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 Replies: 22 / Views: 2,194 |
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Valued Member
United States
292 Posts |
From a paper in Florida... ST. PETERSBURG -- It was just another Saturday morning at the Disabled American Veterans hall, where the St. Petersburg Coin Club was having a regularly scheduled show. Then, a scandal. One of the club's own, James Marino, 62, was arrested on a charge of grand theft, accused of lifting eight coins worth $3,000 in under an hour from an undercover detective posing as a novice coin collector. After bonding out of jail, Marino told the St. Petersburg Times that he was the president of the club a long time ago. He would not comment on his arrest. "I've consulted with an attorney, and I've been advised not to make any statements at this time," he said. The sheriff's investigation began in December, after someone complained that Marino was stealing from other collectors at the shows. Deputies began an investigation that ended with the 9:30 a.m. arrest at 4801 37th Street N. The sting started about 8:30 a.m., after the Sheriff's Office bugged the hall with video surveillance equipment. A detective with the sheriff's Tactical Apprehension and Control Unit posed as a novice vendor using coins belonging to other club members. Within minutes, Marino showed up at the detective's display table. In less than an hour, Marino made several trips to the table, stealing eight coins, deputies say. Marino then placed the coins in a specific container in his own display area, according to the Sheriff's Office. When detectives confronted him, Marino tried to "explain away" his possession of the stolen coins, officials said. Detectives didn't buy it. He was arrested and booked in the Pinellas County Jail. The coin collectors get a little justice!  |
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Valued Member
United States
168 Posts |
I love to hear stories that end well.
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
Glad to hear that another thief was caught.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6326 Posts |
We need more "happy ending" stories in our lives !........Too many bad ones out there !
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Pillar of the Community
United States
819 Posts |
I am sick to death of people placed in leadership positions being corrupt, that goes for politicians, coin club presidents, religious leaders (I'll leave the names out to not spark controversy), and anyone else.
Hooray for the good guys! Let's clean them all out!
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Moderator
United States
187702 Posts |
Quote:
I am sick to death of people placed in leadership positions being corrupt... Same here. It has made me very cynical lately. Quote:
Too many bad ones out there I agree. This story has a happy ending; but still, how many people have been hurt by people of that ilk?  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
632 Posts |
His lawyer is gonna say that it was an addiction and that he needs help. He's not a bad guy...its just a disease and we should feel bad for the poor fella. He'll stand and say "I'm sorry. I just can't help myself when it comes to these beautiful little pieces of joy". Even though he stole THREE THOUSAND dollars. He's gonna get probation...6 months at most.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5604 Posts |
" Same here. It has made me very cynical lately."
As for me just leave off the Lately!!!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
819 Posts |
acidic,
the defense will probably go like this: when he was very young his father took him to a coin show, he saw a coin that he was obsessed with because it was so shiney but his father would not buy it for him in spite of his pleas and whining. He could think of nothing else and it became a "disease" that he caught at the coin show. But now that he has finally been able to get it out in the open (he subconsciouly wanted to be caught) he has accepted Jesus and is going to be a differnt person. Also he will crusade for the closing of all coin shows to prevent such instances in the future, plus he will sue the person he stole the coins from for being so lax as to allow him to steal them, contributing to his disease.
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Moderator
United States
187702 Posts |
Quote:
His lawyer is gonna say that it was an addiction and that he needs help... Quote:
the defense will probably go like this... What is really sad is that either scenario is a possibility. Quote:
As for me just leave off the Lately! I would say the same, but I have spent most of life in denial about my cynicism!  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1000 Posts |
Quote:
the defense will probably go like this: when he was very young his father took him to a coin show, he saw a coin that he was obsessed with because it was so shiney but his father would not buy it for him in spite of his pleas and whining. He could think of nothing else and it became a "disease" that he caught at the coin show. But now that he has finally been able to get it out in the open (he subconsciouly wanted to be caught) he has accepted Jesus and is going to be a differnt person. Also he will crusade for the closing of all coin shows to prevent such instances in the future, plus he will sue the person he stole the coins from for being so lax as to allow him to steal them, contributing to his disease. You forgot the first part about his substance abuse and how he will start this crusade after he finishes rehab. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
632 Posts |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
Wow, the scary part of this is that it was not some random thief off the streets, it was another collector/dealer  |
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Valued Member
United States
447 Posts |
Someone should have shot him like the guy in San Diego!  |
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Valued Member
United States
92 Posts |
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Valued Member
United States
432 Posts |
Maybe they should cut off 3 of his fingers, $1000 each.
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Replies: 22 / Views: 2,194 |
Posted 02/19/2009 08:40 am
Yeah! Bob!.
