Another What Would You Do moment....

[Pat Whatley]

Long time customer comes in with five a-frame signs he wants to have lettered. Two of them are metal frames with no faces, one is 1/2" coro (blank), and the other two are 1/2" MDO that's been stripped and repainted.

I go to clean the coro sign before lettering it and when I spray it I can see the ghost of the lettering on it. It's an a-frame I sold about six months ago. I don't think anything about it, people get them from friends or out of the trash all the time.

When I start looking at the two MDO signs I realize I can see where they got stripped but not all the glue came off. I can see enough of what's there to know exactly what was on them. I did the two of them in July, the guy who ordered them left them out over the weekend and they were gone Monday when he got in. I know he didn't give them away, he was still made when he called me to order banners to replace them a couple of days later.

Just out of curiousity, what would you do? Letter them, take the money and go on with life......question the guy who brought them in about where they came from....call the guy who had them stolen?

 

[speedmedia]

Call the guy they where stolen from to confirm and kindly decline the job.

If you don't know it is one thing. Had this happen with some realtor signs in the past.


Thanks,
Kurt

 

[JimJenson]

Be careful. You are only assuming guy number 2 stole them from guy number 1.
They may have been purchased from the actual thief.

 

[Pat Whatley]

Didn't assume anything there Jim. All I said is that I know they were stolen.

 

[wetgravy]

Had this happen a few years back, turned out the guy bought them from someone who stole them and stripped the info ... sadly he paid for the substrates as much as we would have charged him for them. we told him this and that he should be more careful of where he buys things in the future.

We just lettered and moved on to the next job ... one client didn't want them back after they have been stripped and new client still needed signs.

 

[inthesignbiz]

I think I might call the guy that brought in the signs to have re-lettered and mention that you could tell what was on the MDOs and tell him of the history of the signs. That they were taken from the customer you made them for in July.

But then, you take the chance of alienating the long time customer by implying that he is a thief.

No matter the outcome, it's a sticky wicket.

 

[GypsyGraphics]

Forget making any money on him... Shake The Bastard Up!

You have his name and contact info right?

Call him, tell him you have some bad news... he's apparently "purchased" stolen signs and that you are required by law to confiscate them and turned over to the police.

Tell him this is nothing new, happens all the time and that the police are FINALLY taking it seriously. Tell him you are both now in possession of stolen property, which is of course against the law, so naturally it had to be given to the police just so neither of you would be held accountable.

then

call your client and tell him you've recovered his stolen property, tell him if he'd like to file a police report, to have the police contact you for the thief's info.

then

redo his signs!
your client's happy, you make money and the dirtbag is left shaking in his boots!

 

[Bigdawg]

Wow. That was HARSH GG!

I'd probably do what inthesignbiz suggested... better to assume he bought them and didn't know any better than to assume he's a thief...

 

[MikePro]

i'd say ignorance is bliss... but still consult your long-time customer. even if they weren't stolen, i'm sure he'd appreciate that you're looking out for him.

 

[Jillbeans]

I just plain don't re-letter old signs for starters.
It's not worth it.
But I would question the guy who brought them in as well as the original guy.
Maybe it's on the up and up, maybe not.
If the signs were stolen I would re-letter them with the original info, as you have the file, and give them back to the victim.
Then tell the new guy that you have returned the signs to their original owner.
And if he has a problem with that, let HIM call the cops.
Love.....Jill

 

[GypsyGraphics]

Wow. That was HARSH GG!

I'd probably do what inthesignbiz suggested... better to assume he bought them and didn't know any better than to assume he's a thief...

i'm laughing so hard at your avy i can hardly type!!!!

i did say hardly so....
i don't think it's harsh, i think it's the right thing to do. i'm not suggesting accusing him.

if "he" didn't steal them, then he's been wronged too, by whoever sold them to him. it's just like anything else... it's NOT legal to knowingly be in possession of stolen property.

if pat does this job, he'll be perpetuating a fraud.

 

[JasperST]

I'd invite them both over and hold a machete over the boards and threaten to cut them in half! See which one cries for mercy. That's the rightful owner.

 

[visual800]

letter them and make money after you have collected call the first guy and report the theft and let him re-steal his own signs LOL

that way you stay out of it

 

[GoodPeopleFlags]

I'd probably letter them and get paid. Maybe even ask the guy, "Where did you say you got these?". Then call the victim and tell him where his signs are.


Oops! Visual & I had the same thought at the same time!

 

[OneUpTenn]

Who is the better customer? Think of the future.

 

[Gino]

Personally, I'd call the guy in.... and ask him where he got them, since you can clearly see they are signs you made for a customer 1/2 year ago.

After his response, you'll have your answer as what to do next. You either accept his version or you do work for a known thief. Your call... and you're in total control.

No sense playing cops and robbers and getting things all stirred up. You might not never know the truth.

 

[weaselboogie]

Pat always has the best stories!

 

[Mosh]

This happens to me all the time. Shop policy is that on realty signs we do not re-letter the blank. We don't even want the old frame in the shop. We will just print you a new insert. We have had so many signs people "found" at the two hand night store on the five finger discount.

 

[Deaton Design]

Boy, this is a good one Pat. Theres no way you can know that this guy actually stole them or not. I would call him and explain the situation to him, that you did these signs on this material for a customer six months ago, and they were stolen, and then ask him where they came from. If he stutters, he is guilty probably. If he comes back with a good explanation (although there isnt one I can think of) you might tell him that you cant in good faith redo them because you know the story on the material.
Thats sad though, that someone would do this to save a few bucks.

 

[Rick]

I'd invite them both over and hold a machete over the boards and threaten to cut them in half! See which one cries for mercy. That's the rightful owner.

I would question all of Solomon's wise decisions... I mean really, the dude had 700 wives... how wise could he have been? :ROFLMAO:

 

[Border]

I would probably tell the guy something like "Sorry, I just can't letter these for you. I know that these belong to another customer of mine who would like them back. And I'm not suggesting that YOU stole them. Did you buy these from someone on craigslist or something???"

Then it's not like you are directly accusing him but you get to see his reaction. If it turns out he DID steal them, do you really want to work for a guy like that anymore, even if he IS a long-time client????