# Crime: What is a fencing operation?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-what-is-a-fencing-operation/253203>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 2, 2004, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-what-is-a-fencing-operation/253203 "2004-07-02T12:05:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\
**Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-what-is-a-fencing-operation/253203/1 "2004-07-02T12:05:39Z")

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Well, the title basically is the question. Is it simply a fancy name for selling stolen goods for cash? …as opposed to stealing goods for one’s one personal use, I guess? Please clarify/explain… - Jinx

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**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\
**Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-what-is-a-fencing-operation/253203/2 "2004-07-02T12:13:00Z")

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You steal something. I am your “fence”. I will give you a small amount of money for the item and resell the item at a profit.

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**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\
**Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-what-is-a-fencing-operation/253203/3 "2004-07-02T12:30:37Z")

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[dictionary.com](http://dictionary.com) gives the following two definitions:

> [@](#):
>
> To sell (stolen goods) to a fence.
> 
> To act as a conduit for stolen goods.

So I guess it is the action of selling stolen goods, regardless of whether you did the stealing.

Grim

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**Author:** ![chrisk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@chrisk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrisk)\
**Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 12:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-what-is-a-fencing-operation/253203/4 "2004-07-02T12:40:26Z")

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\<joke\>

No, no, a fencing operation is the deal with those swords that have no edge and no point, and the guys in white suits and masks trying to tag each other with the swords.

😃

\</joke\>

Sorry, i couldn’t resist that one.

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**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\
**Post date:** [July 2, 2004, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/crime-what-is-a-fencing-operation/253203/5 "2004-07-02T14:22:40Z")

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“Fencing” refers to the illegal business of intentionally receiving stolen goods for resale purposes. (And “intentional” includes “willful negligence” – “I don’t want to know where you got all that jewelry from” is not sufficient defense!)

Although to continue **chrisk** ’s joke, “a fencing operation” is when your surgeon comes in with an epée… 😉