I have to wonder why he waited for 1.5 years without even checking on his investment. It’s not like the theft just happened overnight. It too 2 long years to get it out there. Although the theif is a bad person, Neal should have been monitoring his investment.

I’ve gotta say that I feel real badly for him. He’s trying to do things the right way and now is taking a HUGE hit. Maybe he should’ve checked on his rock cache, but I mean, does anyone really expect someone to steal that much rock? The thief is 100% to blame. It’s like on some of those police videos you see where they leave a bike in an unlocked truck and monitor it and then arrest people who steal it. Is it entrapment? Maybe a little bit, but what justifies taking something that’s not yours? Nothing. You shouldn’t only be doing the right thing because an opportunity to do the wrong thing hasn’t presented itself. You’ve either worked for something or you haven’t…there’s no in-between. That’s a real shame and the guy certainly has my sympathies. What can you really do though? Lock down your rock in a cage or something? That’s really tough.

From what i understand, Mr. Novak has been caring for his parents for the past year and a half in addition to working a full time job as a boat captain. This may explain why he hadn’t checked on his investment in some time. It’s easy for people who don’t know the whole story, or perhaps have never made investments themselves to pass judgment on this poor man. I feel Mr. Novak’s pain and truly wish him the best of luck in this unfortunate time in his life.

OMG

Once again, I just want to say that he really should not have to justify why he did not check on his rock. The people who took it knew it wasn’t there’s and would probably have found a way to take it regardless. It was wrong to steal that rock and it’s really that simple.

To me it sounds like
it was somebody that worked close to him
that knew about the buisness/trade and or spot,
and took advantage of the time where he was off site.
sucks i hope they catch those low lifes.
f.

I am not saying that the theif is not 100% responsible for the wrong doing. I guess being raised in So Cal I have found that people can/will steal anything that is not bolted down. Even in the wealthiest of neighborhoods people do not leave their cars or homes unlocked. I guess we are conditioned that way.

In So Cal, we just tend to expect that if you leave it and it’s worth something, then it will probably be stolen. I guess it’s different where you guys come from. Sorry.

Felix, I agree. 3 miles offshore, it’s unlikely someone would stumble on one acre of rock – and even more unlikely that whoever would stumble upon it would have any interest.

Food for thought- if 300,000 pounds of CULTURED rock was stolen, how much natural rock do you think has been poached? From places where there is no “inventory”, or it is not even checked anywhere even close to every 2 years?

@Greg-it’s no thing. I wasn’t trying to attack anyone, I just think it’s a little unfair that sometimes victims catch a little bit of the blame for not being very street smart. I’ve lived my entire life right outside of Baltimore, so I’m right in the hub of crime (and yes, The Wire was pretty much 100% accurate)and completely understand what you’re saying. We lock everything up all the time too, but at the same time, if someone chose not to and someone invaded their home and stole and hurt them, you still couldn’t really blame them at all. Again, I wasn’t trying to be harsh and apologize if it came off that way…just voicing my opinion from a person in a high crime area that’s tired of criminals not getting the full blame. Bottom line is it’s a bad world going downhill and bad things are going to happen, but those victims certainly have my complete sympathy.

I’ve read that these ‘farms’ need to be constantly maintained and every time there is a tropical storm the rock piles get covered by sand and need to be dug up and re-piled. I’d bet since it was left alone for so long, the rock simply got buried. Also, harvesting that much rock off the bottom of the ocean would take months. I doubt anyone could have pulled that off without getting caught.

Shit!

Shit!