Too good to be true?

Calling the manufacturer and the local PD to check on the s/ns is the best you can do.

Here is something to think about...Theft, and the fencing and sale of stolen goods is actually good for the economy.

A brand new $400 TV is stolen from you. It is fenced for $100, and resold for $150. The person who buys it could not afford to buy it at $400. The stolen goods price structure constitutes a deep, deep, discount, which broadens the market for the product. The manufacturer builds another TV set for you, which is paid for by your insurance company. Since the manufacturer is now building more TV sets, because some have been sold at the deep discount price, his costs per set goes down, and he can lower the price to $350. This sells more sets to honest people.

The above is not just a made up story, but is something I learned by reading a doctoral thesis regarding the role of the fence in society.

Eldartford, did this thesis factor in the increased insurance premiums, the cost of police investigating the crime, the cost of the homeowner repairing damage to a residence, the time value of finding a replacement TV, the cost of maintaining security systems, etc? I also have a hard time believing that the marginal cost for a particular TV would be reduced by a significant amount due to the increased number of theft replacements.

Eldartford: "You're a monster Zorg!"

Maineiac...Yes, this fascinating doctoral thesis by an economics student considered everything. It was published in two volumes, one with the discussion, analysis and conclusions, suitable for layman readership, and a second volume with all the data and calculations. I will check out the library where I read this book some time ago, and try to post the title.

Another interesting fact is the very cozy relationship that usually exists between the police and the fence. The fence has one foot in the legal business world and the other in crime. He serves as a valuable bridge for the police. An example given is what happens if a thief makes the mistake of stealing the Mayor's wife's diamond ring. This particular ring WILL be recovered, although the crime may remain unsolved.