On Jan 30, 2008, at 12:00 AM, RECMGMT-L automatic digest system wrote:

> From:    "Chamberlain, Ginger [USA]" <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Re: RAINDrop: "Archivist: I stole papers to pay bills"
>
> And yet he pleads, "Not guilty."...
>
> -----Original Message-----
> Behalf Of Patrick Cunningham
>
> Subject: RAINDrop: "Archivist: I stole papers to pay bills"
>
> Bad day to be an archivist...
>
> http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080128/ap_on_re_us/artifact_arrest_2
>
> There is a rule of thumb out there somewhere, that most thefts and
> security breaches in organizations tend to be inside jobs. I guess our
> archival colleagues are not immune.

This is not the first time the Virginia crew that monitors eBay for  
purloined historical
artifacts has saved the day.  Other states should do the same thing.

I built a vault many years ago for a lawyer that collects  
Presidential assassination memorabilia.  Makes you wonder where it  
came from?  How did he acquire it?

But I have to say that many private collectors spend more on  
protecting their collections than many of the State Archives.

I am working on a vault now that has a tremendous amount of documents  
and artifacts from George Washington's Presidency that will go into  
the vault.  Some of it was donated to George Washington University  
and some to NARA.

If Records Managers would pay attention you would find that many old  
corporations have amazing things in their collection. The biggest  
perk of my career is to see these amazing things and know I play a  
role in their survival.

Whether it is stolen artwork and artifacts or stolen computer tapes,  
the Internet is the vehicle of choice for selling them. Identity  
theft is becoming a major problem for every country. People fight the  
ID card and more secure driver's license but fixing a stolen identity  
is a real problem.  Once it is stolen they can recreate the theft  
time and again.  Readers Digest had a great story on that.

One great idea is to write (See ID) on the back of all your cards,  
this forces the merchant to look at your ID.  This at least makes the  
criminal ave to show ID if they have stolen your card.  But if they  
steal the ID then they can create a new Drivers License and so on.

Articles about stealing historical artifacts will just accelerate  
future thefts as people start to realize what they are able to sell  
what is in their control.

Hugh


Hugh Smith
FIRELOCK Fireproof Modular Vaults
[log in to unmask]
(610)  756-4440    Fax (610)  756-4134
WWW.FIRELOCK.COM



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