A warning about the blade show

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Jun 20, 2007
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I don't know how many of you get updates from alphakifesupply.com. I regularly get there sales update. The following email was in my inbox this morning when I opened it this morning from Chuck Bybee.

First let me say I have no affiliation with anyone nor am I associated with this business in any way. I am not selling anything just passing on info I thought pertinent to those planning on attending Blade show!


You can take this for what ever you want to make of it but I thought it was worth passing on so you can be informed and take percautions.




Thu, May 19, 2011 8:02:27 PM
Blade Show Security Risk
From: Chuck Bybee <chuck@alphaknifesupply.com>
Add to Contacts
To:
________________________________________
We want all table and booth holders at Blade 2011 to know the potential risks they face. Before going further an important point must be made. Missy Beyer, Mary Lutz and Steve Shackleford work for Blade Magazine. The people who run Blade Show are completely separate from Missy, Mary and Steve.

At Blade 2010 we had more than $13,000 in materials stolen. We were not the only supplier who had materials stolen. There are several facts that led us to the conclusion that the theft occurred after show hours.

We discovered the theft after we returned from the show and completed inventory. We called Blade Show coordinator Alicia Newton, Cobb Galleria Security and Cobb County Sheriffs department with whom we subsequently filed a police report.

When we spoke to Cobb Galleria Security, we told them we wanted to review the security video from the show. They informed us we would have to pay $40 per hour to review the video. We agreed and said we would have someone fly back to Atlanta. Cobb Galleria Security then said they did not know if the video was available. Later they said the video had been overwritten and could not be reviewed. We checked and there were no shows after Blade up to the time we requested the security video.

The Cobb County Sheriffs department told us theft is a problem at the Galleria. The detective told us thieves fly from around the country and world to attend shows at the Galleria.

At the beginning of 2011 Alicia Newton contacted us and requested we send in our deposit and sign the contract for Blade 2011. We said we would not send the deposit or sign the contact until significant changes were made. The most significant change was removing the clause from the contract that indemnifies F&W vendors i.e. the security company. We wanted the option of suing the security company if we could prove a loss occurred after show hours. We first communicated with Alicia Newton and moved up to her director Cory Smith. Cory agreed to several changes but refused to revise the contract. We were happy with the progress and sent in our deposit as a sign of good faith.

The last week in April our deposit was returned and we were informed our booth had been sold. We e-mailed and left telephone messages with David Blansfield the vice president of F&W. David replied in an e-mail that the contract would not be changed.

One fact I learned during this process is very disturbing. The room is accessible to cleaning and maintenance staff after show hours. These people are not escorted by security. In 2005 a major theft occurred after show hours by a person dressed as maintenance staff.

Bottom Line:
• F&W protects their vendors rather than their clients
• The security company has no vested interest in providing security
• Thieves know about the security problems at the Galleria
• Anything you leave at your table or booth is at risk
• You are responsible to protect your property

There is much more to the story that I have left out. We want people to know the risks they face so they can make plans to avoid the risk.

Jon & Jessica will be attending Blade 2011 but they will not have materials. Missy helped us get a table table across from our booth.

We will also be posting the security risk information on the major forums. If you want to express an opinion, the following is the contact information for F&W show staff.

David Blansfield
1-212-447-1400 phone (Use company directory to get his extension)
david.blansfield@fwmedia.com

Cory Smith
Events Director
1-513-722-5347
cory.smith@fwmedia.com

Alicia Newton
Events Manager
1-513-531-2690 ext 11310
alicia.newton@fwmedia.com
 
My work is directly related to trade shows of all types all around the country and of all facilities I've been in cobb galleria has by far the most theft. Not only on the show floor but also in the parking lot. So do not leave valuables in your car either. It's always been assumed that the security there has some involvement in these thefts although if not directly contributing, then there ignorance or incompetence isn't helping.
 
Remember a few years ago when the country's biggest Desert Ironwood dealer looted a new competitor at the show after hours? Thank goodness the security cameras nailed the douchebag. I was there and possibly one of the guys last sales before it all went down. I remember talking to the guy who got cleaned out....nice guy, looked like he had death in the family. Six (if I remember correctly) full suitcases of primo ironwood, tossed in the dumpster out back. Bad guy got nailed and is no longer in business from what I hear. Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.
 
