I had 5 of my Guitars Stolen - What do I need to do Next?

[Rubbishplayer]

My friend, who at this point I am calling my brother because he is being such a homie in this situation, who is an experience Ebay seller actually reached out to the guitar posting last night. I am going to check in with him later to see what came of it.

Let me know if you need another "shill bidder".

 

[Church2224]

UPDATE:

So my buddy who contacted the guy actually got some pictures, and low in behold, in one of the pictures are the CASES FOR THE OTHER GUITARS

 

[Church2224]

 

[Furtive Glance]

What a fucking dumbass piece of shit. Go, Church, Go!

 

[Church2224]

 

[CanserDYI]

Why does it already say purchased? Did your buddy "buy" it? Think you might be missing a snapshot of context there, but fuck yeah if the dude is willing to meet up for it. What an absolute dumbass.

 

[littlebadboy]

Perhaps the places or people you bought it from still have the serial numbers in their records?

I am sorry for what you are going through.

 

[yan12]

I feel sorry for your loss. I went through something similar a LONG time ago.

Everything of value is under lock and key at all times and no exceptions. It is a PITA but I sleep better.

Good luck getting all your gear back, will pray to the gear gods for you.

 

[budda]

1. This sucks
2. Hope shithead gets sorted
3. Glad the prized pieces werent stolen.

 

[cosmorenfro]

so look for a new place with the same financial motivation you have for your guitars and your 2 business’

 

[CleansingCarnage]

I would not go to confront this guy alone in the possibility that things could escalate further and someone could get in trouble. You should call the police and let them know you've located your stolen guitars and are arranging to meet the thief, maybe they will send some plainclothes officers to watch over the deal and/or arrest the guy, sting style. At the very least you should have someone go with you or your surrogate and whoever goes might want to be armed but keep a very cool head, if you know what I mean.

Last thing you want now is for someone (other than the guy) to end up hurt or in jail. There isn't a lot you can legally do on your own to physically reclaim your property if this guy decides to be a further hassle, so be careful with how you proceed. Best you might be able to do is to prove that he does indeed have the guitars and is trying to sell them.

 

[Neon_Knight_]

Just a friendly reminder, folks. Document all the serial numbers for your guitars, customized features that would make it identifiable, and preferably receipts or proof of purchase if you have it.

I've got a folder with all that in there as well as ways to identify my guitars should such a situation happen. Sure you might not need ALL that but I want to make sure there's no way anyone who stole my guitar could claim it's theirs.

Potentially needed for insurance claims, as well as NGDs / police investigations.

 

[SalsaWood]

I put in my own serial numbers. ATFGAY420 and GAY-TF-69 are my favorites. What are we talking about again?

 

[Neon_Knight_]

Good luck @Church2224, but I would definitely recommend involving the police at this point, rather than confronting the **** yourself. You've done the hard part, bu confirming who took the guitars and where they are, so for your local police department it's surely a quick and easy boost to their crime stats (unfortauntely, less than 20% of reported thefts are solved).

If there's any denial of who the guitars belong to, do you have any photos at all (even if without serial numbers shown)?
You at least have the audit trail of having posted a list fo the stolen models on SS.org (posted in advance of the damning photos of your Vola sitting on top of the other cases).

 

[Furtive Glance]

Good luck @Church2224, but I would definitely recommend involving the police at this point, rather than confronting the **** yourself. You've done the hard part, bu confirming who took the guitars and where they are, so for your local police department it's surely a quick and easy boost to their crime stats (unfortauntely, less than 20% of reported thefts are solved).

If there's any denial of who the guitars belong to, do you have any photos at all (even if without serial numbers shown)?
You at least have the audit trail of having posted a list fo the stolen models on SS.org (posted in advance of the damning photos of your Vola sitting on top of the other cases).

Not sure he’d need this. Only us guitar nerds would be able to rattle off 5 Ibanez model names and specifications. There’s no way that guy even knows what a Genesis 550 is. He could just have a cop right there and list off each one before the cases even got opened.

 

[hfam]

First, very sorry for the situation. However, many here are offering the most stale of advice as if contacting the police will launch some sort of investigation with cops and detectives rolling to the scene same day. L. O. L. Welcome to 2024.

Unless you're living in Mayberry NC, that's not happening. In Richmond, you will be lucky if anyone even answers the phone. No cops are showing up, no detective is taking a report, and nobody at the police station is going to do a damned thing for you. Sorry if some get butthurt over that reality, but that's on you because it is simply the stark reality of today in any large metro area (and quite honestly just about anywhere).

Brother, you are on your own. Looks like you have some good friends willing to go to bat for you.....which is why the answer is, unfortunately, to gather as many GOOD friends and brothers as you can, set this clown up for a buy, and ambush him with extreme prejudice. No violence.....yet.....just an implied presence in numbers that he's not going home on 2 feet if its not resolved that minute.

He is a coward. Facing a dozen people piling out of 3-4 cars once the buyer and guitar are in the same space, taking his phone and "asking him nicely" to choose between returning everything, right now, or going for a black and blue swim in the sewage treatement pools will encourage him to do the right thing.

You can call the cops, but you will be filling out the report in full, no cop is showing up,and nobody is getting assigned the case to work and resolve. Meanwhile, this window licker will be selling your axes.

