Accused thief not too bright in trying to fence them

New York police say a man stole a package off a doorstep, found copies of X-Men #1 and Amazing Spider-Man #1 inside it, and was arrested trying to sell them at a nearby comics shop.

The Daily News reported today that the accused had no idea what was in the package when he stole it off a doorstep in Brooklyn’s Windsor Terrace neighborhood.

The owner had sent the 1963 issues — premiere editions of two of Marvel’s cornerstone franchises — out for appraisal. The company that appraised them did so and sent them back. The delivery driver was supposed to get a signature, not leave them on the stoop.

After figuring out someone took his comics, the owner called the cops, who fanned out to the city’s comics stores. The accused, 40-year-old Kenneth Gaynor, had left his contact information at one store he tried. Police set up a sting, and apprehended him on Monday.

“If you own something this rare, you’re not going to try to sell it to any comic book store,” a police source told the News.

According to the News, Spider-Man #1 was graded 6.5 and worth about $11,000. X-Men #1 came in much lower, 1.8, still worth about a grand.

Source: Polygon – Full