Isn’t this supposed to be the time of cheer and goodwill toward one another? Apparently not for two real-world Grinches who robbed two “traveling home theater salesmen” at gun point, reports The Orlando Sentinel. The men were robbed at gunpoint, and their van was subsequently stolen. It was, of course, loaded with “home theater equipment.”
The two “salesmen,” who are said to have been working for “Gulf Stream Audio and Theater Concepts”, were apparently lured by two teens at a gas station to go meet with two other men. Those two other men then proceeded to rob the home theater installers/salesmen.
The two salesmen were met by the suspects, Brandon Pitts, 25, and James Edward Walker, 20, at an apartment complex, at which point the suspects reportedly pulled guns on the salesmen and demanded the keys to the van. The van was recovered a short time later, sans gear.
The first notable head-scratcher in this story is the notion that such a thing as a traveling home theater salesman actually exists. But it was details surrounding the “home theater equipment” that officially set off the BS alarms here at Digital Trends.
If you can’t tell from our superfluous use of quotation marks, this whole story stinks like two week-old garbage from a Chinese food restaurant.
According to the report, the van contained seven “JVR home theater systems” and eight “Bach & Odin projectors and screens.” Ever heard of those brands? We hope not. They are bogus names designed to sound a lot like the brand names we’re all familiar with. Brands such as JVC, or Bang and Olufsen, in this case. Unfortunately, the electronics inside aren’t worth the ink printed on the box.
The garbage gear is prominently used as part of a White Van Speaker Scam – a skeevy practice so unfortunately popular, it has its own Wikipedia page and plenty of YouTube videos to go with it. In short, scammers load up on cheap home theater gear intended to look like the real thing, then sell it in parking lots using any number of excuses to explain to unwitting buyers why they’re willing to let “name brand” gear go for so cheap.
From where we sit, the victims in this case had it coming. When cons get robbed, it’s hard to shed a tear. Still, theft is theft, and guns are guns.
Warrants have been issued for Pitts and Walker, who are still on the loose. Perhaps they’re laying low, about to discover how absolutely worthless their new speakers are. Serves ‘em right.
Anyone with information on the case can remain anonymous and be eligible for a cash reward by calling 1-800-226-TIPS (8477).
They conned the con men and robbed them. Boo hoo. There was no danger because their firearms were a Gloke 9mm and a Smythe & Weston .357. The van was a probably a ‘Dodge’ Ran.
The only things you should buy from roadside vendors are;
1. Tamales
2. Cantelopes
3. Velvet paintings of Elvis
…and maybe fireworks.
Surprised they didn’t take the van to a near by parking lot and try to sell the equipment.
Likely they’re running the same scam themselves, using the junk they stole.
I was approached by a scammer like that once – long enough ago that i didn’t have a cell phone. declined their “wonderful” offer.
These days, i’d decline – and as soon as they pulled away, i’d be calling the cops with description of scammer, vehicle and license plate number and which way they drove off.
I’m with you, but it makes me wonder: While we can all agree the equipment is garbage, is it actually illegal to sell it?
I should add that I understand it is illegal to do so in a business parking lot, but that would apply to someone selling flowers without permission. The question is, what is illegal about selling really crappy stuff privately. People do that all the time.
The gov is not getting their % that is way it is illegal
no it is all legal
I love to read stories like this. When my Dad loaded up the Country Squire station wagon with the whole family on a move from NJ to FLA in the 1970s, we had one suitcase that did not fit in the car. It was strapped to the roof, and when we stopped for lunch on the drive down, a thief stole it. Turns out they got the only suitcase filled with dirty underwear for eight people. Charma will get you every time, even if the cops don’t.
Love to hear stories like this. When I was very young, my parents loaded up the Country Squire station wagaon and moved our family from NJ to Florida. We had one suitcase that wouldn’t fit inside the car strapped to the roof rack. When we stopped for lunch, some thief stole our suitcase. Lucky for us, it was the one filled with dirty underwear for the eight of us! Charma will get you every time!
I must I admit I got scam like this in Dallas. This guy with a North East accent approach me in my neighborhood parking lot and said he had some highend speakers he was trying to get rid of. He had on a Best Buy shirt and said the warehouse overstocked his van and he didn’t want to have to take it back to the store. I was like all right let me see what you got. These guys were good because the had a home stereo magazine with this Asian brand in it and also they had a website that I was albe to pull up. I was like kool I’ll get a 2,500.00 dollar system for 250.00 bucks. I brought the system home and strated to do more research on the brand. From Googling the name a hit came up “White van scandal” I read the post and thats when I found out I had been “Fcuk”. Make a long story short. I took a picture of the gank brand and the website address and took the system to my local pawn shop and they gave me 700.00 for it.