Gawain 0 #1 January 9, 2005 It's an AP story on Fox News. QuoteTrucker Goes Missing With 3.6 Million Nickels Associated Press Saturday, January 08, 2005 MIAMI — Authorities are searching for a local trucker who disappeared two weeks ago along with the 3.6 million nickels he was transporting to the Federal Reserve Bank in New Orleans (search), Miami-Dade County police said Friday. Angel Ricardo Mendoza (search), 43, had picked up the coins, worth $180,000, on Dec. 17 from the Federal Reserve in New Jersey. He was to drive the nickels, weighing 45,000 pounds, to New Orleans for a trucking company subcontracted by the Federal Reserve, police said. The name of the company was not released. On Dec. 21, Mendoza's truck and trailer were found empty at a truck stop in Fort Pierce, Fla. Miami-Dade's cargo task force, which includes the FBI and the Federal Reserve police, are investigating. Mendoza is a Miami-Dade County resident, but has no family in the area. Police said he has a wife who lives in Cuba. "We are concerned for his safety because he's missing," Miami-Dade Detective Randy Rossman said. "We suspect foul play. We are concerned and we are still investigating." Rossman couldn't speculate on how anyone would cash in or spend so many nickels. I can tell you where all those nickels are being used...the nickel slot machines in Vegas or Atlantic City or Shreveport... Seems like an awful lot of trouble...45,000 lbs of $180K?? So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
shropshire 0 #2 January 9, 2005 Hope he's got a strong belt on his trousers! (.)Y(.) Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
EBSB52 0 #3 January 9, 2005 Ya, what are they gonna do, go to the cahier window at a casino and cash em 50 bucks at a time? It would bevirtually impossible to cash in even a 1000 bucks worth w/o being detected.... funny stuff Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gordy 0 #4 January 9, 2005 That did make me laugh, I hope its the trucker that has master minded it as that would make the story even cooler! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peregrinerose 0 #5 January 9, 2005 It would have to be the trucker that masterminded it. My husband works with coin and the security is unreal. All the drivers are armed, and you can seriously bust ass in the trucks speed wise to get away as needed. A shitload of nickles like that is insanity though. It's a lot of weight to be moving around, you couldn't realistically cash them in, and especially if they are new nickles (with the new pics on them) they could be fairly easily tracked down once spent. You couldn't even put them in a house, that much weight would destroy the floor and end up in the basement, would have to be a barn or something. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jcd11235 0 #6 January 9, 2005 Does anyone know if it would be feasable to use the nickels as ballast on a large boat, to get them out of the country, and to keep them hidden for a while? As far as the trucker being responsible, probably, but not necessarily. A gun and fast truck would do few people any good when confronted with a bad guy with, say, pictures of family members, threatening their safety.Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhreeZone 20 #7 January 9, 2005 Sure, but then you have to arrange to unload the truck and that means having a loading dock, forklift, cargo containers and access to a boat large enough to hold them. Pretty large effort for that many nickles. If it was quaters then its a half million dollars and worth much more work. Still... what do you do with that many coins? Yesterday is history And tomorrow is a mystery Parachutemanuals.com Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jcd11235 0 #8 January 9, 2005 Quote Sure, but then you have to arrange to unload the truck and that means having a loading dock, forklift, cargo containers and access to a boat large enough to hold them. True, but someone seems to have already worked all that out, considering an empty truck was found, with the exception of the boat part.Math tutoring available. Only $6! per hour! First lesson: Factorials! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
slug 1 #9 January 10, 2005 Mastermind Chump change Weak mind and strong back The dude needed to wait until he got promoted to paper money. R.I.P. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Acensky 0 #10 January 10, 2005 To me is sounds like he had some help. It would be kind out obvious when you try to cash in all those knickels.Garbage bags do not make good parachutes. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
happythoughts 0 #11 January 10, 2005 I wonder if the thief actually knew what the contents of the load were. Someone may have just been tracking the truck and not known. Counterfeiters never do $1 bills because you have to make too many to make it worthwhile. I suspect that hauling around that many nickels has the same problem. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
peregrinerose 0 #12 January 10, 2005 QuoteI wonder if the thief actually knew what the contents of the load were. Someone may have just been tracking the truck and not known. I would guess so. You'd need a forklift to unload it. That is 15 skids worth of nickles. Do or do not, there is no try -Yoda Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
