# Stolen Gear



## Pizzle (Jun 26, 2007)

Too funny. I saw the original stolen boat post, and all I could think was the poster didn't realize that 5 to 10 years ago the Fluid Solo was a fairly common boat.


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## protechie (Jun 16, 2005)

In general it's a good idea to keep a spreadsheet with the make, model, cost and serial number of your valuable goods. For items that don't have a serial number, and even those that do, make note of any features that would allow you to easily distinguish your item from someone else's. Modifications, stickers or markings, and damage to a particular area are all good to keep track of. This information is important when making a police or insurance report, and even more crucial if you think you've found something stolen from you and you want to get it back. For electronics and other widely available items, the serial number is essential. Serial numbers are also the best way for pawn shops to inventory items, and they are required by law to hold anything that comes in with a hit on a stolen serial number. Particularly if you want help from the police if you see something on Craigslist, or even if you choose to handle it yourself, being able to point out distinguishing features in the posted photos is critical because the seller may not be inclined to give you the serial number, or may get suspicious and bail if you ask for it before meeting. It's a pain starting the list from scratch, but once you have it rolling it's quick and easy to add new purchases. Always make a stolen property report, even if it doesn't seem like anything can be done. It gives you a lot more credibility if you've already made a report, versus all of a sudden seeing something you think is yours when you haven't reported it stolen yet. 
Also keep in mind that the seller may be unwitting. Especially if there's been a passage of time since the item was stolen, the seller may have bought it elsewhere and believe it is legitimately theirs to sell. It's also important to keep safety in mind when meeting up. Shit bags who steal your stuff clearly don't value the time, effort, and money it cost you, so they're probably less inclined to value your life and safety as well. Similarly, in this case if the OP met with the buyer and was confronted with threats or worse, he would have a legitimate right to defend his own property. That sort of thing can escalate pretty quickly on both sides when you don't know who you're dealing with and what they're about. By all means go get your hard earned property back from the turds that stole it, just be careful out there.


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## villagelightsmith (Feb 17, 2016)

For every couple thousand dollars worth of gear stolen, one must earn perhaps $5000 to replace it. We have living expenses, too. If we are in business, that means we must generate perhaps $50,000 in sales to throw off that coupler of thousand of personal discretionary income. If a thief sells stolen gear, it still belongs to the one from whom it was stolen, IMHO. No matter how many hands it passes through, legal and moral title to the gear isn't cleared. If a boat is fenced at 5 cents on the dollar to buy some blow, a good portion of my life is spent replacing that stuff. If my time, labor, and wages are taken, that is tantamount to a period of slavery, wasted to the thief just so (s)he can snort or shoot the poison and waste his Life for a few hours. Others may find this view a little extreme. But for those of us who have experienced significant loss to theft, whether in the back alley, boardroom, or by the brother-in-law, the anger never quite goes away. The second thief is all alone in the world.


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## protechie (Jun 16, 2005)

Agreed. I wasn't trying to imply that an unwitting seller with previously stolen gear should get to keep it, just pointing out that they may (mistakenly) believe it is rightfully theirs. If you're able to establish that what they have belongs to you, then unfortunately they become a victim as well because now they are also out the goods and the money paid for them. 
I'm a firm believer that time is the only true currency. When someone steals your stuff or your money, what they are really stealing is your time-the time you spent away from your family or not otherwise enjoying your life because you were working to make the money and buy the stuff. This is unacceptable. Time is finite, and people who greedily snatch it away from others are scum who deserved to be treated as such.


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## villagelightsmith (Feb 17, 2016)

I've had the misfortune of buying a stolen item, and the good fortune to be the one who was able to instantly restore it to the rightful owner.


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