Recovering Stolen Property

[LaReina]

So, I had some electronic stuff stolen. I filed a police report at the time, and they told me if I had any suspects to bring them to the police station. Whatever.

I recently saw an item that looks like it could be mine and I am going to check it out to see if indeed it is. Why do I think it is mine? Well the model is one that I can’t see them selling here in Thailand as it is older and I purchased it in Europe. I have all the papers and everything to show proof of ownership.

Now.. this is being sold at used goods shop. What is the best way to handle this? IF I inspect the item, and find it truly is mine. What do I do? Buy it back on the spot and then call the police? Whom I know will not come anyway??

[taxexile]

after you have examined the item and confirmed it is yours , i would go to the police with your stolen property report and tell them you have seen it for sale , and let the police take it from there.

i wouldnt tell the seller that you think it is yours and was stolen.

do you have the serial number of the item on the receipt ? that might be the only way to conclusively prove ownership.

[LaReina]

A friend recently had things stolen from her house with no evidence of forced entry. It took the police almost 2 weeks to come to the house. They told the suspect, "you do know.. that it is wrong to steal" and that was the length of the questioning.

Fingerprinting? That was not on the plan.

I have the serial number (cut off from the box it came in).

So if I leave and try and wait for the police, then it may not be there whenever they decide to help out a foreigner.

p.s. my friend is Thai.

Edited April 8, 2007 by LaReina

[lopburi3]

I would go to the shop with police. If you try to do yourself, even just to check it, it will likely cause red flags and not be in stock on next visit.

[dave111223]

How much is the item worth?

[LaReina]

20,000 baht

[Scott]

Best of luck to you and let us know how it turns out.

[kmart]

This has happened to me before. I some expensive work equipment stolen from my car one night. I found it all on display in a large local secondhand goods shop about 3 days later. Luckily I had proof of ownership (receipts, work photos of actual usage, etc). I called my Thai manager to get the cops around and they arrived in good time, and after a bit of dialogue with the shop owner, we got it all back. These larger used goods shops may or may not have people thieving to order for them.... Beware.