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AIBU?

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Original poster

tob think I may have purchased stolen goods?

56 replies

Daddypigsgusset · 28/03/2014 21:21

I bought a bike on ebay recently. I went to collect and just felt, well.. .. off...
The bike is worth about £3k, it's like new and I got it for around £200. Bargain I thought.
I collected it and the family and house were not typical of one which has thousands to spend on a bike. Think Shameless.
They had a few bikes there and gave me the spiel about having too many/never used it etc.
I have just looked on their recently sold items and it's full of bikes. I feel sick that it's probably stolen but also, they have my address so know where the bike is should they wish to break into my garage and take it back along with my tools, kids toys etc.
I may of course be wrong but what do I do now?

OP posts:
bracken101 · 28/03/2014 21:24

I think I would take it to the police and ask them if it has been reported stolen, as you were suspicious.

I think this might be safer than having your house broken into. I know you will be out of pocket, but you never know, the owner might be really grateful?

Terrortree · 28/03/2014 21:25

If it's too good to be true....

WorraLiberty · 28/03/2014 21:26

Get an ultra violet torch/pen and shine it over the frame.

It might show up a postcode.

Sallyingforth · 28/03/2014 21:31

Here's a lesson for you - if it's too good to be true it probably is.
Take it to the police, for your own protection. An expensive bike like that may have been marked with a postcode or smart water etc.
The seller may well come and take it back, unless the police visit them first.

PosyFossilsShoes · 28/03/2014 21:34

Contact the police and tell them of your suspicions.

You won't be in any trouble AT ALL for doing that and they can check the frame to see if it has been reported stolen. If they can also have a look at the person who sold it to you, they may well be able to restore lots of unhappy, lost bikes to their owners.

If you don't, and someone recognises the bike and accuses you of nicking it and / or handling stolen goods, and you haven't done the right thing you could end up being arrested on suspicion on handling - and although you will be able to show that you bought it from ebay in good faith, you do not want the hassle of an arrest.

My bike was stolen and later showed up on ebay. I got it back eventually with help from the police but that was my daily transport, having it stolen was not just inconvenient, it was taken in a burglary and it was horrible. :(

tepoztlan · 28/03/2014 21:36

Definitely report it to the police, it is definitely stolen, and will almost certainly have been reported as such, and the number on the bottom bracket will allow the police to reunite it with a very grateful cyclist.

Ronmione · 28/03/2014 21:37

No way would I report it, they have your address, if you go to the police surely they are more likely to come round.

Could you not email them and say thanks for the bike I took if round my sisters for her birthday and she loved it.

Then leave it a few weeks and call the police and report them

BlueJean · 28/03/2014 21:47

Yes you could email - of course the bike is for your brother in law the policeman to keep fit for his job.Wink

Its a hard thing to do but you know its right.Take it to the local police station and report everything you have seen.You may be lucky and find that its not postmarked or reported stolen and so you can use it with a clearish concience. Or you may not be lucky and it is marked or has been reported stolen - but you will have reunited someone with a precious item.

You might even get a reward for doing so.

Homebird8 · 28/03/2014 21:52

I would report and take the hit of the £200. Your own sleuthing has told you all you need to know and you may make some real owners very happy as well as putting a stop to one outlet for stolen goods. People often have bike stolen from them whilst they are riding. Happened to my cousin twice. You may also avoid people getting hurt by reporting.

There is no way the sellers could know who had let on to the police. They will have lots of buyers and it might be an acquaintance, a neighbour, a relative, or any of the other buyers who told.

If you're still worried, what about crime stoppers? Do it anonymously. You can return the bike anonymously to a police station too.

RiverTam · 28/03/2014 21:56

oh dear! The first car I bought turned out to be stolen, that was £200 down the drain (it was a long time ago!).

gosh, I don't know if I would report or not if they know your address. Tricky.

Well, that was helpful, wasn't it.

ICanSeeTheSun · 28/03/2014 22:01

If they had a lot of bikes, it may be a small business.

Talk about judging a book by its cover.

NoodleOodle · 28/03/2014 22:04

What Ronmione said.

Original poster
Daddypigsgusset · 28/03/2014 22:22

Eurrgghh I don't know what to do.

I know the right thing is to report my suspicions but is it worth the potential comeback on my own family?
Icanseethesun- if it was a genuine do-up business why not say so? Why say they simply have too many?
It wasn't a t'oo good to be true' thing either really, my highest bid was £1000 i was prepared to pay that and thought nothing of it as I sell all sorts on there and always start at 99p.

OP posts:
Lora1982 · 28/03/2014 22:26

If you paid paypal would you be able to claim money back through them if it is pinched?

InAGrump · 28/03/2014 22:31

Watch their eBay page, wait till they've sold 3 more then take it to the police.

ADishBestEatenCold · 28/03/2014 22:35

I'm probably being really stupid here (not big on ebay), but how do they have your address?

ILickPicnMix · 28/03/2014 22:37

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ILickPicnMix · 28/03/2014 22:47

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ADishBestEatenCold · 28/03/2014 23:03

Really! On no!!

I thought everything was done through paypal (who held all the details privately) with no need for a buyer's address unless the item was being posted.

That is awful! I think I would tell the police.

zipzap · 28/03/2014 23:11

If you want a bike the police run their own auction site - www.bumblebeeauctions.co.uk/XcAuctionPro.asp - to sell off stolen property that has been recovered but not reclaimed.

It's a safer way of buying a bike through an auction as you know the deal and I think they have some arrangement to cover what happens if you buy a bike and it is subsequently spotted by its previous owner. The auction process is slightly different from ebay so it's worth reading the process before you start!

Sounds like it is worth talking to the police at any rate. If you do report it and it is discovered to be stolen then will the family really know it is you that reported them? Maybe a good idea to get an alarm on your garage or some sort of cheap web cam / recording device then it will catch them if they do try to steal it back. But they probably won't do it too often - would be very suspicious if the police keep getting told about bikes they have bought from abc that are then stolen 6 months later!

Waltonswatcher1 · 28/03/2014 23:16

Firstly you must have realised this whilst bidding ? It's not exactly an unheard of phenomenon with bikes and eBay is it ? If you were looking at a bike worth 3k you know your bikes and there worth .
Secondly you need to be a bit less biased - the house could have been a bloody manor and the bike could still have been stolen .
Do the right thing now and report it .

Caitlin17 · 28/03/2014 23:24

You're also no longer in good faith if it had been stolen and that comes to light.

OurMiracle1106 · 28/03/2014 23:27

I think you need to inform the police. The police can easily set up to buy a bike and arrest there without you being ever mentioned. If it is stolen it will be returned to owner. If it's not then you are free to keep it

BolshierAyraStark · 28/03/2014 23:43

Ever heard the saying that if it's too good to be true then it probably is? A £3k bike for £200-what the fuck did you expect? Go to the police & take the hit Hmm

ApocalypseCheeseToastie · 28/03/2014 23:50

TBH you're probably going to get stopped by the police anyways.......they actually stop riders of expensive bikes here, dps bike is worth over 3k and he regularly gets stopped and has it checked for codes, asked where he bought it etc.

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