The Unspeakable: Theft at Dromgoole’s in Houston

On Tuesday, just days before the Dallas Pen Show, the unspeakable happened to Dromgoole’s Fine Writing in Houston — a man walked into their shop and jammed $7000 worth of Montblanc pens into his pockets and walked out while Dromgoole and his wife were busy with other customers. And it all happened in less than 60 seconds.

But Dromgoole’s came to the Dallas Pen Show and made a good showing with lots of great products and everyone — customers and other retailers alike — were supportive of them and the terrible loss they suffered prior to the show.

We normally think of the pen community as a place full of amazing people and it is. This one guy isn’t part of our community. He’s an interloper and an ass and he will be caught. If you happen to see anyone trying to sell any Montblancs without packaging or you suspect it might have come from this theft, send the info you have to Dromgoole’s so they can forward it on to the local investigators. Don’t engage the suspects yourself.

And if you local pen shop has lax security, doesn’t lock up their cases or might need to upgrade their security system, let them know you care about their success and protection. Get them to move those cabinet keys and take the expensive pens out of the windows at night, etc. I’d hate to see a shop go out of business because a crime like this left them stretched beyond their means.

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7 comments / Add your comment below

  1. You’d hope someone would recognize those hideous pink shorts the thief is wearing, that can’t be a popular fashion choice.

    I really hope they apprehend this jerk. Small businesses suffer enough without this.

  2. Hi, Ana. I’ve lived in the Houston area since 1959 and this is not a new thing. I know a Houston police detective who has told me stories. Houston being an international trade city with a port and short drive to the U.S. border. It happens with jewelry, electronics, artworks, whatever can get top dollar in Europe or Asia. He told me they once caught a guy who had a false bottom in his car backseat and would drive his loot across border undetected for years. Another who would take his loot to a waiting cargo ship at port of Houston. If you can believe this, France ebay has a Sheaffer “vintage” 1980-ish No-Nonsense pen listed for $3,270 USD (U.S. ebay has same pen for $49). It’s insane what our stuff goes for over there, but in all honesty, Dromgoole has been living in a 1957 bubble to think it wouldn’t happen to him and not take better security cautions. They won’t catch this guy, he was likely out of the city limits before the investigators arrived at the store. Someone so brazen to be seen in such detail on camera is not a resident who values his freedom.

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