Showing posts with label CBS5. Show all posts
Showing posts with label CBS5. Show all posts

Sunday, January 19, 2014

ON THE PICKET LINE at Camelback Consign & Design (1/18/14)


FYI

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Anglen, Robert  
Date: Sun, Sep 28, 2014 at 9:40 AM
Subject: Story on camelback consign
To: Glenn Michaels


Story is in today's paper. Your blog is mentioned prominently in the story. Thanks for all of your help. Here is a link:

http://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/consumer/call-12-for-action/2014/09/28/missing-painting-returned-owner/16373445/

My First Time: A Report

Blog Post Theme Song: Like a Virgin

Updated: 3/31/14

For more details, see the blog posts listed at the bottom of this page. 

Yesterday, from about 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM, I picketed in front of Camelback Consign & Design. I wore a grey suit coat, black shirt, red and gray patterned tie, nicely pressed gray pants and black walking shoes. Oh, and I wore a very tall "Uncle Sam" type top hat, too.

At my request, Norma had Techniprint generate a 24" x 36" banner, which I carried pasted to a nice large canvas stretcher on a white paper background. I had reinforced the back of the stretcher and painted it white, to ensure it looked as clean and professional as possible. To the top of the stretcher I attached a nice old wood finial, for decorative effect.

I built a simple attachment that allowed me to insert a six foot high handle (actually made from multiple pieces of white curtain rod) that revolved in the breeze, reducing wind resistance.

Although one of the owner's sons made a respectable effort to intimidate me - in the process "inadvertently" adjuring his mother using one of the uglier epithets in the English language - I said nothing and simply walked back and forth, holding my banner high.

Happily, I stood in broad daylight on a major thoroughfare where he and I could easily be seen by passers-by. Who knows, perhaps the owner of Camelback Consign and Design will be induced to finally pay me and or return my missing items.

The owner of Camelback Consign and Design eventually appeared and seemed incensed. He told me that he planned to distribute leaflets in my neighborhood that would reflect our household's "paranoid" pattern of calls to the police department. Apparently, he either has the wrong Glenn Michaels or he just doesn't know much about my gentrifying central city neighborhood, where burglary attempts are frequent and have been for years. (By the way, the number of fun and hip new restaurants is growing apace. Check it out!)

I return to the picket line later today, from 11 AM to about 3 PM. And, by the way, it takes some stamina to hold a signboard up, even on a delightfully refreshing and sunny day, when it is somewhat gusty.

Some vehicles honked as they drove by. One truck driver pumped his fist in encouragement.

While I was thee, no one exited the store with goods, either. That included the driver of a polished looking Bentley convertible with a Saskatchewan license plate.

Why did I resort to this tactic? Having alerted the BBB, the IRS and the Arizona Attorney General's office, I think the time has come to alert the public.  

My argument.

For all of the juicy details the BBB has to offer, use this link.

DON'T KID YOURSELF. 
Mike Burns wasn't born yesterday. He wasn't born on the Fourth of July, either. NOPE. Mike Burns was born on 9/11 in 1952. 
He was destined. 
Don't forget to tip a hat to Ms. Indispensable, Vera Manuz, either. Where would Mike be without her?


I don't know if the truth will set you free. But fuss loud enough with a big 'nough bunch a friends and I swear folks 'll do near anything to get you to shut up. Fast as they can. 

URGENTLY SOUGHT: ITEMS STOLEN OR NOT PAID FOR #3 (10/05/14) 
URGENTLY SOUGHT: ITEMS STOLEN OR NOT PAID FOR #2 (10/05/14)
COURTNEY'S INCREDIBLE CONSIGNMENT VAMPIRE STORY  (10/3/14)
ANONYMOUS COWARD DENOUNCES CONSIGNMENT VAMPIRE (10/01/14)
MIKE BURNS & REGINA EMERY EVICTED FROM CONDO
VERA MANUZ Denies Aiding &  Abetting  Mike Burns
JUST IN CASE: FRESH SUITS FOR BURNS (8/31/14) 
AG FILES "CIVIL" SUIT AGAINST CONSIGNMENT VAMPIRE (8/31/14)
CONSIGNMENT VAMPIRE UPDATE UPDATED (8/31/14)

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Friday, December 6, 2013

COMPLAINTS, COMPLAINTS, COMPLAINTS!



For more details, see the blog posts listed at the bottom of this page.
FYI

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Anglen, Robert  
Date: Sun, Sep 28, 2014 at 9:40 AM
Subject: Story on camelback consign
To: Glenn Michaels


Story is in today's paper. Your blog is mentioned prominently in the story. Thanks for all of your help. Here is a link:

http://www.azcentral.com/story/money/business/consumer/call-12-for-action/2014/09/28/missing-painting-returned-owner/16373445/

> 40 COMPLAINTS... BUT WHO'S COUNTING?
Your state legislature? The media? Anyone?

As of October 3, 2014, I count 30 individual complaints about Mike Burns and Camelback Consign & Design, listed on various websites, like Yelp and the BBB, or emailed directly to me. (Those are captured and displayed below.) 
This doesn't include lawsuits filed against that firm, or against Mike Burns, Justin and Terilyn Burns, individually. 
The Office of the Attorney General, the Johnsons, Ms. Stenehjem, the Albas & Ms. Schoenfeld, JM Wainwright and I have all filed lawsuits against the Consignment Vampire. Discounting my suit, since I counted myself already, I can identify 35 individual complaints.

