Stolen Bikes?

[1happygirl]

Is this common procedure?

I have a question about bicycles as I read a guy just got his bicycle back from a pawn shop after paying the ticket the pawn shop paid the thief ($200.00).
Guy got his bike stolen from his garage. He had his serial # and found it at a pawn shop. Went back with police and proved it was his. (in fact he had his name stuck on the underside of the chain stay still-pawn shop didn't remove it yet). They made him pay the money they paid the thief. Is this common? I was told otherwise you let the cop impound it, wait 60 days, go to court, prove it is yours and the pawn shop won't argue and then you get it back free. Is this the same all over?

Thanks, not hoping anything happens but just curious for the future in case. I been hearing a lot about stolen bikes lately.

[rcnute]

The pawn shop and the cops were wrong.

[jr59]

It goes State by State.

I own a pawn shop, and have owned a shop in Fl as well.

Most states make you report EVERYTHING you take in, EVERY week. Then you as the pawn shop have to hold the things for between 30-120 days before you can sell it.

Every state has different laws about stolen things.

Most times you have to surrender it to the law. Then they hold it while the case goes to court. In some cases, this takes years. If the person wanted his bike back quicker than that, he could pay the pawn broker and decide not to procute the case.

This would be easier for him, he gets his bike back right away. Otherwise it would be held for evidence until the trail.

Hope it helps!

[jr59]

The pawn shop and the cops were wrong.

Incorrect!

What would make you think this?

[1happygirl]

Thanks guys. Getting it 3rd hand but that was his reasoning that he didn't want his carbon baby bike out and about without him. Also, though, police understaffed and mostly said they assumed now everyone happy as he got his bike back and will not put a whole lot of effort into it. They r mostly just working now on prosecuting aggravated robbery and murder eg crimes of bodily injury.

JR another ?

Would the pawn shop keep enough records for the po-po to go find the thief?

Thanks for clarifying, it helps. I've heard/talked to more than one of these stories lately.

[Aaron O]

I think that's something that probably varies with state/local law. In PA, at least on Philadelphia, you have to reimburse the pawn shop what they paid for the item. Personally, I think it's gross and offensive...the risk for buying/fencing stolen goods should be the pawn shops and giving them the ability to reimburse their loss alleviates their risk buying stolen goods.

If anyone but a pawn shop bought a stolen bike, they'd lose the money...I have no idea why pawn shops are an exception here. Personally I think they should be on the hook for losing the money AND prosecuted as accomplices to the theft.

Pawn shops do report inventory to police here, but are also notorious for under reporting, fake reporting and paying off police officers assigned with audits. It's a crooked business, it's always been a crooked business and I suspect it always will be a crooked business.

[jr59]

I think that's something that probably varies with state/local law. In PA, at least on Philadelphia, you have to reimburse the pawn shop what they paid for the item. Personally, I think it's gross and offensive...the risk for buying/fencing stolen goods should be the pawn shops and giving them the ability to reimburse their loss alleviates their risk buying stolen goods.

If anyone but a pawn shop bought a stolen bike, they'd lose the money...I have no idea why pawn shops are an exception here. Personally I think they should be on the hook for losing the money AND prosecuted as accomplices to the theft.

Pawn shops do report inventory to police here, but are also notorious for under reporting, fake reporting and paying off police officers assigned with audits. It's a crooked business, it's always been a crooked business and I suspect it always will be a crooked business.


Arron, I respectfuly and STRONGLY disagree!

Here in New Orleans, and in Fl. We are one of the most regulated industries.

I had to post a large cash bond to apply for my license. If I have 1 piece of anything in my shop I will lose that bond. That is ANYTHING!
Every screw, bolt, ring, tool, EVERYTHING! I have to keep the paperwork for the bike I ride to work on, for fear of losing my shop.

Maybe it is different where you live, I do not know this. But I have met shop owners from all over the country, most are hard working guys, that won't risk the trouble of doing something underhanded. It's not worth it. I would lose my shop and 250,000 cash bond that I had to put up.

As I said, it may have been a crooked business at one time. It may be where you are. But not overall!

Besides on a national avg. less than .5 % of stolen stuff goes thru a pawn shop. Thats pretty small!

[Aaron O]

The reason why you are so regulated as an industry is that, historically, it's been based largely in theft and fencing jewelry. One central tenant of organizational theory is also that regulators become governed by what they regulate. Whether it's the FCC as a tool of radio broadcasters, police taking pay offs or what have you...it's something that's always happened. I know for fact that the pawn shops around here still do a good business in other people's lost items...and on the rare chance they get caught, they hand in an inflated ticket for what they paid and get their money back. It's offensive and gross (at least in Philadelphia).

