Special 7800 Proto Stolen At CGE - Help Please!, Halloween cart stolen from AA stand

[Icarus Moonsight]

So a brain damaged Kender can make it to CGE, but I can't... Thanks, I needed that.

[AtariAge]

I am wondering if the game was actually stolen. Could it have been accidentally sold to someone? It looks just like the other Homebrews. It is just hard for me to wrap my head around the concept that someone would steal this of all things. I mean there were certain items at this show that were 20 times as valuable as this game. Actual prototypes of NES, Atari 2600 were floating around, but the thief goes, and steals a proto of a homebrew. It just doesn't add up. I have a feeling that this will turn up sooner or later.

No, the game was not accidentally sold. It did not look like any of the other homebrews, as it had a unique "Work in Progress" label that the other demo carts also featured. And it didn't turn up when we tore down the booth Sunday night, so it was definitely taken.

..Al

[AtariAge]

Sadly, the best defense is to keep your guard up at all times. You never can be too careful.

When we demonstrated Beggar Prince to the world for the first time at CGE 2k5, I kept personal watch over the prototype game cartridge at all times, even though it was inserted in a Genesis system that was seated behind the booth tables.

I've been vending at shows for nearly a decade now and this is the first time I've ever had a demo cartridge taken at my booth. Unless you just have a handful of game systems setup, it's tough to keep your eyes on them all the time. And with as many systems as we had setup at this year's show (15 or so), it's nigh impossible to do so. Especially with the 7800 (and a few other) systems, as they were facing away from where we were standing in the booth.

We are discussing methods to help safeguard against this in the future. It's unfortunate that we even need to do so.

..Al

[lkermel]

I am also sorry to hear about the game being stolen, it is also a blow to the community image. I love these conventions where I can talk about/play games with other fellow collectors, it's a shame that such distrustful event may end up tarnishing the image of such convention. Thieves suck.

[Peonpiate]

I've been vending at shows for nearly a decade now and this is the first time I've ever had a demo cartridge taken at my booth. Unless you just have a handful of game systems setup, it's tough to keep your eyes on them all the time. And with as many systems as we had setup at this year's show (15 or so), it's nigh impossible to do so. Especially with the 7800 (and a few other) systems, as they were facing away from where we were standing in the booth.

We are discussing methods to help safeguard against this in the future. It's unfortunate that we even need to do so.

..Al

If it were me I would bring a laptop next time, and wire up a few cheap webcams to it and set them to record. If anyone does steal and you dont notice it right away you can view the footage later...That doesnt guarantee you will find the person but it increases the chance of it greatly, vs having no footage and no clue as to where it went/who took it.

The cost at most, if you have a laptop is probably $20 total for a few webcames. Add in $20 for a decent size HD to record to.

[Daria]

If it were me I would bring a laptop next time, and wire up a few cheap webcams to it and set them to record. If anyone does steal and you dont notice it right away you can view the footage later...That doesnt guarantee you will find the person but it increases the chance of it greatly, vs having no footage and no clue as to where it went/who took it.

The cost at most, if you have a laptop is probably $20 total for a few webcames. Add in $20 for a decent size HD to record to.

Just be careful the thief doesn't try and take the laptop. Had that happen to me at work, was trying to film whoever was taking money from my office and filmed the asswipe stealing the whole damn laptop. Luckily he couldn't get it out of the office right away and he attempted to stash it for later pickup.

[rokubungi]

there's always the lexan lock box option..for $50 or so. until you need to use the switches on the console.

or actually putting a steel cable through the cartridge case itself

[danny_galaga]

http://www.gamegavel.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3213

Another booth had something taken, but they claim it was done by what sounds like a fairly mentally handicapped person. Who may well have taken the Halloween cart also. Me personally, I don't really view that as "theft" if the person doesn't have the capacity to make such rational judgments.

I dunno man. Before the store that my brother worked in closed down, there was a mentally handicapped person working there that new how to manipulate the system to his accord. He would actually steal and when confronted, he used all the "tricks in the book" (laws on his side) to slide through. This went on for YEARS with several felonies: theft, violence, etc.

So it really depends if the person knew what they were doing. For me, it's a 50/50 chance.

I agree with some of the posts. It was probably a klepto with a moment of opportunity. They aren't thinking about if it's valuable or not (like that xbox pack in disk). If it can be lifted, it goes in their pocket. Could be a bar of chocolate, or a bar of gold...

I hope it gets returned somehow, even if by the time you next exhibit, you have updated the game. It's kinda nice to have all the stages of your work. Actually, its kinda nice to have all your stuff, whatever it is...

[Icarus Moonsight]

Or a bag of chocolate gold coins. That way you get a double dose of klepto-rush!

Chocolate money, the perfect bait for a woman trap.

I have a bit of a "handling" issue myself. I constantly barrow a small useful object like a lighter or a pen (I have about a dozen bank pens in my car) and pocket it or just not give it back. It's not intentional that I take it, consciously. Sometimes I catch myself and other times I'm caught by the lender, but most the time I don't realize what happened until much latter.

[JSoup]

So.

Was the thing every recovered?

[GroovyBee]

Was the thing every recovered?

Not to my knowledge.

[Flack]

http://www.gamegavel.com/forum/showthread.php?t=3213

Another booth had something taken, but they claim it was done by what sounds like a fairly mentally handicapped person. Who may well have taken the Halloween cart also. Me personally, I don't really view that as "theft" if the person doesn't have the capacity to make such rational judgments.

I didn't want to register just to post a response over there, but I met that guy at CGE2K7.

I forgot what his name was now, but we had a deaf member who was planning on being at CGE2K7. When I saw the guy mentioned above (who was also deaf), I went up to him and pointed at my name tag. He shrugged his shoulders and had no idea who I was, so I smiled and we parted ways. I don't know why I just assumed that there would only be one deaf person at CGE, that was kind of naive on my part. But anyway, yeah, that guy in the Game Gavel thread was at CGE2K7 for sure. I definitely remember walking up to him and having an exchange with him. Too weird.