Has Become a Familiar Face in Lake Havasu City the Gambler's Kids Using His Contar from the Criminal Underworld
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If either of these things happens, you've encountered Darrell Sheets colorful reality star on A&E's Storal Wars. Nicknamed "The Gambler/' Sheets has appeared in over 230 ep sodes since its premiere in 2010, th year he coined his catchphrase, "th wow factor." ' Storage Wars is a show about wh, \i \ er-dealers who, without opening boxes, bid on articles in abandoner storage lockers. Auction winners could get a container full of treasur or a unit filled with junk. ,i. In Season 3, Sheets scored the bii gest profit in the show's history. Hir winning bid of $3,600 gave him ow ership of original paintings by Fran Guti6,rrez, worth $300,000, netting r* Sheets $296,400. "The paintings were priceless. I s or,rrn 15 of them. I love artl'There's more to the story. There were coins and other valuables in that locker which brought the total value to ov a million dollars. That's not the 61-year old's most valuable locker either. He outbid everyone on a comic book collectir containing the first stories of Spide man in the Amazing Fantasy 15 epi sodes, It took seven pickup trucklor to move the books. Sheets paid $3,1 TREAS [{TTR for the comics and attempted to se t the group back to its original owne 'Storage who was a homicide detective. The Darrell Sheets, star 0f A&E's Warsj dickwouldn't buy it back at the asl price. Instead, he plotted to kidnap has become a familiar face in Lake Havasu City the Gambler's kids using his contar from the criminal underworld. By Buck Dopp In a hurry to get the comic book r lection out of his hands, Sheets sol here's a new gambler in Lake Havasu City stalking es- it for $80,000, pocketing $76,700. Tl tate sales and storage auctions. If you run into him, guy he sold it to, resold it for $800,C "matterdaddyJ' Now, those comics are worth 5.4 he'll ask if you have a lVhen you reply, million dollars. It's the third most "!Vhat's a "matterdaddy?" He'II sternly proclaim, "I'l;-;r valuable comic book collection in t not your daddy!" world. T Brian Fountain worked on the Or, if you see a guy at a garage sale who looks famil- production team of Storage Wars a. iar and you dare to ask, "lVhere do I knowyou from?" He'll became Sheets's best friend. "His nickname is the Gambler, but I dor answer you loud enough for the people on the next block to think it's so much that he's a gambl hear. "I'm the cop who arrested you for drunk driving! How's Fountain said. "Darrell really know his stuff. He knor,r,s what he can bu' your drinking problem?" Then he'll laugh as your face turns and seli at a fair price." red. i,l . HAVAS.J: ARIZCNA.S COASTAL LIFE IFALL 2019 I "Havasu has a beauty all its own. You either like it here, or you dont. It's a haven for guys with man-caves. Where else can you go grab a gun and take your dune buggy out into the desert, come back, and take your boat out on the Iake and then take your classic car out for a drive. Where else can you do all that?" *DarrellSheets wdri & * ffi ,- 1, .'B&. .&! * -;'i*"ff\ *' ,ffi "',*& -i ,&., ,,,rd, { iB*- ':'' . ! ri 1r*: ffi tt' trI T * ffi % { Although Fountain lives in River- at Lake Havasu High School. "I've "l'm side, California, he bought a getaway had custody of her since day onei' he taking all my earnings home in 13 Lake Havasu years ago. said, glowing with pride. If they were and investments and investi: He told his buddy about a duplex a father and daughter, they couldn't in the same neighborhood within be any closer. them here. I've bought a bun walking distance of the lake. Darrell He's already bought many storage snapped up the duplex, renting out lockers in Lake Havasu and said the of homes and some warehou one side while living in the other, buying is good. "I'm taking all my which he described as a "giant casi- earnings and investments and invest- es. I'm getting or tITo return, ta' ing them here. I've bought a bunch my investment. I cant get thr Darrell and his l4-year old grand- of homes and some warehouses. I'm daughter Zoie Sheets moved perma- getting anllY" return on myinvest- anywhere else. That's why I'r nently to the duplex during the last ment. I can't get that anywhere else. week of June.Zoie is a sophomore That's why I'm in Havasul' Havasu." . 