Ebay dillema

Zatoichi.uK · 20 May 2011 at 17:54

So I think I may have just bought a stolen guitar from Ebay.

I bought it as 'buy it now' and arranged collection last week. The first odd thing was that the guitar wasn't actually his, but was selling it on behalf of his mate. Fine I think no real biggie, though I was a bit miffed as you tend to go off peoples feed back. I also wondered why he didn't have his own Ebay account.

Anyway so I go down to arrange collection and get a text stating he's locked himself out of his house but don't worry as he 'Has the guitar with him'. Again, kind of strange as why would he have the guitar with him in the first place? When I asked he said his music teacher at college had to replace a string. Strange then that the picture showed 6 strings.

He then asked to meet me at the train station as it was only a minute from his college. Fine I look over the guitar and its seems fine. Any problems he says and give him a call. I already have his phone number and both of the guys addresses, though they may be fake given he obviously didn't want me to meet him there.

So I get back home and the guitar works fine, though it was far from the 'mint played once or twice' in the description. Anyway I go to leave feedback thinking I'd mention the desciption wasn't fair etc. and it seems he's deleted his account. Not only that but I get an Email from Ebays 'fraud protection' section stating I shouldn't pay if I haven't yet.

I'm fairly sure he stole it from someone at college but would he really be so stupid to give me his paypal details and phone number?

I'm thinking of going to the police now tbh as I don't want him to get away with it, lied about the desciption and I may have unknowingly bought stolen goods, as well as the poor sod who got his guitar nicked... maybe.

Thoughts?

bandit · 20 May 2011 at 17:55

\how much did you pay, was it too good to be true?

Beans on toast Dave · 20 May 2011 at 17:56

did you pay cash?

PhillyDee · 20 May 2011 at 17:57

Hate to say this, but if you go to the police, they will probably take the guitar as evidence, the owner would probably get it back. You would be left out of pocket as you would not get your money back.

Assuming it is dodgy.

Zatoichi.uK · 20 May 2011 at 17:57

No paypal and it was £250. Pretty much the going rate for that guitar.

Zatoichi.uK · 20 May 2011 at 17:59

Looking at his selling history he seems to have offloaded a large amount of purfume/aftershave too which is a little odd for a teenager.

bandit · 20 May 2011 at 18:00

Zatoichi.uK said:
No paypal and it was £250. Pretty much the going rate for that guitar.

shame. right thing to do is to go to the police and give them the details.

SpiritOfTheAge · 20 May 2011 at 18:01

Man i feel for you, cash is never good as you have no comeback should things go wrong.

I think you will have to chalk this one up to experience,has anyone asked for the guitar yet? (what was it btw, i play and im just curious)

Zatoichi.uK · 20 May 2011 at 18:03

SpiritOfTheAge said:
Man i feel for you, cash is never good as you have no comeback should things go wrong.

I think you will have to chalk this one up to experience,has anyone asked for the guitar yet? (what was it btw, i play and im just curious)

No one has asked no but frankly I want him to pay the consequences if its stolen.

Its a PRS Tremonti.

Vonhelmet · 20 May 2011 at 18:04

You're an accessory to a crime. Best to hide in the shed until this all blows over.

Jez · 20 May 2011 at 18:09

Don't understand the dilemma, you paid for something, and now have it in your possession.

:confused:

Scrutinize · 20 May 2011 at 18:10

Phone the local police station closest to where you bought it and the college and see if anyone has reported one stolen?

Go from there, personally, I would send him a message, say what you are thinking of doing and see if you can get your money back? He may oblige if he thinks it could end badly assuming it is stolen.

Then, report to police anyway?

Vonhelmet · 20 May 2011 at 18:12

Jez said:
Don't understand the dilemma, you paid for something, and now have it in your possession.

He appears to have bought stolen goods, which is illegal.

Jez · 20 May 2011 at 18:17

He bought it in good faith, he doesnt know its stolen. No further action needed.

Vonhelmet · 20 May 2011 at 18:18

Jez said:
He bought it in good faith, he doesnt know its stolen. No further action needed.

From the sounds of it, his good faith is being rather stretched here, but that's for the OP to comment on...

It also depends on whether "good faith" is a defence against handling stolen goods. I don't know whether it is. It may be, it may not. It probably is, though.

Zatoichi.uK · 20 May 2011 at 18:25

vonhelmet said:
From the sounds of it, his good faith is being rather stretched here, but that's for the OP to comment on...

It wasn't until I got the Email from Ebay the next day that I thought something dodgy was occuring, if the implication is that I knew it was stolen.

Vonhelmet · 20 May 2011 at 18:28

Zatoichi.uK said:
It wasn't until I got the Email from Ebay the next day that I thought something dodgy was occuring, if the implication is that I knew it was stolen.

Fair enough.

Anyway. I don't know what the deal with "handling stolen goods" is, or what the defences are.

Probably worth going to the police if you are concerned about it.

[TW]Sponge · 20 May 2011 at 18:36

I would just be thinking about the poor chap who has had his guitar nicked, and you are sat with it in your room.

Guilt would outweigh the desire for me to keep the guitar in that case. (assuming it is stolen)

PhillyDee · 20 May 2011 at 18:46

Zatoichi.uK said:
It wasn't until I got the Email from Ebay the next day that I thought something dodgy was occuring, if the implication is that I knew it was stolen.

Thats probably becasue the seller was NARU. I have sold to a few people like that with zero problems.

Shayne · 20 May 2011 at 19:00

Jez said:
Don't understand the dilemma, you paid for something, and now have it in your possession.

+1,

he got the guitar he bought, and the real owner will get a nice shiny new one from his insurance. Everybodies a winner.