Stolen Luxembourg Stamp Series overprinted

LN in DC wrote:
I don't know if this appeared as a subject previously,
but what's left of the 20 May 3-stamp Bridges issue, quantities of
which were stolen, have been overprinted.

The valid version of this set is comprised only of those overprinted
with the post logo. It is barely visible, comprised of only phosphor.
The Post can spot the unoverprinted values when they pass through the
sorting/cancellers and don't "light up" or glow. Then the letters
with stolen postage can be culled so that the post and law
enforcement can confront every user of stolen postage to learn from
what dark channels the stolen stamp was obtained.

It may be that the valid version of this set is issued in quantities
that are a lot smaller than normal, given that large quantities of the
three stamps are invalid.

Do you have any links to news articles or government news releases on
this? I would like to write up a small article on this for a local club
newsletter.

= Eric

Eric Bustad wrote :

Do you have any links to news articles or government news releases on
this? I would like to write up a small article on this for a local
club newsletter.


Hi Eric,

Here is what I could find for you :

From the official site of Luxemburg (but in French) :
http://www.ept.lu/index.php?ssid=&p=...=s howarticle

another article in French (from a Luxemburg daily newspaper) :
http://etat-civil.tageblatt.lu/editi...ArticleId=2331

a short article in English :
http://www.collectorstarget.com/intro.html

Again from the official site of Luxemburg, an article in English on this
issue, but not specifically on the stolen stamps :
http://www.ept.lu/index.php?ssid=&p=...=s howarticle

HTH

--
All the best,
Pierre Courtiade

On Thu, 17 Jul 2003 09:05:24 +0200, "Pierre Courtiade"
wrote:

Eric Bustad wrote :

Do you have any links to news articles or government news releases on
this? I would like to write up a small article on this for a local
club newsletter.



Here is my rough translation from the French.

Blair

================================================== ======================

"Stolen stamps - Warning to Luxembourg PTT customers"

During a recent theft at the Stamp Printing Works in Malines
(Belgium), gangsters succeeded in taking a significant quantity
of (not yet released) Luxembourg postage stamps.

This matter concerns the three stamps of the series "Bridges and
Viaducts of Luxembourg" reproducing "Nei Bréck" (the Adolphe Bridge -
0,45 Euro), the "Stierchen" bridge (0,59 Euro) and the Victor Bodson
Bridge (Hesperange Viaduct - 0,89 Euro). [issued 20 May 2003]

In order to be distinguished clearly from the stolen stamps, the
series of stamps emitted officially on 20 May 2003 was covered with a
mark reproducing the postal logo using a practically invisible
fluorescent ink. Although invisible to the naked eye, the logo is
easily detectable using an Ultra-Violet lamp.

The Luxembourg Post Office therefore requests its customers, that if a
batch of the aforesaid postage stamps is offered to them, to directly
inform the Grand Duchy Police force or the Luxembourg Office of Stamps
(Tel.: 4088-8840).

================================================== =======================



-----= Posted via Newsfeeds.Com, Uncensored Usenet News =-----
http://www.newsfeeds.com - The #1 Newsgroup Service in the World!
-----== Over 80,000 Newsgroups - 16 Different Servers! =-----

TC wrote:
On Wed, 16 Jul 2003 18:57:16 GMT, (LN in
DC) wrote:


I don't know if this appeared as a subject previously,
but what's left of the 20 May 3-stamp Bridges issue, quantities of
which were stolen, have been overprinted.

The valid version of this set is comprised only of those overprinted
with the post logo. It is barely visible, comprised of only phosphor.
The Post can spot the unoverprinted values when they pass through the
sorting/cancellers and don't "light up" or glow. Then the letters
with stolen postage can be culled so that the post and law
enforcement can confront every user of stolen postage to learn from
what dark channels the stolen stamp was obtained.

It may be that the valid version of this set is issued in quantities
that are a lot smaller than normal, given that large quantities of the
three stamps are invalid.


LN in DC

Len:

What about stamps sold BEFORE the theft took place?

Will these buyers be arrested? Many collectors buy
their stamps on the First Day of Issue.

Blair

The theft occurred before the stamps were issued.

= Eric

No, The Lux. Post had a entirely new stock of stamps printed, now with
the phosphor overprint.

Do you mean that the 'dark channels' had the stolen stamps overprinted also?


LN in DC wrote:

I don't know if this appeared as a subject previously,
but what's left of the 20 May 3-stamp Bridges issue, quantities of
which were stolen, have been overprinted.

The valid version of this set is comprised only of those overprinted
with the post logo. It is barely visible, comprised of only phosphor.
The Post can spot the unoverprinted values when they pass through the
sorting/cancellers and don't "light up" or glow. Then the letters
with stolen postage can be culled so that the post and law
enforcement can confront every user of stolen postage to learn from
what dark channels the stolen stamp was obtained.

It may be that the valid version of this set is issued in quantities
that are a lot smaller than normal, given that large quantities of the
three stamps are invalid.


LN in DC

The Luxembourg official press releases said "succeeded in taking a
significant quantity of (not yet released) Luxembourg postage stamps".

The implication is NOT that all quantities printed were stolen, only a
significant quantity from among them. The German press release from
which I got my original information said that the "remainders" were
overprinted.

Where did you read that a reprint occurred?


LN



On Fri, 18 Jul 2003 22:29:05 GMT, StampMan
wrote:

No, The Lux. Post had a entirely new stock of stamps printed, now with
the phosphor overprint.

Do you mean that the 'dark channels' had the stolen stamps overprinted also?


LN in DC wrote:

I don't know if this appeared as a subject previously,
but what's left of the 20 May 3-stamp Bridges issue, quantities of
which were stolen, have been overprinted.

The valid version of this set is comprised only of those overprinted
with the post logo. It is barely visible, comprised of only phosphor.
The Post can spot the unoverprinted values when they pass through the
sorting/cancellers and don't "light up" or glow. Then the letters
with stolen postage can be culled so that the post and law
enforcement can confront every user of stolen postage to learn from
what dark channels the stolen stamp was obtained.

It may be that the valid version of this set is issued in quantities
that are a lot smaller than normal, given that large quantities of the
three stamps are invalid.


LN in DC