Located an item stolen off my car what can I do?

Located an item stolen off my car what can I do?

Author
Discussion

lewis87

361 posts

203 months

Monday 24th February 2020
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I had a distinctive motorbike stolen which turned up 350 miles down south on eBay. I phoned and got an address and arranged to go and see it that evening, I gave the info to my local police who passed it on and it was recovered that same day.

LordHaveMurci

12,043 posts

169 months

Monday 24th February 2020
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ashleyman said:
A friend had similar with a cage that fits to the back of a truck. One of a kind custom made. He had the whole truck stolen but the cage turned up for sale on Facebook a few months later.

We enquired about it and asked to go see it. Seller sent an address so we went round and stole it back.

Never heard anything else. I’m sure you have a friend or know of someone who will go retrieve it for you.

Edited by ashleyman on Monday 24th February 16:50
I'm sure sure the poor sod who'd bought it in good faith was thrilled.

Boosted LS1

21,187 posts

260 months

Monday 24th February 2020
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^ What have you in your sheds?

Track Rod

247 posts

147 months

Monday 24th February 2020
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OP, are you in Liverpool?

RB Will

9,664 posts

240 months

Monday 24th February 2020
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Would the concern be in going round to view the item and then the police turning up soon after that if it is the thief or an accomplice of they may twig and they know your address (where they stole it from?) and may pay you a return visit.

Might be safer just to have the police involved

underwhelmist

1,859 posts

134 months

Monday 24th February 2020
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LordHaveMurci said:
I'm sure sure the poor sod who'd bought it in good faith was thrilled.
Many years ago the police helped me to recover a bike which had been stolen - a colleague spotted it parked up. If the chap had bought it in good faith it’s a shame, but it was still my bike. IIRC insurance had already paid out so it was the insurance company’s actually, but I bought it back off them.

Leptons

5,113 posts

176 months

Tuesday 25th February 2020
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gizlaroc said:
I bet the police won't want to know.

They will probably phone them and ask if they have the item, of course they will reply 'no' and 2 minutes later it will be gone.

What else can you do really?
I would set up a new account on gumtree with a gmail email address.

Make an offer, arrange to collect over the weekend to buy you some time and get their address. Then call the police. You never know, they may go and recover it.
This happened to my mate with his mountain bike. Got the sellers address, gave it to the police who did nothing and in the meantime the bike got sold on to someone else.

Probably a civil matter or something rolleyes

rossub

4,442 posts

190 months

Tuesday 25th February 2020
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I can’t believe you lot are falling for this.

carreauchompeur

17,846 posts

204 months

Tuesday 25th February 2020
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It’s frustrating, but from a Police perspective it’s often quite difficult to legally resolve.

I have managed to resolve similar situations through ‘creative’ means, but really some sort of Police-led ‘sting’ is out of the question. Then you get into powers... powers of entry etc etc, which is where it gets sticky.

So, provide the Police with an address. Great- go round and knock on the door. Door gets answered... have you got the item? No. Now, “creatively” you might start to suspect the person of theft, provided you’ve got other knowledge... happy days, arrest sus theft, search the house.

Door doesn’t get answered, circs are a bit woolly... zero power of entry. Then you get into the realm of an urgent warrant... now that’s a whole new can of worms.

Byker28i

59,804 posts

217 months

Tuesday 25th February 2020
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Didn't we have that with a stolen motorbike, tracker took it to a block of flats and the police didn't get an answer so that was it?
What ever happened to that.


SimonTheSailor

12,594 posts

228 months

Tuesday 25th February 2020
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Make an appointment, go round and see it, tell them you would like it and you'll go and get some money out.
Phone the Police and tell them there is a burglary in progress and a nun lives there with some adopted refugees and they all look terrified.

Torquey

1,895 posts

228 months

Tuesday 25th February 2020
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LordHaveMurci said:
ashleyman said:
A friend had similar with a cage that fits to the back of a truck. One of a kind custom made. He had the whole truck stolen but the cage turned up for sale on Facebook a few months later.

We enquired about it and asked to go see it. Seller sent an address so we went round and stole it back.

Never heard anything else. I’m sure you have a friend or know of someone who will go retrieve it for you.

Edited by ashleyman on Monday 24th February 16:50
I'm sure sure the poor sod who'd bought it in good faith was thrilled.
You're right. Maybe he should have went round to drop off any paperwork or receipts he has for the new owner acquirer rolleyes