Dramatic footage from the Long Beach Coin, Currency, Stamp & Sports Collectible Expo has been provided to CoinWeek.
In this video, a suspected thief is tackled by a Positive Protection, Inc. security guard as he tried to escape the Long Beach Show. Authorities were tipped off that the man and an associate may have been in possession of coins stolen obtained in a San Bernardino robbery.
The two men had come to the show in order to sell the coins. The second man was taken into custody without incident.
In total, more than a hundred coins worth more than $300,000 were recovered during the arrest, says Patrick Coward, a former New York City homicide detective and PPI show security officer.
His backpack was filled with more than 100 ancient coins and other gold and silver coins worth more than $300,000,” explained Coward, a former New York City homicide detective.
The brief chase and the tackle were captured on surveillance video at the booth of Stack’s Bowers Galleries (www.stacksbowers.com) of Santa Ana, California and New York City.
“With the help of a knowledgeable dealer and the fast action of trained security professionals, two suspected thieves were caught and valuable, stolen rare coins have been recovered,” said Robert Brueggeman, President of Positive Protection which provides on-site security for all the Whitman Expo and American Numismatic Association convention shows. “We always want a safe, enjoyable environment for dealers and the public at these collectible shows, but we also must always be on alert.”
A day after the capture of the two suspects at the coin show, Long Beach Police arrested two more suspects who reportedly came to retrieve the car of the first two suspects. Investigators recovered from the car what is believed to be the remainder of the stolen rare coins.
Video Footage: Courtesy of Stack's Bowers Galleries.
