The E-Sylum:  Volume 10, Number 3, January 21, 2007, Article 28

FUN SECURITY: FUNCTION OF NORTH CONCOURSE LOCATION?

Alan V. Weinberg writes: "Regarding the robberies of coin dealers
traveling from the FUN Orlando show in the past three years (culminating
in the brazen Peabody Hotel robbery), it is no coincidence that the
robbery incidents have escalated since the show was moved to the
isolated North Concourse of the Orange County Convention Center.

"During the FUN show, well before the Peabody robbery occurred, the
robbery issue came up in more than one conversation with me - and I
didn't initiate them. People were speculating just how many post-show
robberies would occur this year (there were six last year). It was
agreed that the isolated North Concourse contributed significantly
to the robbery potential.

"The North Concourse location, first said to be a one-time show
relocation before moving back to the International Drive side, has
become permanent for FUN even though International Drive center
sites were unoccupied at the time.

"But the North Concourse is isolated, out of sight of the heavily-
trafficked and patrolled International Drive. It is a very long walk
for dealers or visitors unless they take the often 30 minute wait
buses FUN provides to nearby hotels.

"The North Concourse is surrounded by huge empty fields on three
sides from which organized thieves study the traffic of collectors
and dealers, using cell phones and binoculars. John Kraljevich reports
that police cruisers were parked in front of the North Concourse? Well,
the only police cruisers I saw were parked empty for hours and likely
belonged to the uniformed sheriffs walking the bourse floor for
security.

"You think these empty cruisers fooled the organized robbers? I sat
out in front of the North Concourse for probably a total of 2 1/2 hours
over four days awaiting the hotel buses and airport shuttle. NOT ONCE
did I spot a passing police cruiser (or plainclothes car) and my eyes
are naturally drawn to them due to my background.

"I've attended FUN for decades and I distinctly recall restricted
public driving and numerous sheriffs' patrol cars traveling in the
areas directly in front of the International Drive convention center
entrances.  Not at all true for the North Concourse.

"If you think that the organized robbery in front of the Peabody
Hotel did not first originate by surveilling and targeting the
dealer's departure from the North Concourse convention hall from
the open fields surrounding the North Concourse, you are sadly
mistaken.  That's exactly where any competent, organized robber
after big stakes would start his operation. Pick your target,
watch him, follow him.

"These robberies will continue and escalate in severity until FUN
moves back to International Drive."

[The Dallas Morning News published an article on Friday the 12th
about the incident. -Editor]

"Experts say security's tight and robberies are rare inside big
coin shows like the one starting at the Grapevine Convention Center today,
but outside is a different story.

"Dealers and collectors carrying high-dollar coins in parking lots,
hotel lobbies and along highways can be easy marks for organized
coin thieves, and the losses aren't small change.

"Steven K. Ellsworth, a former Green Beret-turned-Virginia coin
dealer, said smart thieves know that coin dealers are better marks
than even banks, where security cameras, marked bills, dye packs
and armed security guards make robberies risky.

"And the FBI investigates bank holdups.

"Banks don't even keep that much cash around," said Mr. Ellsworth,
also a coin collector."

To read the complete article, see: Full Story

  Wayne Homren, Editor

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