"Stolen" from dive shop in Boca Raton, FL

They got me too but luckily just for a dive computer that had been sent to ScubaPro for repair. I got all my gear back before they bailed out but had to have it all reserviced because it had not been done properly. Sad because Bob & Sean always seemed like decent people. Mine isn't worth filing any kind of a claim over, but if I can help anybody out with their claims, let me know. I found a document online that MAY be related. This was found through a public search for Robert Meadows in the Palm Beach Court Records. Lists an attorney that is representing a "Robert Meadows" in a Bankruptcy. I haven't been able to find anything specific on any of the bankruptcy court websites yet.

As a side note, I have since taken my gear to Pompano Dive Center and Tony has been absolutely amazing in helping me deal with ScubaPro and get everything back on track.

 

Sorry, you lost your gear.

The lesson here is that it pays to know who you are dealing with and their financial capacity. Buyer must always be aware.

Small biz in the SCUBA industry? Tough environment in which to make a living. Tougher to become a creditor of such a business.

Suppose you find 'your' BCD on a resale site - what are you going to do? How will you prove that you owned the items? The regulators - do they have serial numbers?

How about a little research?

BK - you can establish a free Pacer account to search BK cases. Searching today, neither the Robert or Sean Meadows or World of Scuba would appear to have filed BK. You can check for yourself, it's free if you only take a peak on Pacer.

The Cohen firm (the scanned doc up-thread) is indeed a big BK firm. A common BK ploy is to tell creditors that the BK filing is imminent and then do nothing. Sometimes this dissuades a creditor from going forward with litigation. Maybe they are just waiting for the full fallout from their business/personal ventures. Seldom does a small business owner have financial problems confined to only their business (in this case their LLC).

FL Civil Courts - the search link is below. Search for Robert, Sean, and Karen. Decide for yourself if the cases were predictive of the eventual personal and business outcome.

Your Insurance? ACV for personal possessions? Perhaps you should consider changing your policy to 'replacement cost'?

Small Claims? If they file BK, you are likely out your initial costs, time and trouble. BK, oh boy an unsecured claim.

5k? It's your money, gone all too quickly in attorney fees and costs. Maybe you just take the hit and move on saving your time and trouble.

Do It Yourself? You should carefully consider the downside of running afoul of the automatic bankruptcy stay. Google is your friend for a general look. BK attorney might be a good idea. Your risk, your decision.

WOS Insurance? Perhaps their insurance might cover the theft of goods? You might research, 'bankruptcy and its impact on property claims'. Would a recovery by WOS on a theft claim change your creditor status?

Maybe your best recourse is ScubaBoard's ads for used gear. There always seems to be some nice stuff for sale.

Good Luck

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Palm Beach County Civil Court Search

eCaseView​

Federal Case Search (BK)

https://pcl.uscourts.gov/pcl/pages/welcome.jsf​

Perhaps a quick peek into their 'warehouse' address

https://tinyurl.com/ycznxb9e
World Of Scuba 4500 Oak Circle Dr Ste B-3 Boca Raton, FL Scuba Diving Equipment - MapQuest
http://www.loopnet.com/Listing/17629996/4500-Oak-Circle-Boca-Raton-FL/​

FL Div of Corporations

WORLD OF SCUBA LLC
Filing Information
Document Number L13000096065
FEI/EIN Number46-3120706
Date Filed 07/05/2013
Effective Date 07/05/2013
State FL
Status INACTIVE
Last Event ADMIN DISSOLUTION FOR ANNUAL REPORT
Event Date Filed 09/22/2017​

Principal Address, Changed: 08/08/2017

4500 OAK CIRCLE DRIVE
SUITE B-3
BOCA RATON, FL 3343​

Pacer Search

Search Criteria: Party Search; Last Name: Meadows; First Name: Robert; Middle Name: W; Jurisdiction Type: Bankruptcy
Result Count: 11, Latest filing date was 2014

Search Criteria: Party Search; Last Name: Meadows; First Name: Sean
Result Count: 13, Latest filing date was 2016, none in FL

'Word of Scuba' not found in pacer bk search
​

Palm Beach County - 'Robert Meadows'

AMERICAN EXPRESS BANK FSB V MEADOWS, ROBERT
Filing Date 01/02/2018
Division Name RJ: County Civil Central - RJ
Case Status Open

TBF FINANCIAL LLC V WORLD OF SCUBA LLC
Filing Date 09/09/2016
Division Name RS: South Branch County Civil Division - RS
Case Status Closed

EQUITY RESIDENTIAL MANAGEMENT LLC V MEADOWS, KAREN
Filing Date 05/19/2011
Division Name RF: County Civil Central - RF
Case Status Closed

KAREN MEADOWS DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT
ROBERT W MEADOWS DEFENDANT/RESPONDENT​

Palm Beach County - 'Sean Meadows'

GSS INVESTMENTS LLC V MEADOWS, SEAN
Filing Date 01/15/2015
Division Name RS: South Branch County Civil Division - RS
Case Status Closed​

Cohen Law Firm

Cohen Law Florida Bankruptcy Lawyer and Debt Relief​

 

Can't help with anything, but since I am looking for places to dive with in the area, I found that oddly enough one apparently still can buy groupons for WoS even today...

https://www.groupon.com/deals/world-of-scuba-1?utm_source=&utm_campaign=UserReferral_ma

 

How are you supposed to know their financial capacity? I have never been to a shop or a charter where they made the books available.

Looks can be deceiving. We had a very popular dive shop in our area. Large scuba club. Quality instructors. Then one evening the not so old owner dropped dead. Turned out he was a great instructor but not such a good businessmen. Shop and wife tried to keep it going but all of a sudden within a few weeks it was closed once they understood the books. If you had receipts for equipment and could prove that it was yours you could get it back. The instructors were great in offering the classes you had paid for even though as I understand it they did not get paid. But any sort of deposits, fill cards, etc. were taken by the creditors. Still a lot of folks lost some time and money.

 

Of course the books - such as they might be - are not available to you. You have to use a little common sense in relation to your risk tolerance.

There is little risk when using a credit card for purchases, subject to chargeback rules. Sure better than cash or check.

More risk when making a series of cash prepayments for a Liveaboard trip. Or credit card payments well in advance of the trip. The trip of a lifetime, that you saved years for? Better do your research or risk the lifetime trip.

Leaving equipment for service? Well, let’s hope a belly-up shop calls and tells you to hop on down and pick it up. Better than walking away with the back door open.

Above the shop left a trail of civil cases that in hindsight were predictive of their failure. Perhaps the Groupon offers were a sign of desperation. How did the shop look? What was the inventory of basic goods?

Maybe you had a special order - for an item you knew was available in the marketplace - and time went by with the shop not calling you for pickup. Either no credit or inability to meet minimum order requirements. Service slow? Maybe the shop outsources and can’t/won’t/hasn’t paid the 3rd party service company for the work they did on your gear.

Chat up one of their independent instructors to see if they are paid promptly? Or have a suspicion?

When you look back at most business failures, the signs are all too clear.

What’s your risk tolerance at your favorite LDS?

 

If anyone is interested in avoiding assisting putting money into Bob Meadows / / Robert Meadows pockets he's now partnered with Pineapple Scuba in Oakland park. Buyer Beware

 

Thanks for letting us know.
Was there last month. Thankfully did not buy anything from them. Will stay clear in the future.

 

The SCUBA business is an easy money maker.
Here's one for sale in Palm Beach County. Started in 2018
Any takers?