16 HAVASU: ARIZONA'S COASTAL LIFE lFALL2019 3 -DarellS F ,:4. 'n t I *! I n rr * *- .rC lt, s r- : From.my first visit, I appreciated the professional yet a{fordablQ exparienpe. seruice, and product..lt is nreaningful to koow I can travel'and still get seruic6 across the country. ihank you for so many excellent, hearing care profession als. ll - Donna B. We invite you to discover why millions Sheets with his granddaughter, Zoie, of people have entrusted their hearinc to Miracle-Ear. LEAIJtI\a(r-EIJeiE fECHNOLOGY, customized to your unigue hearin, needs, preferences and lifestyle The native of Covina, to a healthier speed. On IO+ YEARS OF INNOVI\TION in hearing technology, starting with o California, enj oys meeting March 11, he had two heart introduction o{ the world's {irst all-in-the-ear h-aring aid the snowbirds as well as the attacks-a g5% blockage on 10096 INVISIBLE AND DISCREET modets o{ hearing aids, so you can hear your best and live your locals. "I felt I was going back one side and an 85% blockage life with the utmost confidence THE PEACE OF to the B0s, which is pleasant. on 'A MIND that comes with a sarisfaction the other. heart attack guarantee, plus a 3-year limited* warranty and 3_year loss Havasu has a beauty all its will make you start slowing and damage protestion or,rm. You either like it here, dovrn," he said with a nod. A LIFETIME OF A,FTERCARE at no extra charge, including hearing aid checkups, cleaning and adjusiment or you don't. It's a haven for He's not going to be sit- MORE guys THAN 1,4OO LOC.ATIONS across with man-cavesi' he ting around much. That's the country, assuring you o{ outstanding care noted. "Where else canyou not in the trader's DNA. and seruice wherever you live or travel go grab a gun and take your He's considering opening r.YrErYr rv uvIYttYt(Jl\ll I through the Miracle-Ear Foundation, which dune buggy out into the des- an auction house, an estate partners with local Miracle-Ear representatives and donors to provide ert, come back and take your selling business or a "used free hearing aids and services to eligible adults and children boat out on the lake and then and abused store," a term that take your classic car out for a spontaneously came out of It all adds up to the drive. \A/here else can you do his mouth, ,, that made him IVI I RACLE- EAR - all that?" ADVANTAG E smile after he said it. "Yeah. A No wonder Miracle-Ear is America s most recognized Although still a Storage used and abused store." aid brand! Wars cast member, Sheets Former girlfriend Kimber is taking a long break, and Wuerfel introduced Darrell to c i ; i lj ? A T ! N{-, slowing his hectic lifestyle the Lake Havasu area. She .: ,^,t^ rr*r 955-3777 Toll Free .1731[Ulesquite, l'866'846'4327 suire I 6m,, orc,pi.Frrriuhr CTTTBRATINGOVER 30YIARS 11{ TAIG HAVASU CIY Over 70 yeors of tomhined experiene o servfte on oll mokes & moders. Bottedes g2a /JfoMiracle.Ear 54-gOOO yolm wvJw.mraacle ea(com Ei i H*.inqaidsdoaotredorenaruralneari.d rndividuatexpe.ie.cosvary&pendingonsevariryofhearinsloss.accuracyofevalua. wuw.sGUe n sta rG o p,oper *Audioro;e nstluGti o n,Gom I'r,ani abrrnv,ro adapr ro amphnca-t,on. pro, ,liiv.. ri.i"ja. M! compleEry sarisd, the aids ma re.*d ro, a iull reiund wrh,n {s> ders o{ rhe compt.ao^ o{iirins.""r in sarlu"u,'ry "i. rtl"s f;" AZLic # ROC 152376-8 * AZ Lic # ROC 156650 B-j * CA Lic #518195 "*an".. -"y #pt. s.;;;; HAVASU: ARIZONA'S COASTAL LIFE I FALL 2019 ,t ry "lf he comes to your house be prepared for hir t to make offers on any- thing he thinks he can ge i .;r you to sell to him." \i. ' al *lindleyDisk; .FX friend of Darrell Shee c Leftl Sheets shows off his bayonet collecti Below: An old sign in Sheets'garage playr I his television image. spent summer vacations on the Parker ** Strip competing and winning speed e skiing championships. "I admire the way Darrell puts Zoie firsti'Wuerfel said. "He's a self-educat- ed man. He gets up in the morning and e ,1 ( makes things happen. He's got a gigan- c tl , tic heart, and he's street smartl'As for ,t i ''1: his "matterdaddy" joke, she said with a smile in her voice, "He needs to get a some newmaterial." , Y Kimber's sisteq Lindley and her hus- band "Tijuana Tim" Diskin are big fans of Darrell Sheets.