I know it sounds ridiculous, but I would bet plenty on cops doing absolutely nothing, and I mean ZERO, to help you. You can thank your local BLM chapter and "leadership" you pay taxes to for caving to the "defund the police" bulls**t circa 2020. Unless its a gunshot, no cops are coming to save the day, today or any other day. Its a placebo at best.

Ask me how I know.....clue: 30 year resident of Portland OR until a few years back. Sold my home and GTFO. Richmond is no different, an idealogical hell hole, and if you don't hurry up with a plan, your valuables will be long gone.

I wish you all the best, brother, and my words were not to start any debates (and I wont, either), its my opinion based on real life, and is solely to point out an option (one that is based in reality) that doesn't seem to have been represented fully here. I seriously hope you get your gear back, but bringing in the police to do anything at all is tantamount to giving the scumbag thief a full pass and a massive head start.

Best of luck to you OP in whatever means you choose to get this sorted. Your friend started the right ball rolling, just be sure you show overwhelming physical support and numbers when meeting time comes. Assure him no harm will come if he returns it all, now.

 

[CleansingCarnage]

First, very sorry for the situation. However, many here are offering the most stale of advice as if contacting the police will launch some sort of investigation with cops and detectives rolling to the scene same day. L. O. L. Welcome to 2024.

It's simply the only responsible advise to give. Because, while you might be correct that the cops might not lift a finger, which I said myself earlier, you can bet your ass they would arrest and charge OP in any case of vigilante justice, right or wrong.

Violence is serious, and almost always complicated since we don't live in a wild west where problematic people can just disappear altogether without so much as a question on behalf of any other individuals or authorities. I'm of the opinion that you don't threaten violence, even indirectly, because if you were intent on it you'd just carry it out to its full conclusion and avoid as many complications as possible. Anything short of that, and you have to start weighing those potential complications against the potential benefits of engaging in some kind of half-measures that leave loose ends trailing all over the place - not the least of which is the very real possibility of going to jail over a few guitars or entering into a vengeful feud with someone as unscrupulous as the OP's landlord. As much as it might be easier in a sense if we could all just raise up our own posses and dispense justice as we see fit, there are still authorities; and while they might turn a blind eye to theft, they're unlikely to do the same when it comes to any challenge posed to the legitimacy of their system of and monopoly over justice.

 

[hfam]

It's simply the only responsible advise to give. Because, while you might be correct that the cops might not lift a finger, which I said myself earlier, you can bet your ass they would arrest and charge OP in any case of vigilante justice, right or wrong.

Violence is serious, and almost always complicated since we don't live in a wild west where problematic people can just disappear altogether without so much as a question on behalf of any other individuals or authorities. I'm of the opinion that you don't threaten violence, even indirectly, because if you were intent on it you'd just carry it out to its full conclusion and avoid as many complications as possible. Anything short of that, and you have to start weighing those potential complications against the potential benefits of engaging in some kind of half-measures that leave loose ends trailing all over the place - not the least of which is the very real possibility of going to jail over a few guitars or entering into a vengeful feud with someone as unscrupulous as the OP's landlord. As much as it might be easier in a sense if we could all just raise up our own posses and dispense justice as we see fit, there are still authorities; and while they might turn a blind eye to theft, they're unlikely to do the same when it comes to any challenge posed to the legitimacy of their system of and monopoly over justice.

Oh, I understand your position. I was very specific in my words and it seems you feel I advocate violence. I don't. I advocate fear. If you don't live in a place that's been affected by this defund garbage....if you haven't had to deal with having been burglarizes and stand by while cops do absolutely nothing....then your perspective is understandable, but useless nonetheless.

I stand by every word of my post. OP can proceed as he sees fit. As I said, I'm not debating this. Perhaps you would understand better had you been in OPs position. Either way, violence was not advocated.

 

[CleansingCarnage]

Oh, I understand your position. I was very specific in my words and it seems you feel I advocate violence. I don't. I advocate fear. If you don't live in a place that's been affected by this defund garbage....if you haven't had to deal with having been burglarizes and stand by while cops do absolutely nothing....then your perspective is understandable, but useless nonetheless.

I stand by every word of my post. OP can proceed as he sees fit. As I said, I'm not debating this. Perhaps you would understand better had you been in OPs position. Either way, violence was not advocated.

And I stand by every word of mine. This isn't a political or ideological issue, it's a pragmatic one. In my mind, there are no degrees to violence, and that includes the threat of violence. The reason for that being that once Pandora's box is opened, you lose all control over how or how quickly a situation might escalate in unknown or even totally unintended directions.

Like I said, I don't make a habit of making threats, because they always come with a cost. Threatening violence without the intent of carrying it out is one of the absolute most foolish ways of becoming a victim of violence yourself, or at least being called on your bluff and made not only a fool but a coward as well.

 

[hfam]

And I stand by every word of mine. This isn't a political or ideological issue, it's a pragmatic one. In my mind, there are no degrees to violence, and that includes the threat of violence. The reason for that being that once Pandora's box is opened, you lose all control over how or how quickly a situation might escalate in unknown or even totally unintended directions.

Like I said, I don't make a habit of making threats, because they always come with a cost. Threatening violence without the intent of carrying it out is one of the absolute most foolish ways of becoming a victim of violence yourself, or at least being called on your bluff and made not only a fool but a coward as well.

OK then. Well.....bye.