BEWARE -- REPORTING A VERY BAD SITUATION INVOLVING PETE TONKIN

Clusterbuster said:
I’ll throw in another couple of observations as an attorney with 40 years practice. Reading just a little between the lines (and maybe it’s said outright by the OP, I haven’t read every post), it appears that the OP is a personal friend of the Mr. Peters. In this kind of situation, having a personal relationship with an attorney or someone in law enforcement is worth its weight in gold which ties into my second point. Typically, when this kind of situation arises on this forum, the cue or cue repair in issue is in the hundreds of dollars in value or maybe a couple of thousand. It may be more, but not usually. Speaking not as a matter of legality, but of practicality, the amount usually in issue is so low that to a potential attorney, cop or prosecutor, they just aren’t motivated to take it up. The attorney can’t make money on it and the police/prosecutors have bigger fish to fry, especially if the aggrieved party is from another state. Here, with an amount in issue pushing $30,000, that is enough to get the attention of law enforcement. If the cues were $600 or $800 there is a good probability that Mr. Peters, especially if he had been without an attorney, would have just been told to go to small claims court which, to an out-of-state victim, is worthless. This is a cautionary tale which I have addressed a couple of times on this forum. Be very cautious on any long-distance deals, especially if they are out-of-state and with someone you don’t know. Unless, as here, the amount in issue is substantial enough to raise a few eyebrows, you will probably be out of luck. What people never seem to grasp is that while civil and criminal avenues may technically be open to them, unless the amount is particularly substantial (as here) or you have a tie-in with an attorney or law enforcement, no one is really vested in helping you. Best of luck to Mr. Peters and to the OP and kudos to the OP for taking the case.
Click to expand...
I like the way you express yourself and thanks for your insightful post.
 
Mike Gartland -

As you know I am supporting getting Ken his cue / money. That being said, how tough would it be to fly wherever the hell Tonkin lives and talking to him face to face? Honestly, I am just curious.

I used to commission a couple cues a year from various cue makers. My experience with Showman killed the golden goose, I have only commissioned a cues from Rick Howard or Southwest. I have only bought or traded on second hand market, and rarely doing that.

When I posted about Showman ripping me off, I got numerous emails and messages that it happened to them too. I too, did not use those names either because it wasnt my business. I did appreciate the notes.

When I posted it, I had a cue dealer, wanting to refund me and keep it quiet. I didnt need the money, and my deposit was minimal, so I wouldnt take the dealers money. He may have paid me through Showman, I dont know. When I have told other dealers this story they guessed the dealer with a single guess. I suggest some dealers are complicent, including this one.

What I find most strange are the nut huggers defending these morally bankrupt cue makers. Even in this thread, I am amazed, but I guess I shouldnt be.

I wish you all the best of rolls,

Ken
 
Ken_4fun said:
Mike Gartland -

As you know I am supporting getting Ken his cue / money. That being said, how tough would it be to fly wherever the hell Tonkin lives and talking to him face to face? Honestly, I am just curious.

I used to commission a couple cues a year from various cue makers. My experience with Showman killed the golden goose, I have only commissioned a cues from Rick Howard or Southwest. I have only bought or traded on second hand market, and rarely doing that.

When I posted about Showman ripping me off, I got numerous emails and messages that it happened to them too. I too, did not use those names either because it wasnt my business. I did appreciate the notes.

When I posted it, I had a cue dealer, wanting to refund me and keep it quiet. I didnt need the money, and my deposit was minimal, so I wouldnt take the dealers money. He may have paid me through Showman, I dont know. When I have told other dealers this story they guessed the dealer with a single guess. I suggest some dealers are complicent, including this one.

What I find most strange are the nut huggers defending these morally bankrupt cue makers. Even in this thread, I am amazed, but I guess I shouldnt be.

I wish you all the best of rolls,

Ken
Click to expand...
Hi Ken: Nice to hear from you. Pete Tonkin lives in CA, which is at least 1,500 miles from where I live. It would be costly and time consuming and there is no guarantee he would be home. I firmly believe that PA enforcement involvement is Ken’s best route to getting the cue he was promised or an $18,000 refund. Best regards, Mike
 
xX-Wizard-Xx said:
Honestly though ... someone to keep paying after a couple thousand without any signs of progress is somewhat nutty. 18k for a cue is dumb. what is a 18k pool cue going to do for you that a 1500 dollar cue wont. at some point a person has to stop and think is this smart to keep doing ... its a pool cue not a mustang. VERY WRONG IN TONKIN.... but crazy for someone to willfully keep digging the hole
Click to expand...
I'd rather buy an 18,000 cue from Pete today than EVER buying a mustang.
 
xX-Wizard-Xx said:
I'm sure you do ... Yawn
Click to expand...
Investing in pool cues is like investing in any other collectible. I’ve bought and sold enough cues over $10,000 to know that it can be lucrative. You just have to know the market. I’ve been on a Rolex buying spree for a year and half now. Some people think that it’s nuts to pay $30,000 for a Rolex. I’ve done it twice in the past 18 months and will do it again for the right Rolex. Could I wear an Apple watch that costs $600 or $700? Sure, but I never would because I only buy and wear Rolexes.
 
Quality Cues said:
Investing in pool cues is like investing in any other collectible. I’ve bought and sold enough cues over $10,000 to know that it can be lucrative. You just have to know the market. I’ve been on a Rolex buying spree for a year and half now. Some people think that it’s nuts to pay $30,000 for a Rolex. I’ve done it twice in the past 18 months and will do it again for the right Rolex. Could I wear an Apple watch that costs $600 or $700? Sure, but I never would because I only buy and wear Rolexes.
Click to expand...
good for you .... i could do the same thing ... its worthless to me to wear a 30k watch . i dont need a 30k dollar thing on my wrist that serves no other purpose than to tell time.
 
jasonlaus said:
The point just keeps flying over your head
Click to expand...
xX-Wizard-Xx said:
good for you .... i could do the same thing ... its worthless to me to wear a 30k watch . i dont need a 30k dollar thing on my wrist that serves no other purpose than to tell time.
Click to expand...
Based on all of your idiotic posts to this thread, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say I suspect you don’t have to nickels to rub together.
 
xX-Wizard-Xx said:
After rereading this I feel like ken should have thought about things a little better.... Though tonkin did wrong no doubt but ken didn't have enough money to buy the cue but still got strung along for 18k ... Just awful on kens part ...
Click to expand...
You should stop saying what pops into that head of yours lol
 
OldOrvis said:
You should stop saying what pops into that head of yours lol
Click to expand...
well from the way i see it ken started with one set of cues and ended up getting scammed for some other cues with all sorts of missed deadlines in between. what would you have done after the first failed interaction? im sorry but after the first time ... im not chancing 18k ..

sorry but im not working with a cue manufacturer that wont accept half up font and half on completion or with a payment when my name comes up on a list (or some other reasonable agreement... definitely wont be one sided) and some sort of proof of work in progress. ...
 
Last edited:
peterskw said:
So, I should have stopped making payments? Then I would have had 0 chance of getting anything? I would have lost all my money! And if I could have seen a Post like this about Tonkin, I never would have started sending money in the first place. I really trusted Tonkin.
Click to expand...
As did i. Thankfully i got my momey back. I will keep my fingers crossed for you.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top