It's also still a business based on predatory loans for the desperate. I understand the need for it, but it's a rough business.

By the way...I found my stolen gold bracelet in a Tampa Florida pawn shop about 15 years ago. It took years to get back and I had to pay court costs and reimburse him a number he lied about paying. His argument was "you should be reimbursed from the thief". My argument is you should get reimbursed by the thief...like any other person who purchases stolen goods.

[1happygirl]

I guess like other businesses there are good and bad proprietors. I have heard stories of several peeps using the payday loans responsibly. They paid back, quickly and on time. The families stories I heard would have no where else to turn and they were happy to have it. But the loans are another topic.

I am just sorry to hear that more and more bikes are getting stolen and that you have to pay twice for your bike. $200 though is a cheap price for a madone though I guess.

Sorry about yr bracelet Aaron and mostly the hassle to get it back.

[sean]

it a pain for sure. A friend of my neighbor's recently had his $3500 Moulton stolen. I put out a bunch of feelers and we finally got it back.

A crackhead walked into my friends shop and casually mentioned he had a nice "pocket bike". My buddy played along and he showed up the following week asking $300 for it.

First blush our feeling was to lock the door behind him and call the cops. In the end, we opted for giving the guy his money for a couple of reasons.

First, $300 is a lot less than a deductible or paying full retail for a new Moulton.

Second, who knows what this guy is up to. He could get out and throw a brick through my buddy's window as "payback", which in the long run would end up costing more than $300.

It sucks, but sometimes it's the lesser of two evils. Here in SF most people who are really into cycling know the spots to hit when your bike gets stolen. It's almost like an accepted practice of "unauthorized rental". While it sucks, if you do something about it, that resource will go away and you may never find your bike again.

[1happygirl]

Sean:

cool never knew it worked that way but just curious, What would be the point at which intervention would have been used? If the thief had asked $1,000 or $1,500 etc., would you have called the po-po? After I spend $3,500 or more for a bike, idk if I would have that kind of cash to pay out. I would hope I would fer sure. The hassle of a new bike to get setup and fit the way u want it is the pain, even if you find the same frame.

[130R]

please stop calling them "po-po"

[rcnute]

Incorrect!

What would make you think this?

A thief can't acquire good title.

[Aaron O]

That actually depends...there are times when the buyer is assumed to have acted in good faith, and the buyer is off the hook. Without the assumption of good faith and good title, we couldn't have retail transactions. The interesting part gets to be when it's a grey area...like a flea market, or ebay.

There is no assumption of good faith on Craigslist...but there is one at a pawn shop (at least in most areas).

[sean]

Sean:

cool never knew it worked that way but just curious, What would be the point at which intervention would have been used? If the thief had asked $1,000 or $1,500 etc., would you have called the po-po? After I spend $3,500 or more for a bike, idk if I would have that kind of cash to pay out. I would hope I would fer sure. The hassle of a new bike to get setup and fit the way u want it is the pain, even if you find the same frame.

Honestly, it never seems to get like that. When you are dealing with a crackhead or a bum who really just wants cash, they will rarely (if ever) walk away from a situation where money could change hands.

It changes a bit when it comes to swapmeets, etc. A couple things have happened in the past. I had one friend just walk up, grab his bike and say thanks. Seller did nothing.

Other times, cops are called or a threat of a call is made. This is less of a risk because you're dealing with the middle man and not the actual thief. He or she usually knows it's just best to give the bike up rather than get on the cops radar.

[rugbysecondrow]

Arron, I respectfuly and STRONGLY disagree!

Here in New Orleans, and in Fl. We are one of the most regulated industries.

I had to post a large cash bond to apply for my license. If I have 1 piece of anything in my shop I will lose that bond. That is ANYTHING!
Every screw, bolt, ring, tool, EVERYTHING! I have to keep the paperwork for the bike I ride to work on, for fear of losing my shop.

Maybe it is different where you live, I do not know this. But I have met shop owners from all over the country, most are hard working guys, that won't risk the trouble of doing something underhanded. It's not worth it. I would lose my shop and 250,000 cash bond that I had to put up.

As I said, it may have been a crooked business at one time. It may be where you are. But not overall!

Besides on a national avg. less than .5 % of stolen stuff goes thru a pawn shop. Thats pretty small!

I am not going to argue with your perspective. What is apparent is that there are practices that might differ from the yours. In DC, there are stolen bikes that pop up on CL being sold by a local pawn shop, one of those bikes made its way onto this board about 6 months ago. Luckily, the owner recovered the bike.

As for pawn shops, they serve a purpose, no question. People have goods, other people have money, voila!