figure theft

[Roughneck]

Weve all been there...the toy aisle. And weve all seen it....the empty package. Or the ml missing the baf piece. Or is it just me?

But how do you feel about it? Have you ever considered it? Just sneaking out terraxes leg cause you dont want to drop 15$ on yet another iron man? Or does it drive you mad. Fearing a lack of proper sales could cause your favorite line to end.

Which side are you on? Thoughts?

[Spider-Jay420]

Sadly, I can understand it. These "toys" we buy can get expensive, but I can't condone it. Yeah, it pisses me off when I see empty packages, but what can you do? I just ignore it and move on. I don't see it very often, and when I have, its never been a figure I wanted so I didn't bother me that much. But no, its not cool. I never thought about stealing affecting any figures I collect, though. That kinda sucks. :-(

[Roughneck]

Ive seen one Steve Rogers figure at walmatt without the terrax piece for a looong time now......and i mean....a kid or someone whos not going to get the whole set might not even know the diffrence....but still

[Spider-Jay420]

Well that's even stranger. I could see like you were saying above about not wanting another Iron Man, so **** it, I'm stealing it. But Steve Rogers is a sweet figure! If you're going to steal his Terrax piece, you might as well take the cool ass Commander Rogers figure! WTF?!

[DrDoom]

Sadly I've done it before, when a company releases an awesome varient figure of Dr Doom or Deadpool but insist on bundling it with 3 other figs I have NO desire for. I don't think its fair to have to spend $25-$30 for the one fig I want.

Most of the time I buy the figure pack then a random single fig pack and switch em out and return it, the cashiers dont know what characters look like

[Darkness Falls]

see it all the time
most notably the burnt darth vader from the end of rots

i could understand not wanting to pay 30 bucks for it, but why take just the arm/legless figure and leave the hand, legs and operating table behind

it is frustrating when someone does it to a figure u are looking for

[Vartha]

To ME, any of the EMPLOYEES of any store that hides the figures behind the cashiers booth is STEELING.

[Roughneck]

For themselves? Its essentially layaway

[Ironfan72]

I have never considered it and don't like people doing it, stealing is stealing no matter how one justifies it, for me, since I like having as many Iron Man figures as possible, rather than another Wolverine or Spider-man, I dont collect the BAF figures, usually i sell the part on ebay to people who can not find them or don't want to buy the figure for just the part.

[C. Lee]

I don't like thieves. As a kid I grew up poor....and if we couldn't afford it, we didn't get it. As an adult, I still believe in that...if you can't afford it, you don't get it. You do NOT steal it.

[Darkness Falls]

Originally Posted by C. Lee

I don't like thieves. As a kid I grew up poor....and if we couldn't afford it, we didn't get it. As an adult, I still believe in that...if you can't afford it, you don't get it. You do NOT steal it.

This

[spideyboy_1111]

while I think you're a crappy human being if you rip off a store... at the same time...as a customer you can decently hide your figs in a store, put them on layaway (i just did the whole ML3 series), and I think being an employee does give you a perk for a job in getting the figures first... which i'm fine with if they do there own personal layaway behind there counter....

that's not stealing to me, or making a crappy person... that being said... those who do that and than sell the figure for a profit.. THOSE PEOPLE ARE A*holes and scum

[Scar Predator]

Originally Posted by Roughneck

Weve all been there...the toy aisle. And weve all seen it....the empty package. Or the ml missing the baf piece. Or is it just me?

But how do you feel about it? Have you ever considered it?
Which side are you on? Thoughts?

This is an oft-discussed topic on figure collecting boards. It doesn't matter if it's just a toy or a piece of a BAF/CNC, it's still stealing and still illegal. Unfortunately, most retail employees lack the knowledge (or simply don't have the time) to recognize repackaging.

This happens with many accessories for a lot of toy lines, too.

Originally Posted by Spider-Jay420

Well that's even stranger. I could see like you were saying above about not wanting another Iron Man, so **** it, I'm stealing it. But Steve Rogers is a sweet figure! If you're going to steal his Terrax piece, you might as well take the cool ass Commander Rogers figure! WTF?!

Most of the BAF/CNC pieces are concealed by packaging or at least not the focal point of the packaging. It's much easier to steal pieces, take the main figure back, then put a complete BAF/CNC figure on Ebay for a considerable profit. I've actually seen people admit to doing this on a MB.

Originally Posted by DrDoom

Sadly I've done it before, when a company releases an awesome varient figure of Dr Doom or Deadpool but insist on bundling it with 3 other figs I have NO desire for. I don't think its fair to have to spend $25-$30 for the one fig I want.

Most of the time I buy the figure pack then a random single fig pack and switch em out and return it, the cashiers dont know what characters look like

Yeah, that's still stealing. Even with a replacement figure, you altered the product and returned it under false pretenses. While many switches go unnoticed, the ones that are caught and returned to the manufacturer diminish their profits. Thus, they are part of the reason figure prices keep going up.

