How would you know if an item is stolen?

[SigmundVoid]

Like, say, a traceable item such as a
Mobile or laptop? I guess you could ask the police but then you would be exposed to handling stolen goods

Anybody got any thoughts on this?

Seen a mac I would like to buy but just can't bring myself to do it as how do I avoid buying stolen goods?

I wouldn't buy anything high value like a mac or an iphone from eBay as unfortunately, you can just never tell.

you can not be charged with handling stolen goods unless it is a reasoanble assumption that you know they are stolen, so if you buy from a high street shop or ebay shop, even if were stolen you could not be charged as it would be reasonable to assume shop has title to sell goods.

you could not be charged with handling stolen goods for buying something off ebay unless they had other evidence that you were in on a set up or something

DH bought some type of CD that helped with car mechanics it turns out it was pirated ( purchased on ebay ) got email several weeks later from ebay that his account had been closed it may not be genuine etc, but there is no legal way Dh could have been charged with anything

unfortunately sometimes people get stung

there are several shops on ebay selling laptops that have been reconditioned or new and it would be safer than a private sale but don't over think it, you are not buying from back of a lorry

Thanks for replies

Interesting sarahtigh thank you. What happened to your dh? Did he have to send the cd back? Was it the sellers account that closed, (not your DH's?)

But surely if the police did find out goods were stolen they would want to recover those goods no? Would eBay refund you?

I see what you're saying I guess I'm just nervous generally-the macs seem to go quite close to the original asking price anyway So I kinda think I would rather just buy from apple, sily perhaps I know. Especially when it's far more likely that small make up items are much more likely to have been stolen and sold on eBay!

no did not have to send CD back, in reality though they don't tell you there are very few cases when you legally have to give stuff back morally maybe more but legally very few and it does depend on whether you could have reasonably known, it is not thought to be reasonable to ask if stolen so you are under no obligation to check so on ebay unlikely to have to give stuff back

i think if you really did have to hand back you would be refunded by ebay

that is why if someone turned up with loads of cheap nike trainers the day after riots it would be reasonable to at least assume they just might have been stolen same if been flogged in pub, but if they put them on ebay the police are after sellers not buyers, but of course even at time of riots most trainers would have been legitimate so not your job to ask seller most sellers would be a bit at being asked so if you had bought stolen trainers then on ebay that would not have been classed as handling stolen goods

Well you don't. However I am considering eventually selling my Macbook on ebay and have kept the receipt for this purpose. Why not just search for ones with receipts - sometimes these are needed for insurance or applecare purposes.