Chip Scavengers in Katrina's Wake

People who have scavenged chips in wake of Hurricane Katrina are beginning to attempt to sell their chips to the collecting community. I won't post any links to any of the activity since it might lead to them being successful. There's no way to determine whether they came by the chips by finding them on the beach or by picking through the debris on the grounds of the casinos. Of course, if it was by the latter method, then their loot is stolen property.

Not that these chips are good to anyone but collectors, since the casinos will not redeem them unless they know with all certainty that the person trying to cash them in was in fact a player prior to the hurricane. But, stolen property is stolen property, regardless of the value it would have if still in the hands of the victim of the theft.

I just hope the collecting community doesn't reward a thief by paying a premium for some of the higher denomination chips that are turning up.