SOMEONE STOLE MY RIC

[rickenbrother]

As far as I'm concerned, the pawn shop owner took a risk buy buying this instrument. When buying an item such as this, the shop owner should make a copy of a valid drivers license plus two other valid forms of ID (current credit card and recent home utility bill) so the person he bought it from could be traced if the item is stolen. If the shop owner did not do this, he threw his own $160 into the wind.

[Tarrbot]

Agreed. My only concern is that if the pawn shop owner is a mean spirited individual that he might not return the bass in the condition he got it in. Are there pawn shop rules/laws about such things? I mean, the seller posted pics, so if there's suddenly a big key'd scratchmark in the nice burgendy finish or some busted parts, couldn't you blame the pawn shop owner- he posted pics to show the condition it was in- and I'm sure that even though he's retracted the ad on Ebay, that such things are archived on Ebay for legal reasons such as this? I wouldn't normally even suggest such behaviour, but the pawn shop ower should REALLY turn over the name of the creep who pawned it and hand the bass back, untouched, to its rightful owner. Given the fact he's asking for either a search warrant or $160, that just tells me the guy's really slimey.

If you don't get cooperation from the pawn shop owner I'd suggest your band writing a few songs about the event and letting the public know he deals in hot merchandise.

Not happening.

One thing that's wonderful about Opera (the browser) is that until you hit refresh, it saves pages exactly the way they were the last time you accessed them. So, I have all of the images plus the HTML and listing the way it was the other day. It still may be online. I'm not risking hitting refresh and losing it (yeah, I've already saved it all but ... )

Bottom line, even if ebay doesn't have it. I do. And all the images. Here's a few with their psycho file names still untouched.

[jakeox]

The eBay listing still exists. I don't think there's anything the seller can do to remove it even after they end the listing. They stay up for 90 days or so.

[cassius987]

So wait, did the seller know it was stolen all along or was he an unwitting victim too? I don't get it. Is the seller the pawn shop?

[atomic_punk]

I had a similar situation happen to me, and here was the outcome.

Band truck stolen, guitar player's guitars still in the truck. Full PA in the truck. Stolen out of his driveway in the burbs.

Guitars found on Ebay at a pawn shop in the hood. I drive down there with guitar player, with a copy of police report. Not only do they have the guitars, they have the mixer, amps, speakers, the whole bit. Cops say our only recourse is to pay the guy what he gave the crackheads who stole it. $1100 guitars = $50 bucks each (of course they ditched the cases with his name and the band name on it), PA, $75 bucks. Mackie 24 channel console - $50. We happily handed over the cash and left with a car-load of our own stuff. Did it suck to have to pay him back? Yep. But it sure felt good to get all the gear back.

AND the pawn shop owner gave the name of the crackheads who sold it to him to the cops. Don't know if they were ever prosecuted (it IS Detroit, after all...) but I hope they did.

[jdogric12]

I would just show up and take it back. What are they going to do, arrest you for stealing your own bass??!?!

Half kidding here...

[ram]

I would just show up and take it back. What are they going to do, arrest you for stealing your own bass??!?!

Half kidding here...

that would be the logical thing to do .. but we are a paper society. You'd need a note saying it was OK to take your bass back.... Show up at the pawnshop.."I got my note..."

[beatlefreak]

I think I'd sue the pawnshop for the money paid. After all, they received stolen property and sold it.

[jdogric12]

Excellent idea, Kris. Pay the $160 then sue to get it back - they'd probably just hand it back over rather than go to small claims court to prove they sold stolen goods! That's actually pretty clever, I wonder if it would work.

[rikk]

Am I missing something here? I don't think the pawn shop sold it for $160. I think they bought it for $160. That's why I think they should just give the bass back and have the pawn shop take the $160 hit as the COST OF DOING BUSINESS. If I were them that's what I'd do. Because it's the RIGHT thing to do.

[simer4001]

Personally, I pay the pawn shop $160, get my bass and consider myself lucky to have it back. Then once you have the bass back you can go after whomever you like.

[rob4001va]

Last night someone smashed my truck window and smashed my Ampeg Head on the street and stole my Rickenbacker. If anyone comes across a 1980 Burgundy Rickenbacker 4001 w/ a Badass Bridge II on it and Serial Number TH 3349 on this forum or ebay or craigslist or any forum please let me know. Thanks you everyone

http://i55.photobucket.com/albums/g122/ ... us/ric.jpg

There's a special place in Hell reserved for guys like this.

[jdogric12]

Simer's right, go get it fool!

[8mileshigher]

Excellent idea, Kris. Pay the $160 then sue to get it back - they'd probably just hand it back over rather than go to small claims court to prove they sold stolen goods! That's actually pretty clever, I wonder if it would work.

Unfortunately, the cost of your time and effort to pursue a law suit or small claims court action is probably a lot more than the $160 pay-off ... but no doubt there would be immense satisfaction in righting the wrong in that manner ! And receiving of stolen goods is probably a criminal offense not a civil offense .. .but some RRF-er who is a lawyer might explain the whole thing to us...

[jdogric12]

Wow. I just checked my county's fee - for a $160 claim, it would be $80. I had no idea it would be that much.


From the Hillsborough County website:
Claims less than $100.00 $55.00
Claims of $100.00 to $500.00 $80.00
Claims of $500.01 to $2,500.00 $175.00
Claims of $2,500.01 to $15,000 $300.00