casey259 Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 So sad to write this post but here's what has happened to me. I had started my own business from the ground up no debt last year. Since then I grew to 10 machines all profitable and above the national average. I was lucky enough to have these in a relatively small grouping geographically speaking so servicing was cake. Yesterday, as I write this, I was informed by these locations that my machines are gone. From what I can gather it was two individuals posing as NCCS service repair people who informed the individuals on site that they needed to be taken in for repair. It took place over about a month. Sadly since I've been bootstrapping there are no funds to keep going. The local police department won't do a stolen item report as in their opinion they can't prove it was there initially. I didn't have insurance on the items as that wasn't priority number one. In hindsight it should have been. It could have been a competitor or just some thugs but in any event it appeared to be very planned. I want to thank everyone here who's helped me out with any question I may have ever had. It's time for the next big adventure. I can only hope that the people who took it truly needed the money. It's a sign of our times and I wish I could say that I'm shocked but turning on the news anymore I'm not. Take care everyone and God speed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wonder Vend Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 That is very disheartening, sorry to hear about that. It is especially lousy to hear the police can't/won't help with this. Hopefully it doesn't happen to any other local vendors.....and hopefully it wasn't another local vendor that did it Best of luck your for future endeavours Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherlock Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 The local police department won't do a stolen item report as in their opinion they can't prove it was there initially. Is the staff at each location unwilling to confirm to the police that their location did, in fact, have a machine that you serviced? At very least they can confirm there was a machine in "that spot" that is now gone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casey259 Posted August 7, 2014 Author Share Posted August 7, 2014 Is the staff at each location unwilling to confirm to the police that their location did, in fact, have a machine that you serviced? At very least they can confirm there was a machine in "that spot" that is now gone. Great question. They would undoubtedly confirm that is was there. Here's the thing, it wouldn't lead anywhere. My best friend is a cop here and I asked him realistically what would happen if I did file a report by some how dragging them out there. He basically said they would take the report and go back and do absolutely nothing with it and sometimes may not even make any sort of file. At the end of the day, the police rather focus on higher crimes (murder, drugs, gangs, etc.) as this is a bigger city not some back country place where cops are begging for any sort of case. A stolen bubble gum machine wouldn't even be on their radar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sherlock Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 I would make the report. Then, if I never saw my equipment again I would know that at least I exercised every option at my disposal. And if the cops didn't do a thing about it, the lack of police involvement was not my doing but theirs. Making the report may also help support your cause if you decide to write the equipment off as a loss and the IRS decides to question it. Not saying it's required by the IRS or even that it would make a bit a difference. But, I can see the IRS growing suspicious if you claim to have lost hundreds of dollars (if not more) in equipment and you NOT having made a police report. We aren't talking about a couple machines, here. This is a whole route of machines you're missing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodney69 Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 Make the report! I did, and 3 weeks later they found my equipment! Make sure when you file that you include all product and everything in the dollar amount. Also, ask all of the locations of they have surveillance cameras! Do the foot work! You might find out it's someone you know since the knew where all your machines were. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grazing Hippo Vending Posted August 7, 2014 Share Posted August 7, 2014 Hey Casey that is really bad news buddy. Did they get ALL of your machines? Could it be someone you know? Someone who knew where ALL of your locations were? I have some extra Vendstars that are in good condition. They are yours if you would like them. I prob dont have keys for them but they are 100% useable once you get some keys. Send me a PM, reply to this post, or give me a call or text and I will be happy to try and help. Mark 585-298-1174 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
titandist Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 Do you pay taxes? then the police have to do something about it. File a report on each location that this happen to. See if they have cameras at the locations and check them. It is somebody targeting your locations. Always put your company name and phone number on each machine. Place the information on the inside of each machine which says property of and then your company name and phone number. Let your customers know if you are the only one servicing the machines. buy some cables and lock them down to something with the permission of the store owner, This as been going on for years Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
treadmill Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 Could it be a previous owner who had the machines before? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Square Posted August 8, 2014 Share Posted August 8, 2014 Sorry to hear this has happened to you, the fact they got all the machines is wierd.. what a pain to open them all without keys, has to be someone you know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdub3821 Posted August 10, 2014 Share Posted August 10, 2014 I hate to hear this. Someone close to you must have done it. I have two vendstar 3000 you can have. You should take these. Place them back in the spots and wait or hire a p.i to watch them. You might get lucky and the same a holes will come back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWvend Posted August 14, 2014 Share Posted August 14, 2014 While it's sad to see this member was robbed, it's also great to see some members offering equipment free to get him going again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
casey259 Posted August 14, 2014 Author Share Posted August 14, 2014 Thank you all for the offers for the equipment it does amaze me we have a fantastic community here. I have to look at the cost and benefits when it comes to this endeavor and at this time the costs (including opportunity costs) far outweigh the benefits. Thanks again for everyone's input on this including those willing to donate. Thankfully I have other endeavors that I can focus more effort on. In my life, I've always taken the stance that the big guy upstairs will let you know when it's time to move on to something else and this may be that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodney69 Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 If you decide to get stayed again, let me know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FrCorey Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 great. another reason to remind myself to mark all my machines inside and outside. it's really sad when people do this. so they will either sell them or use them prolly they would be dumb if they do this in the town they live in thou. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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