1. A 10 Saturday, March 7, 2009
now with Tulsa Gold and Sil- “We’re sending in gold
GOLD: Guilty verdict in fatal wildfire
ver, located at the 6357 E. 41st four times a week” to be
St. store. He, too, has seen an melted, Summers said.
influx of sellers. And there have been
Cash4Gold has a D- “They say it’s stu they’re plenty of hard-luck stories. RIVERSIDE, Calif. (AP) of 20 counts of arson and 17 and that it was unlikely that
rating from the Bet- not wearing, and that it’s a “One man came in to sell — A jury convicted an auto counts of using an incendiary the three deadlocked charges
great time to see what it’s his wife’s wedding set,” mechanic Friday of murder- device. The jury deadlocked would be pursued since Oy-
ter Business Bureau. worth — and it is,” he said. Summers said. “He had ing five federal firefighters by on three arson counts, and ler already faces at least a life
Anderson said Tulsa Gold worked at the glass plant for setting a wildfire that overran a mistrial was declared on sentence without parole.
FROM A1 and Silver pays 92 percent 16 years but was laid o , and them as they defended a home those charges. Relatives of the victims and
of that day’s rate. On Friday, he had to pay some bills.” in a rural Southern California The verdicts followed a Oyler’s family declined to
the transaction is completed gold rose $15.10 to close at If it’s a nice piece of es- mountain community. monthlong trial with testi- comment. Messages seeking
— all in about 10 minutes, $942.10; 92 percent is $866.73 tate jewelry, or a custom Raymond Lee Oyler, 38, was mony by arson investigators, comment were left by The
Fisher said. per ounce. design, Summers puts it up found guilty of five counts of fire experts and several of Associated Press for defense
Tulsa Gold & Gems opened However, 14K is only 58.3 for sale, because the cus- first-degree murder. Because Oyler’s relatives. attorney Mark McDonald.
a quarter-century ago, origi- percent pure, so the price tomer can get more money he committed multiple mur- John R. Hawkins, Riverside The 2006 blaze, now
nally as a diamond broker- drops to $505.30 per ounce. for it. ders and did so while com- County fire chief, told report- known as the Esperanza Fire,
age at 51st Street and Lewis While Diamond Jim’s is “I’ve seen a tremendous mitting another felony — ar- ers he hoped the families of roared to life as fierce Santa
Avenue. A changing economy known for its diamond jewel- amount of really neat estate son — he could face the death the firefighters could “rest Ana winds swept through
prompted the company to ry and watch appraisals, Jim pieces,” he said. “Grandma penalty in a trial phase begin- now knowing that the man valleys and mountains about
switch gears to gold about 15 Summers said lately there’s may have liked it, but times ning Tuesday. responsible will pay for his 90 miles east of Los Angeles.
years ago. Fisher’s dad, E.W., been a steady flow of gold have changed.” Relatives of the victims and actions, and no one else will The crew of San Bernardi-
still owns the business. coming in, and a 10-fold in- the defendant sobbed as the su er as they have.” no National Forest Engine 57
In December, the sta crease in customers. verdicts were read in River- Riverside County District was overwhelmed after de-
Nancy Hollingshead 581-8363
moved into a specially de- His store pays 96 percent side County Superior Court. Attorney Rod Pacheco said he ploying to protect an unoccu-
nancy.hollingshead@tulsaworld.com
signed shop in south Tulsa, of the gold price. Oyler was also found guilty was pleased with the verdict pied house.
with bulletproof walls. The
doors are always locked —
opened as customers arrive
— and the parking lot is con-
tinually monitored.
70 70 70 70 70 70
% % % % % %
After all, gold is gold, right?
Well, not exactly. Many
pieces marked “10K” or “14K”
OFF OFF OFF OFF OFF OFF
have been gold-filled or gold-
plated.
