MTG Salvation

First time i ever went to a MTG shop, i was really young and had no binders, just separate cards (most from 7th starter and some boosters/precons from oddysey block)... People started taking chunks of cards to "see", and i came home with, like, 10 less cards (some rares, uncommons and commons).

I've been thieved another few times, like when i bought my first Birds of Paradise. I put them in my deck sleeves and went to play a match with it. The BoP came during the game, and i think i lost or something (irrelevant). Later i checked my deck, and they were not there... I was so freaking pissed...

One technique i've seen applied to steal was this: some dude is looking at your binder, leaves a hand on a page and keeps going through the binder. As he is "looking" at the other pages, he uses his hand on the prior page to slide a card out of its place, drops it to the floor or puts it on his pocket. It's really hard to spot since the robber is apparently watching the binder, even if he's in front of you, without looking suspicious.

As asamed as i might be, i had a time when i stole cards. Yes, it was very low, but i was so pissed at me getting thieved all the time that i had to do it to recover. So, if you feel the need to flame/threat/insult me, go away, at least i came clear. I applied the technique described on the prior paragraph a while, and it's very hard to spot, so watch out if someone keeps a hand on a prior page with the excuse of "I might be interested in something on this page, so i'm leaving it marked".

Watch out!... and flame away, weee...

Quote from Ed.Man »

About three minutes later, she returned with all of my stolen cards. When I asked how she had done that so quickly, she said that she told the kid that the cards were hers, and that she had lent then to me. After being told that, the kid immidiately admitted to stealing them, and apologized and returned the cards.

Lol. I wish i had teachers that nice... Only one teacher lets us play at all in the group...

Also, another thing: don't leave unopened stuff lying around. you can almost never prove its yours (especially if you don't have reciept). Sounds obvious, but has happened to people i know before.

At States 2005, I set my deck down between matches on a table at some point for some reason and walked off without it. I scrambled all over the place then finally asked at the Judges table where someone had thankfully turned it in with nothing missing. It wasn't a particularly valuable deck. I was ultra relieved though.

A buddy of mine had his deck stolen near the end of a PTQ. Worst part was he had already dropped from the tourney but was waiting one more round to give a mutual friend a ride home.

Quote from Merlyn »

While i have not had any cards "stolen" i have had cards i lent out to players not returned to me. Usually i have to go chasing them and that can sometimes takes weeks. I used to write down what i lent out, but don't anymore due to a new idea... just don't lend cards out. I havea VERY large collection and get people asking me all the time but now to be honest i lend cards to maybe 4 people who i trust completely.
As of this moment i only have 1 person to get cards back from, but since i lent them to him for last years kami block constructed season and included several kokoshu and simlar cards i don't hold out much hope.
The person - No names but he happens to be in the Hall Of Fame from Sweden

Well, take a note who have taken cards from you, also charge a deposit for the cards and that will be refunded upon the cards being returned in the same condition. That will probably work.

i got all my trades stolen.... i didnt find out untill hours and hours later...

this was because it was in a file with ultrapro 9-page sleeves....
and they left my file in my bag, but took all the card pages out... sneeky.

it made me quit magic, but now, 6 years later, im back....

then....
a month or 2 ago, my car got broken into, and a bag got stolen, full or all my magic cards... inc 4 illusionary mask, 1 imperial seal etc etc etc.. ai ai ai...
after fretting, i searched a couple of parks around the area, and they were just sitting there, in a neat pile.... they just left them ina apark.. sweet...

Well for me a new way of preventingt Theft is, I bought a small Ultra-Pro 4 Pocket Binder with the fixed amount of pockets, and I fill it completely, no spaces left at all, and before and after a trade, I check the binder for any missing spaces, also I keep duplicates of the cards I have in a larger binder wich stays in my backpack, wich stays on my back except during a match when its beneath my feet.

A recent story is about 3 weeks ago after I got back from Vacationing in Maine, I was very tied and for some reason decided to go to FNM to play and see my friends, that night a group of 18-20 year old (My best guess) came to the shop to play, it happened to be T2 night, so I was using FMC, and about half the deck is Foiled, needless to say one of them was impressed and asked to see my trades, so I showed him, he noted the Grim Tutor I have as a high want and showed me his stuff, as I was looking at his stuff his friends crowded around him and blocked my view for a second, I thouhgt nothing of it, but when I looked back at my binder just to double check, No Grim Tutor in the top right corner, needless to say he was very flustered that I caught him and he and his group left shortly after, so while trading its also a good idea to keep the people looking at your binder down to one, so no other person can steal or "misplace" things.

Then again it was a bad night, I did only get 3rd place =/

I read this thinking WOW because I am constantly speaking about the type of brotherhood magic players have. How were can send money and get the cards in the condition we were robbed etc. So, I'm nodding my head thinking, "wtf is going on in the world these days right," and it causes me to make an account. Five minutes ago. Then I start looking for this forum...FROM 13 years ago!!! I am ashamed of this, magic stores, that community of people are all to blame. Protect my bag!! If I wanted to be amongst the trash I would've stayed on drugs. My heart is broken...words fail me. Yet, I've plenty to say. We know the regulars, we know the types, some people say they were robbed for attention, for free cards. POS. Then there are the thefts that do happen, easy to spot because in the right case it's like losing a part of you. Written on the face for everyone to see. Be a team, watch out for one another. If we let the evil into our group without fighting we will regret. FF 13 yrs. Ahhhh...good job guys, now days people don't steal or stuff because we keep it tied to ourselves. I live/LOVE MTG!!!