Report my friend to the police or give him a chance

[Maskoff]

He is struggling but he works and I do not believe he hasn't had 560 in the past 4 weeks considering he told me he has sold items of his.
I brought a phone of him. An iPhone which he told me he got from work, considering his work I believed him a few days later it was reported stolen and blocked. I brought this for 400.
I told him and gave him back the phone and he gave me 260 and said he will return the rest later on.
He previously a few days before borrowed 150 off me for his insurance which was an emergency.

When contacting my bank they had told me that someone has used my card to pay a debt collect 195 and 70
I know this was him

I confronted him and he said he will pay me back and to not go police as I said bank will need a crime ref to give me the money baxk.

I told him I need the money by today again more excused of him not being paid.
This has been around 4 weeks now and I'm sick of it. I got ripped off by a family member recently which he knows about so it was a lot for me to trust him and borrow him money.

I feel like I won't get it back and I should just go police but this will ruin his career he is a footballer (lowest rank)

What should I do?

(I don't need any lectures on borrowing money I will not be doing it again after this incident)

Where are you OP ?

It's just a question of an employer giving you a phone you don't need.

Well setting aside the bizarre situation of an employer handing out a free phone to an employee, which the employee does not want or need and which the employer is happy for the employee to sell on, the OP has still knowingly handled stolen goods.

I've been given a work phone I didn't like so used one of my own. Tried to give it back to work but they didn't want it as they didn't want the faff of resetting it.

My DH has been given I phones and I pads as bonus' from work- these sorts of "prizes" are common in sales. He can sell them, do whatever he likes with them.

Still. It doesn't matter because that's not what's happened here

I had a low ranking footballer as a friend years ago, he was regularly given things through work, watches, clothing, sunglasses,trainers etc. He could have sold the stuff if he wanted but gave most of it away. If OPs friends has been given stuff in the past like that then she could reasonably believe he was given a phone.

I'd report him OP. If his career is ruined it's his choice to steal that's done that.

Definitely call the police.
A friend wouldn't put you in this situation.

Report him OP, you are not responsible for the consequences of HIS bad behaviour. He's treated you appallingly.

My brand new iphone was stolen at a festival last weekend.
I am now wondering if the phone your 'friend' sold to you was mine...

Please report this man to the police. They may well be able to track the phone's rightful owner and return the phone to them.

Also, this man is in no way your friend and you need a crime number for your bank to reimburse you for the stolen money.
Don't let this creep off to steal off someone else.

Op bought the phone in good faith, I don't think she'd be the one in trouble. He has stolen twice, from the phone owner and op, likely as not more often.

He sees you as an easy mark, not as a friend.

Op bought the phone in good faith, I don't think she'd be the one in trouble

She ceased to be in good faith when she found out it was stolen and did nothing about it.

You need to go to the police OP.

Do you realise he won't give you the money back?