Joe Ducey's April 30th segment for ABC 15 lists three additional individuals: Jessica Richards , Susan Frano and Andrea Davis. That brings the count up to 38 complaints.

There are two other individuals whose complaints I am aware of, but haven't posted for various reasons. Any guesses how many others have been scammed by the Consignment Vampire (aka Mike Burns)?
Let's add in Burns' former landlords, Bill Roach and partners (owners of 1030 E. Camelback Road) and  Ms. Amy Berberich (owner of Burns' condo rental) to whom the Consignment Vampire failed to pay his rent, resulting in eviction. 
The Arizona Republic, in its Sunday, September 28, 2014 edition  > Arizona Economy section, identifies Don Davis of Paradise Valley, as yet another victim.
And that, dear reader, brings us to 43 known victims. So far.

On July 30, 2013,  Dave Cherry of 5 on Your Side  reported that Camelback Consign & Design wasn't paying its consignors on time. Thereafter, despite a steadily growing number of reports regarding that firm's unethical practices on the BBB website, YELP! and elsewhere, it stayed open until the end of May 2014, when the landlord(s) locked the doors on the firm for non-payment of rent.  
Dave Cherry suggested to me that those folks who had failed to research Mike Burns (aka the Consignment Vampire, and principal of  Camelback Consign & Design) before doing business with him had only themselves to blame for their subsequent losses. In a perfect world, Dave would be right.   
(Note: The preceding sentence is rhetorical in nature. For all I know, Dave is absolutely right and I can't see it right now. The blogger.) 
But, too often, those in the greatest need of a good solution lack the resources to find it... assuming one exists.  Folks like Bernard Madoff and Mike Burns know how to take advantage of the system's weaknesses. Consider that, to date, so far as I know, the Consignment Vampire has yet to be criminally charged for any of the allegations you will read below.
There are many conceivable solutions. One of the simplest, in my opinion, would be to make consignment fraud subject to criminal investigation by local police departments.  
Presently, consignment fraud can only be criminally investigated by the office of the Attorney General. This is akin to using a baseball bat as a lockpick.  
Massive fraud may require a massive investigatory apparatus. But a consignment transaction is typically limited in scope, local in nature, and the result of an interaction between two individuals. Allegations of fraud, if addressed early and quickly, could minimize the potential damage to a community as a whole.


#30


#29



#28



# 27  This painting and several other valued items were found and returned courtesy of Bill Roach, Burns' former landlord. Two additional items Debbie lost were identified by a blog reader who has offered to return them. That was on 9/7/14. I'm waiting to hear what happened. 





#26

This appears to the be full story of #24, below.

#24. For details, see the info from the BBB website, immediately above, in two parts.


#23
As of 9/14/2014 Mike Burns is still a free man. The AG has sued him for civil damages and threatens to put him out of business, but I doubt that Burns has  money in the bank. His store is already closed.
In short, Burns may well "get away with this."



Sorta makes you feel sea sick, doesn't it? All these victims, lost at sea, and no one seems to care enough to take action. 
Where the hell are our law-makers on this issue? 



#22


#21

#20

#19






#18


#17



#16

#15




See #14, below.


#13 & 14















Revocation published on or around 3/10/14. In short, it took at least a month for the
  BBB to make  official what I knew to be implicit because I had been closely following
 this business and its BBB rating.



#12
Where the hell is all the money going that isn't being paid to consignors? $21K here, $75K there. That's a lot of dough! 



#11

#10



#9



#7 & 8



Visit the Better Business Bureau's CC&D Review!
#6

#5


#4 
This person only registered a complaint with the BBB AFTER the situation was resolved. How many other people fell into the same trap between the time this person was caught in it and the date this review appeared on the BBB website?



#3





Visit the Better Business Bureau's CC&D Review!
#2


#1



DON'T KID YOURSELF. 
Mike Burns wasn't born yesterday. He wasn't born on the Fourth of July, either. NOPE. Mike Burns was born on 9/11 in 1952. 
He was destined. 
Don't forget to tip a hat to Ms. Indispensable, Vera Manuz, either. Where would Mike be without her?


I don't know if the truth will set you free. But fuss loud enough with a big 'nough bunch a friends and I swear folks 'll do near anything to get you to shut up. Fast as they can. 

URGENTLY SOUGHT: ITEMS STOLEN OR NOT PAID FOR #3 (10/05/14) 
URGENTLY SOUGHT: ITEMS STOLEN OR NOT PAID FOR #2 (10/05/14)
COURTNEY'S INCREDIBLE CONSIGNMENT VAMPIRE STORY  (10/3/14)
ANONYMOUS COWARD DENOUNCES CONSIGNMENT VAMPIRE (10/01/14)
MIKE BURNS & REGINA EMERY EVICTED FROM CONDO
VERA MANUZ Denies Aiding &  Abetting  Mike Burns
JUST IN CASE: FRESH SUITS FOR BURNS (8/31/14) 
AG FILES "CIVIL" SUIT AGAINST CONSIGNMENT VAMPIRE (8/31/14)
CONSIGNMENT VAMPIRE UPDATE UPDATED (8/31/14)

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