended, by TW. His word was gold to me but it did not stop me from worrying about it in the mail system. Mine was a day late when it came, but it came with great relief and I was only 2 states away. Thieves are everywhere, especially in the most trusted places.
It might be worth it next time and may cost a few extra bucks,that you have the seller send it to a reputable dealer (if he is willing), and have him authenticate it, and you pay for the shipping from the dealer and his authenticating services. Sound Cazy?? Maybe...but no ones heart is really set on a surprise loss. With me depending on the value of the item, I use the idea mentioned above. Especially, in this economy when people are desperate, or just plain evil!! Best to you Spock and all who are contemplating future purchases. Larry

as long as you dont pay for postage,you can take the package away from the post office,,i do this to get an accurate rate for my overseas customers,,also this is the exact reason why i ship international with a REGISTERED RECEIPT and a SIGNED RETURN RECEIPT BACK TO ME SHOWING SUCCESSFUL DELIVERY,,the registered mail label makes anyone who touches the package have to sign for it,,many buyers complain but i have never lost a parcel due to theft by CMA,,,

Siegfried:

I have used the system you have suggested several times. Sending it locally to an expert to authenticate will do several things:

1) it minimizes the risk in transit since it is a local delivery and avoids the security and inspection curtains around cross border shipments.

2) it gets you peace of mind about the piece you just purchased

3) shipments from the expert/dealer are usually better insured and managed and lower risk to you.

That being said, I know that there are several options to maintain some sort of chain of custody recording. I prefer the Postal systems since they take a harsher view of malfeasance than the courier companies do. And, in most countries, postal theft is a lot more serious a crime than petty larceny is.

There are all kinds of arguments about what value to declare on the shipments, not just moral ones. For instance, if you have a high value declared on an item, will it not mark this item as a good candidate for theft within the delivery system?

I think that it is up to the buyer to decide what risk he wants to take and the seller to agree to do what the buyer wants. Both have to agree.

In cases like this, where it seems that the delivery system itself has some serious ethical issues, needs to be harshly and quickly dealt with. Putting pressure on the mailing service, Post Office or courier company, is the right thing to do and giving them the information to nail the bad guys will only make it safer for all of us.

John

Exactly right militarymania. I hate it when USPS doesn't do registered mail. I've had a few countries not allow it. Canada being one, don't know why? I too haven't ever had a lose using it. Standard priority, Fedex nor UPS offer this feature. The later two wouldn't get my business ever again anyways since their operations are a joke in my opinion. An expensive joke.

I'm sorry but I'm confused about the carrier or shipper.

How does Fedex play into this scenario?

I only see a U.S. Post Office (U.S.P.S.) Special Priority box and with an attached U.S. postage receipt sticker.

I don't see any Fedex stampings or association however the sender and someone else is making reference to Fedex.

Or am I unaware and once a parcel is received in a foreign country Fedex then picks up the local delivery of U.S. postal parcels?

John

If you look at the other picture not the one with the USPS label. You will notice the other label on the side of the box. It is very strange indeed.

quote:

Originally posted by wes_143:
I think the brown tape before the stamp and again on the bars make it all look like it was shipped that way ...very fishy.

..hmmm, something brings dry ice to mind?
I hope the mystery is solved. "Shields UP!"

Adam,

Are you referring to the blurry photo of a bar code label?

Spock,

Will you please clarify how the parcel was mailed and how or where Fedex played in?

Sad news!

I don't know how it's like in other countries, but in Norway for example UPS is locally handled by another company (royal norwegian mail), likewise DHL freight may be transferred onto other local shippers..

I hope such theft will not be more common in the future!

Best,

Fedex handled the onward part of the delivery once in the UK.

It depends which airport hub the parcel arrives in as to who is the local carrier. It could be that in times of severe traffic, like Christmas, other handlers are contracted to move the loads.

So far i have the Fedex security in the UK reviewing the CCTV of the caged area the parcel was kept in until delivery. It is monitored 247. The security guy emailed me last night to state that if, as we suspect, the theft occurred on US soil he would be contacting his US counterpart.

I think that all parcels are scanned before placing into the hold. Hopefully we can find at which point the package lost its original consignment.

There needs to be a better way of logging values without them being plastered all across the front of a box. If anyone sees a very high value written on a lable then the temptation is there to steal it.

I only hope the thief attempts to sell it on quickly and our fellow collectors pick up on it.

Happy New Year to you all, it can only improve.