Stolen buggy- tempted to Facebook shame - any advice?

[JSSB]

I really need some advice as at the end of my tether. Apologies in advance for the long post. Last November I had my twin boys buggy stolen from my car when parked outside our house. Reported to Police who did not attend as "petty" crime, but they advised to check selling sites as it may appear on there which I have been doing ever since. Last Friday it popped up on a facebook selling site. I contacted police as advised and was told it was a low priority so they did not know when would attend. I therefore contacted the seller directly and arranged to view straight away. I visited the property, confirmed it was my buggy and called police immediately who said they would attend. Long story short the Police did not attend until next day after me ringing all night and surprise surprise buggy has been sold and they cannot provide details to police of who they brought it from or sold it to as their phone is broken 😒 I have been advised by Police they can take no further action. I have the sellers details and am very tempted to put on all local sites warning people not to buy anything from her. Advice please.

Tell the police officer a pp has posted details of the new information OP.

Was the person selling not able to tell you where they got it? I'm so sorry this happened to you it's really shitty

Op did you actually make a crime report? A crime has been committed and you have evidence of at the very least handling stolen goods. How much did the buggy cost? Hundreds of pounds??? If so I would be going back to the police and pushing them to investigate it. ( they clearly don't want to but there are national crime reporting standards). They can't just decide they're not going to investigate because it's not a priority....although they would have prioritised sending a response car. An officer can take a statement from this woman and she can explain where she got the pushchair from and who bought it..... description, car etc etc. She is clearly lying about phone and Facebook etc and I bet a lot of money she will be on her own FB page very soon ( proving she has computer access ). I would be quite persistent because the whole thing has negatively impacted on your life and you deserve a service from them.

I don't think it's a case of can't give us the information so much as won't.

She's been on there today updating her status. Don't think we are dealing with brain of Britain here as she doesn't seem to have thought to block me which means we have been able to do quite a bit of digging. I'm still hopeful with new information police may do something.

Good luck OP

Op make a complaint if they don't. I can see that this crime would be screened out if there were no leads but there are. I've investigated thefts with considerably less value than this one.

Tell the police that you want to make an official complaint, OP, it'll stick a rocket up their arse, as it goes on their stats.

I had to when my bike was nicked - fortunately it was recovered because I found it on Gumtree, and persuaded the police force where it was being sold to go get it. He had loads of bikes on his house, but they could only take mine, as it was the only one they knew for a fact was stolen.

My local force were useless though, didn't talk to the thief for two months (first they'd allocated the case to someone on extended sick leave, when he came back he had to stay in the office, so had to pass the case on) - by which point he said he 'couldn't remember' who he bought it from. So he and his brother could merrily carry on their little enterprise (one stole bikes, the other sold them in a different region - police don't cross reference cases across different areas).

My complaint got me an apology, and a reinvestigation. It came to nothing, but they said that the scrotes were on their radar. (I also reported the one to HMRC, as I doubt he was paying tax on the thousands he was getting on his Gumtree bikes...)

Good luck OP. I'd make a complaint to a senior police officer.

OMG, this is the sort of awful situation that would drive me absolutely crazy! She is clearly stupid though so am sure you can catch her out somehow... did she actually break into your car to steal it or was it unlocked? Just curious as to what sort of criminal mastermind you are dealing with...

I really want to know the new information!

I don't think she is a thief herself, just passing on stolen goods. They used a remote locking device to gain entry. This has been quite a common crime round here.

Same reaper!

Haha - will update tomorrow when spoken with police.

The police are ridiculous, and for everyone saying the seller could be an innocent victim erm why sell it after the police were called then? TBH if you were 100 percent sure it was yours I wouldn't have left the thieving fuckers house without it.

Also as suggested above post on the group saying that whoever bought it is handling stolen goods.. if the buyer is genuine they may get in touch.

I think you are being too kind about her. There is no point stealing anything if you do not have the means to turn it into money. She is that means. Known as a Fence in the old days. They take their cut.

Someone who knowingly handles stolen goods is still a scummy nasty piece of work.

JSSB do ask them about the pattern of crimes because if they can catch this woman it may lead to them solving dozens of cases. She may not be the thief but if she is the fence she probably knows who the thieves are and can shop them.

Police are in my experience, utter shite. I'd seek legal advice from a solicitor regarding a civil case against thief girl and submit a bill for the pushchair with copies of all communications to all parties concerned and a photocopy of the original receipt, to the Chief of Police for your area. Also, contact the local press. Keep at this and do not let it drop! I am utterly outraged for you.

Why not offer her £500 for the safe return of the pushchair (or offer this along with photos/serial number of pushchair on local selling groups, stating that the Police are investigating the thief and no blame will be apportioned for the safe return by anyone who has bought it from Thief Girl? Do you live somewhere small whereby you are likely to come into contact with the pushchair any time soon?

You could try suing her in the small claims court. Regardless of whether she bought it in good faith, it is still your property. Assuming you explained to her credibly that it was yours I think you have a very strong legal argument that dhe should not have sold it on until the issue of ownership was resolved. I doubt her excuses about not knowing eho she sold it to will wash with yhe court.

This is awful! Keeping my fingers crossed for you.
Yeah what about small claims court? You know her name and address?

Unfortunately without the buggy it is just my word that it was mine that she sold. The police even told her that so she basically knows that (1) if she has sold it as long as they don't give details to track it down she's fine and (2) if they do have it they need to hide it for a while and hope we go away. I won't!

Police are in my experience, utter shite
Of course they are - all those rapists, paedophiles and murderers just arrest themselves do they?