Dixie
thanks for posting this !! i think it is Great of the people putting on the show top charge nice table fees for you to display your wares for sale but you must not go after them if everything you built is stolen ?? wow i guess anyone holding a table there better bring a couple of locking "Briefcases" to bring their stuff in and out of the show daily..makes things "Difficult" if you are a supplier, all the wood/belts/machinery etc hauled in and out daily!!
i will remember this when i do "Blade" why doesn't someone play "Hidden Camera" and make sure the thieves get locked up?? i know there is plenty of battery powered stuff for this .. where i work we use this stuff to help "Loss Prevention" company types catch employees who think it is ok to steal..
 
My goal in posting this was to make everyone aware of the problem. If you go and you are going to leave your wares overnight, make sure you have lockable cases, and I don't mean locked with a flimsy little padalock but something big enough to make them work to get into it! That doesn't mean someone is not going to rip you off but at least you did not invite them in. I mean most of us are on the small end of the scale and it just ain't right to get ripped off for everything you have worked all year for. Everyone has got ripped off some time or another at venues such as Blade or shows and such, but it is usually on a smaller scale. I can't imagine losing thousands! There is two things I can't stand in this ole world and that is a liar and theif!

Make of it what you may it almost sounds like the powers to be don't want to stop this problem and probably won't till those who are attending push the issue. It's kind of like the old saying goes, "we have the power to achive change, now if we still remember we must band together to use that power"!
 
Ever since the show changed hands, I believe it's gotten a bit worse. Security may have always been shoddy, but last year there was no badge checking after show hours and people were entering and leaving freely all of Thursday setup night. That combined with their lackluster service and communication regarding table numbers, passes, etc and their ever increasing prices makes me wonder if there will be a breaking point.
 
This is a good thread, so I'm moving it to "Around The Grinder", with a redirect. The folks who can't go there aren't the ones who will be involved with it anyway.
 
I am unable to attend the show, and thus am not connected to this in any way. I will say however, I worked quite a few tattoo conventions all around the states. Usually the security crews there were on top of everything, and slept in the convention hall after it was locked down for the night. It sounds to me like it is either the security crew(Hence the no video footage) or...they are turning a blind eye for someone to make off with stuff for a small cut off the top. Let's face it, 13k worth of stuff is A LOT! They had to have a cart or something to get that all out of there. Maybe it is either time to find a new security company, or change venues. With an issue like this plaguing one of the largest, if not THE largest knife show.....Maybe the host's would think to take care of the people that make it possible for them to put on the show.

Just my 2 cents...
 
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If everyone chips in a couple bucks (or a beer) I'll stand watch through the night.:D

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Almost sounds like the facility has a vested interest in lax security. That would be unfortunate.
 
How does one NOT NOTICE $13,000 in missing inventory immediately upon uncovering the display area or cases then proceed thru the day (one at least) with no clue. Must be some sort of empty spots in the display..right? Discovering the loss only after returning home must have investigators scratching their heads. Very clever thieves, indeed not to say thieves are smart, but........they must have taken the time to re-arrange the display to look full. Clever indeed!!
 
How does one NOT NOTICE $13,000 in missing inventory immediately upon uncovering the display area or cases then proceed thru the day (one at least) with no clue. Must be some sort of empty spots in the display..right? Discovering the loss only after returning home must have investigators scratching their heads. Very clever thieves, indeed not to say thieves are smart, but........they must have taken the time to re-arrange the display to look full. Clever indeed!!

Lot's of money in materials, Larry. An armfull could net you 13K easily. Some of these vendors have enough stuff to fill 4 booths. You have to know what you are doing to target the big $ items. In addition, most of the high volume vendors have several people working to set up and tear down... that is tough to keep organized.
 
Yeah, been doing knife and guitar shows for 15 years so got a pretty fair idea how they work. Generalities in theory, specifics in truth. The only theft I'm aware I ever had was from a fellow table holder about 7 years ago. Sad bit of business it was and he wasn't that smart covering it up. Had one theft attempt this year at BLADE, but he wasn't swift either. He had a short stack of rosewood scales under a piece of paper and a blade sitting in front of me when he gave me his stack to pay for. When I asked him if he was including the covered stack he replied, "no, I got those at another booth". My tags, my writing, my wood...go figure brilliant. He didn't squeal when I pulled them out and added them up.
 
very sad indeed... sounds to me like security have their hands under the blankets.. and its not just at blade but at every show they have there I'm sure..

why does it have to be at the same place every year?? I'll bet a day old donut, if there was more competition for 'Blade', there would be more understanding, lenient contracts that's for sure
 
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