Stolen Autunite

A Daybreak Mine autunite specimen, about 3 inches x 2 inches x 1/4 inch thick, was stolen from the Dragon Minerals booth at the West Coast Fall show in Santa Ana, Cailfornia, sometime in the early afternoon on Friday November 11. The crystals are yellow-green, and foliated. The accompanying label is grey, half the size of a standard business card, bearing a hand-written price tag of 600 in black ink. The tag itself is printed in black ink, with a surfing dragon logo, and the name of the company (Dragon Minerals) and url in red. The back of the label bears an inventory number (14211) hand-written in black ink.It may also have a Dave Bunk minerals label.

Even without the label, the specimen is clearly identifiable as an above-average Daybreak Mine autunite.

The specimen had not been photographed before its theft.

Must have been a busy little thief at the West Coast Gem and Mineral Show - like Steve Hardinger we were 'hit' about an hour before closing. I'm sorry to say that I think the legrandite thumbnail (and a very nice one too!) was taken by a customer who was buying something else. The cases were locked the entire time except for this particular moment when we were getting his purchase from the case. While it is a unique specimen and easily recognized (and I wish I had a photo) the really detressing part is that someone you know and trust would steal from you. A sad commentary that honesty seems to be going out with the trash. If that person is reading this....wrap it well and send it back to me and we'll both be better for it.

Dona Leicht

There must be people who visited the show who took photos of these pieces - anyone willing to check their photo library?

Jolyon, that's a good idea, although I don't recall anyone photographing my autunite.

Ah! My faith in humanity restored! Yes, it was someone we know who stole the legrandite and it is being returned. Unfortunately, this person will be on our 'watch carefully' list from now on. Sad all the way around.....

Glad to know there's a (reasonably) happy ending for this one, Dona.

Dona, Thankfully i don't know who this person was, but I guess he/she is probably the one you need to watch least from now on! They have shown that they do possess a conscience (unlike most thieves), and they feel contrition, and are making amends. I bet they feel so remorseful about it that they will be highly unlikely to ever do such a thing again. Unfortunately, I'm not so optimistic about the person who took a $1,000 facetted phosphophyllite from me...

Alfredo, was that also at the Santa Ana show?

Perhaps it's time for dealers to discuss and share their security tactics.

No, Steve, it was an earlier show this year. In Santa Ana the only little problem I had was several times when people picked up magazines and ran off without paying - Apparently these days lots of people think every colorful publication is a free catalogue! (in the words of a couple caught in flagrante) Not the end of the world, but it still hurts, considering how thin the margins are in mineral publications anyway.