[Scar Predator]

Originally Posted by spideyboy_1111

while I think you're a crappy human being if you rip off a store... at the same time...as a customer you can decently hide your figs in a store, put them on layaway (i just did the whole ML3 series), and I think being an employee does give you a perk for a job in getting the figures first... which i'm fine with if they do there own personal layaway behind there counter....

that's not stealing to me, or making a crappy person... that being said... those who do that and than sell the figure for a profit.. THOSE PEOPLE ARE A*holes and scum

Only a small percentage of figs can be flipped for a profit, and it's collectors (and I'm including myself in this) who are ultimately responsible for secondary market prices of short-packed/exclusive/variant figures. It's just the nature of the hobby.

[Thwip!]

Originally Posted by C. Lee

I don't like thieves. As a kid I grew up poor....and if we couldn't afford it, we didn't get it. As an adult, I still believe in that...if you can't afford it, you don't get it. You do NOT steal it.

Exactly

[spideyboy_1111]

Originally Posted by Scar Predator

Only a small percentage of figs can be flipped for a profit, and it's collectors (and I'm including myself in this) who are ultimately responsible for secondary market prices of short-packed/exclusive/variant figures. It's just the nature of the hobby.

Actually.... It just depends on the line but.... You can always make $5, $10, or more than double the retail price of any collectible line at any time I've seen it for years

[DrDoom]

Originally Posted by Scar Predator

Yeah, that's still stealing. Even with a replacement figure, you altered the product and returned it under false pretenses. While many switches go unnoticed, the ones that are caught and returned to the manufacturer diminish their profits. Thus, they are part of the reason figure prices keep going up.

ah well

[Darkness Falls]

saw a bunch of empty chitauri packaging today at kmart..... why you'd want to steal or even pay for them is beyond me, easily the worst scupt/figure of 2012..

[Mace Dolex]

I've seen figures removed and returned with a different figure put it and I feel bad for the poor parent who unknowingly is buying it for their kid, and how is it that the person stealing the figure isn't afraid of the security camera catching them?

[Scar Predator]

Originally Posted by spideyboy_1111

Actually.... It just depends on the line but.... You can always make $5, $10, or more than double the retail price of any collectible line at any time I've seen it for years

I think it only works that way with very popular characters and variants in particular. If you find a Marvel Legends Future Foundations Spidey, you'll probably double your money online. If you try the same thing with someone like Klaw or Constrictor, you'll lose money. The same holds true for DCUC. I've bought figures like Maash, Medphyll, and Skallox online for about 60% of the usual retail price.

And 3 3/4" figures? Forget about it. Unless it's a convention exclusive, it's a huge gamble.

[Scar Predator]

Originally Posted by Mace Dolex

I've seen figures removed and returned with a different figure put it and I feel bad for the poor parent who unknowingly is buying it for their kid, and how is it that the person stealing the figure isn't afraid of the security camera catching them?

I've heard several stories like this. There was one a few years ago I heard where a Dad unknowlingly bought a switcheroo for his son's birthday. The kid was so upset that his Dad left his B-day party and bought him another one. I'm pretty sure it involved a mattel WWE Elite figure too, so it was something like another $17 out of Dad's pocket.

[DrDoom]

Dad shoulda been upset that his kid is into wrestling figs

[Scar Predator]

Originally Posted by DrDoom

Dad shoulda been upset that his kid is into wrestling figs

Many a dad has thought that about comic book-loving kids over the years, too. But none of that is the important issue. The real issue is how dishonesty can have a ripple effect.

[spideyboy_1111]

Originally Posted by Scar Predator

I think it only works that way with very popular characters and variants in particular. If you find a Marvel Legends Future Foundations Spidey, you'll probably double your money online. If you try the same thing with someone like Klaw or Constrictor, you'll lose money. The same holds true for DCUC. I've bought figures like Maash, Medphyll, and Skallox online for about 60% of the usual retail price.

And 3 3/4" figures? Forget about it. Unless it's a convention exclusive, it's a huge gamble.

Eh.... Yes and no. Wait a year or two or sell right before a mass release and you will make a decent profit.

[Mace Dolex]

Originally Posted by Scar Predator

I've heard several stories like this. There was one a few years ago I heard where a Dad unknowlingly bought a switcheroo for his son's birthday. The kid was so upset that his Dad left his B-day party and bought him another one. I'm pretty sure it involved a mattel WWE Elite figure too, so it was something like another $17 out of Dad's pocket.

A long time ago my brother had bought a Robotech Cyclone figure but it broke when he started playing with it so we returned it to the Toys'R'Us and a couple days later when we went back we saw the same broken toy back on the shelf.