Ladies’ Liz Claiborne Ladies’ Ladies’ Kasper Ladies’ Hampshire Ladies’ Ladies’ American
However, the biggest sur-
Sweaters Sweaters Sportswear Studio Knits Casual Jackets Designed Sportswear
prises come when diamonds
turn out to be made of cubic
zirconia.
“If it’s an ex-wife, she usu-
ally says, ‘See — that’s why I
left him,’ ” Fisher said.
Plenty of companies are
70 70
advertising on television,
% %
NEW
touting high prices — and
they are hurting the industry,
OFF OFF
Fisher said.
“They pay a fraction of a frac-
REDUCTIONS!
Ladies’ New York Signature Ladies’
tion of a fraction of what we
do,” he said. “… The problem is,
Designed Sportswear Casual Coats
you mail o the item, and most
don’t know that it is insured
for — at the most — $100.”
One of the most prolific
advertisers is Cash4Gold.
fall &
The Southeast Florida Bet-
ter Business Bureau gives it a
70 70
% %
“D” rating. Many customers
who ask for their jewelry to
be returned within the 10-day
OFF OFF
waiting period are told it al-
winter
ready has been melted, while
Ladies’ Dress Select
others are told the company
never received their package,
Handbags
& Casual Shoes
according to the BBB.
Rick Brinkley, president
and CEO of the Better Busi-
CLEARANCE
ness Bureau Serving Eastern
Oklahoma, said more than
300 complaints have been
logged against Cash4Gold at
70 40
% %
the Florida BBB.
“What makes these scams
worse is that people are strug-
OFF OFF
gling with selling something
that means more to them than Ladies’ Ladies’ Select
70
the value of the item itself,”
%
Comfort Shoes Fashion Jewelry
Brinkley said. “It belonged to
their grandmother or, many
times, it’s their own wedding
ring. To be ripped o and lose
something of such emotional
up to
value is many times more
than what some consumers
70 50
% %
can bear.”
Former KJRH-TV meteo-
rologist Mike Anderson is
OFF OFF
Ladies’ Sleepwear Men’s Select
BBB tips on to
& Robes Dress & Casual Shoes
how to sell gold
Rick Brinkley, president
off
and CEO of the Better
Business Bureau Serving
Eastern Oklahoma, o ers
the following tips to make
50 50
% %
selling gold a success:
• Go to a local shop where
you can walk in with your
OFF OFF
jewelry, get offered a price
and then make a decision.
Juniors’ Separates Girls’ 7-16
If you don’t like the price
you are offered, you can
& Collections Tops & Bottoms
always walk away with
your jewelry in hand.
• Get an appraisal before
trying to sell your jewelry,
and not from the person
who is trying to buy it
70 70 50 50 70 70 %
from you. And remember:
% % % %
%
Sentimental value does not
translate into cash value.
OFF
OFF OFF OFF OFF
Just because it belonged to
OFF
your grandmother doesn’t
Boys’ & Girls’
Ladies’ Better Missy Ladies’ Ladies’
mean the jeweler is going
Girls’ 7-16
to give it any extra value.
Hoodies
Collections Dresses Suits Wool Coats
Sweaters
• Be careful when dealing
with companies located
elsewhere that ask you to
send your jewelry through
the mail. BBBs in other
parts of country — where
the companies that adver-
19 70 70 70 50 50
99 % % % % %
tise on late-night televi-
sion and on infomercials
originate — report many
OFF OFF OFF OFF OFF
complaints from consum-
ers.
Men’s Select Men’s Men’s Men’s Select Brand Emile Henry
• If you decide to send jew-
elry through the mail, make Dress Shirts Designed Sportswear Woven Shirts Bedding Collections Ceramic Ovenware
Dress & Casual Pants
sure it is insured for the
full value and use a service
that requires a signature
and delivery confirmation
from the company. Many
consumers have filed com-
plaints with the BBB stating
BONUS
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have the businesses deny of 21.50 or more
they ever received it. The
consumers do not have any
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