https://ktla.com/news/local-news/watch-sale-in-orange-ends-in-attempted-theft-shooting/ Local to me sale that apparently went wrong, very wrong.
Shoulda done the deal in a police parking lot. Or at least a bank with a lot of cameras. Big difference between Cali and Florida though. Here the shooter (seller) would have received a pat on the back for trying lol.
And +1 to having to go packing for a watch sale. If you really felt it was gonna possibly go that way...maybe just don’t.
The F2F deals I've ever done I felt like I knew the guy doing the buying through phone calls, emails, etc. Never felt like I had to carry to make the sale, or meet in a police station. Sounds like this deal was set up sketchily from the start. Would be nice to know the background of these two fine gentlemen watch collectors, I think there is more to the story than the PC news media of So Cal is willing to tell. I would wager that these two guys are well known to the police by previous interactions unrelated to watches.
I think many of the old-timers around here have pulled guns on each other over watches. But this difference is, they don't turn and run after, like that punk did. They stick around for a little fisticuffs that follow, and then a few beers. What the hell is going on in society?
I can think of a few members here that would bring guns to a watch deal- but that would be for an adjacent trade deal or maybe guns for watches...we all have multiple hobbies.
I’m not a lawyer, but I’m guessing the seller is going to have legal problems much bigger than the pain of losing $7000. Someone grabbing the watch and running off is not imminent threat to life.
I agree. That is not proper use of “lethal force”. At minimum, his permit will be revoked and he will have to sell his pistol(s) and ammo. At worst, he’ll have to turn them in and lose his investment in his handgun(s) and deal with the courts. Having the feeling to bring a weapon to a F2F watch sale is something I will never have. I would never F2F sell a watch to someone that made me feel that such a level of protection would be necessary. If that was the case, the buyer is not a real hobbyist and either a shady dealer or scammer. I would also hope that if I was a buyer to a F2F deal the seller would feel the same. I look forward to my first F2F purchase that requires some air travel and footwork for a grail piece in the future. I hope it is as pleasant of a transaction as I have had in motorcycle purchases I have made in the US and those sellers (now friends) I still speak with.
I've both sold and bought in F2F transactions. Both times - midday, in a crowded coffeeshop or bank. When I'm selling, I'm making sure to be in a place where it'll be hard to get away. And when I'm buying, I let the seller choose where to meet (as long as it's a public place). Bringing a gun.... I wonder then, if the watch was stolen. Why bring a gun unless you know you're dealing with someone shady / why deal with someone shady when you're selling a watch? Also: Have not seen any mention of an Invicta?
Yeah, having grown up in the land of shake & bake, unless the guy was a jeweler or normally carried large quantities of cash for business ($7k is not considered a large quantity), he had no legal right to be carrying. And discharging it without imminent threat (guy running away is no threat)- he’s in deep shit.