Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-10-26
STOLEN POSTAGE STAMPS
How Large Quantities May Be
Turned Into Cash.
Large Concerns Which Buy Stamps at a Dis.
count.

IN connection with the robbery az
N'".Hnh worth Of postage Stamps frum
"" 'hlca2" poStotlicc. reported :, few
lays ago. ihe question has often b..u
asked how amy set of thieves vnuIl a.,
!" work 70 dispose ci such A ,n,n,i,v
OF stamps, therefore the fnIIn\,inn MI
formation given by u Maine r,st.,l
Official will be of interest
~ thc first place. the thieves v-n,ld
hay" to Keep their booty hidden for !,
time. say Il year or two. II v,uld nat
4" T. nrGuriate a sale of the ,1amns
~" soon. The stamps need not IL, snIl
IN small lots. even. hut thousands Of
d"tihrs worth could be disposed of a,
time.
There are All over the country con
Germs tnat IN course of business receive
great quantities of stamps each dav.
these are firms which have small
Wares 10 sell. ANA advertise in the.
magazines The articles in which they
deal cost less than dollar and hence
persons sending To buy them usually
enclose stamps In this way the
stamps accumulate. and there must be
some way to dispose of them. This is
done hy n gotiating with banks ana
business houses All over the country
which US" larg" quantities Of stamps III
their business and to them the stamus
are sold from Two 10 three y. + cent li--
count
This makes brokerage business in
/ postage Stamps. which in many eases
reaches I" great proportions Stamp
collectors too have Il large quantity Of
stamps which they are glad to dispose
al AT i discount. These are usually
stamps Of large dcnomina1innS from
nnt tu TIN" dollars. Th.e" are pur-
ehaS'.! usually by banks which use
them for sending To- Europe bulky
bundles If bonds and checks. regis
tered
There are III Maine several large US
ers OF stamps which buy them in this
WAY from brokers. There are also
, others Hhirh rrcciN" many stamps ANA
are obliged "a dispose If them as here
Indicated. Thus il will be seen that
there IS i legitimate business in the
purchase amt SAFE Of stamps. outside
Of The poStnlIlr.s. II can be- readily M
iors.ooi how the thieves would be
ahl" 70 get into some business in
which stamps would b. received rs
y
would have stamps To dispose of in
legitimate way. ana could easily get
rii Of few at " time 81 the stolen
goods.
1t would also be possible for them 10
sell III" stamps To some concern, which
would pass them along IL another. un-
til finally they would come into the
hands of an honest dealer who would
-"Il them To his rceula- customer UNI
moiestnd.
Some Years ago there was similar
large robbery of stamps. and ii was
later aScertaiued that these stamps
we're disposed of in Germany. through
! J, broker there. who finally sent them
to his country to be turned into cash.
! The chances are considerable how
ever. that tn thieves will not H. ia
tirnt enough in tn. disposal of these
stamps AMI that they will be detected
b. fore they have the cash represented
by them in their hands. Thieves an"
seldom entile,y wise. il they were more
money would be stolen than there is
now.
1t was at fist reported that the
thieves in this recent robbery over
locked SOC. eco in cash but il turns OUT
that th.' amount was really 1000. The
average sale of stamps daily in the
chicago poSjotficc is just about TINS
latter figure. and ii is therefore prob
abr. that only the days receipts We're
in the safe. All other money having
i, IN deposited in the banks