"Peter Jackson Bilked by Rick Berry of Michigan Toy Soldier" Topic

for anyone in the US interested in an alternative to dealing with this criminal, I've found Andrea Paint sets stateside at milminwh.com

MTS just lost their first sale from me. And everytime a new set comes out, I'll go to MMW instead. Be as indignant as you like about this event, but the old addage about voting with one's wallet is still one of the best ways to express your opinion.

Maybe Mr. Berry can learn the words to Smooth Criminal?

I haven't seen anyone ask, but when is the first Crazy Eddie'ish "Our owner is going to jail and our prices are insane" sale go on? I think the OFM is calling dibs on his glasses….

Seriously. Stay away from this operation.. His failure opens up business for other operations that are ethical. Brookhurst, Dutkins, and a long list of operations that don't do this to any customer.

Wow… so many excuses and justifications…. sad really

Why does it matter if he stole from Jackson or the credit card company?? Stealing is stealing.

… The man got bagged in `93 for this kind of thing, so he's obviously not been successful with it.

Well, that is assuming he hasn't also done it other times and got away with it.

If I had ever bought anything from this guy, I'd now be very carefully scrutinising my credit card statements. Who is to say that Sir Peter wasn't the only victim?

When you open a business, you must assume all the responsibility for what happens to that business. You cant
blame changing trends, the economy, etc. It is your job as a businessman to anticipate changes in the market. make corrections and stay profitable.

It is never the responsibility of the customer to pull you up by your bootstraps. Too many people assume otherwise. What this guy did not only betrays his company and everyone involved but it scares even more people from web shopping. I still know people who won't web shop. In this day of very little disposable cash the last thing we need is an example like this. A jerk who thinks the world owes him money and is willing to take it anyway he can.

This isn't Walmart we are talking here but a small niche industry that isn't even on the radar. People don't even know this stuff exists! But now they will, in a negative light, because of these actions involving a major celebrity. Just what we all need.

Hand Tom Brady the first stone, a big one.

Is this why I'm still waiting for the Hobbit movie? Rick messed up Peter Jackson credit score.

"For anyone in the US interested in an alternative to dealing with this criminal, I've found Andrea Paint sets stateside at milminwh.com"

Good one blackfly,

Regardless of MTS's maleficence, Military Miniatures Warehouse is excellent. I have always received good service from them.

He's making reparations, admitted his guilt…

ALWAYS got GREAT service from MTS!

I look forward to doing more business with MTS.

(Guess I'm not as morally outraged about this as others are. Oh, well…)

And you still will be sending your cc details?….

Moral issues notwithstanding, there's the issue of trust. Would you trust your credit card information with someone who has already bilked someone else? My experience has been that if someone will do a thing to one person, he would do the same to others. The issue at hand is a matter of protecting oneself financially. Forgiveness and restitution do not change that. Each of us is the first line of defense in protecting finances.

I thank the Editor of the Miniatures Page for going public with this. Knowing there might be a shark in the water, we can each choose how to deal with it.

I thank the Editor of the Miniatures Page for going public with this. Knowing there might be a shark in the water, we can each choose how to deal with it.

My God! How can someone post something so reasonable and full of common sense on TMP? I'm afraid we shall now have to delete Thortrains' account, burn down all his posts and pretend he never existed…

It seems to me it would be really the time to use the credit card there since they will be watched very closely. Besides, if there is an untoward charge you call the credit card company and they take care of it. That is why he is paying restitution to American Express, not Peter Jackson. Had my cc number lifted once at a show. I bet the thief had a grand time trying to get on his flight from Alabama (you know who you are). I've had the cc company call me to check after that when there have been large purchases, or unusual for me purchases. They credit me the charge right away and send the paperwork to sign and send back.

Note that this does NOT work on debit cards. The risk there is all yours. That is why the banks encourage you to carry them (well, one reason). Fraud there is your problem. Learned that too.

And you still will be sending your cc details?….

Yup.

Is it realistic to believe the owner – already being scrutinized – would filch from a pauper like me?

He's making reparations, admitted his guilt…

…only because HE WAS CAUGHT!

…only because HE WAS CAUGHT!

I've purchased items from MTS for some years. GREAT service – NO problems!!! Just recently received a back-order from months ago (an import from Germany) that frankly I'd forgotten about.

If you (and some others here) are *so* morally outraged about dealing with the current owner of MTS…

Then don't.

At my age and with my experiences of life I couldn't care less.

p.s. If you really believe that every business you deal with is/should be run by saints with wings, then I have a bridge that I'd like to offer you. Spans the East River in a tank town called Brooklyn.

Is it realistic to believe the owner – already being scrutinized – would filch from a pauper like me?

If he's already been caught once and not learned only to try and get away with it for a second time, then maybe third time is the charm!
He could always do like the banks do and add a few cents on every card ;-)

If you (and some others here) are *so* morally outraged about dealing with the current owner of MTS…

I'm not at all morally outraged, I'm more amused by people jumping to defend him just because they have had fair business dealings with him. He seems like I wonderful guy, I'd let him my sister…

I understand that the court can impose restitution AND a sentence, what I am saying is that I hope he doesn't serve ALL of his sentence, as then the court has no more sentence with which to ensure restitution payments. I don't know what Michigan's laws are to ensure restitution. As Arizona law may force sale of assets, South Carolina has no such provision, and this appears to indicate that Michigan doesn't either:

MCL 780.766 sec.(14) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a defendant shall not be imprisoned, jailed, or incarcerated for a violation of probation or parole or otherwise for failure to pay restitution as ordered under this section unless the court or parole board determines that the defendant has the resources to pay the ordered restitution and has not made a good faith effort to do so.

Though I could have an incomplete picture.

Edit:

Found this, which seems to indicate that upaid would result in a lien, but same as a civil court case:

MCL 780.766 sec.(13) An order of restitution entered under this section remains effective until it is satisfied in full. An order of restitution is a judgment and lien against all property of the defendant for the amount specified in the order of restitution. The lien may be recorded as provided by law. An order of restitution may be enforced by the prosecuting attorney, a victim, a victim's estate, or any other person or entity named in the order to receive the restitution in the same manner as a judgment in a civil action or a lien.

Does anyone know what sentence he was given?