Advice on 'Recovered' Bike

As you may have seen in the 'Stolen Bikes' Thread, I happened across my Dolan a few weeks back, that was pinched at the end of Oct 11.

Same wheels, chainset.

Different Stem Bars Seatpost and Saddle.

The guy who had it says he paid 400 for it last year.

The police have consulted their 'lawyers' and won't release it to either of us until a judge rules, as apparently he has as much claim to it as me.

Would really prefer that it didn't just sit and rot out the back of the station, but am struggling to get any firm legal opinion.

Anyone got any advice or able to point me in the right direction?

Re whether its worth engaging a lawyer, is it small claims?

Bit lost with it all.

A person who buys stolen property has no legal title to it. You certainly have a valid claim to the parts of the bike that you bought. The other person could only have a right to the new bits on the bike.
The Police Property Act is a way of getting it back. http://www.ukpolicelawblog.com/2013/05/08/retaining-property-a-legal-minefield/
You won't get costs in the small claims court so employing a lawyer will not be cost effective. Good luck

Cheers Andrew

Things that would help your case:

• Have an original bill of sale including the frame number and your name
  
• Have reported to police a "theft by unknown" of that bike with the frame number
  
  

I.e. if you can prove that it once belonged to you, and you can also show that you reported it as stolen then i don't see any reason they could have not to release it to you.

thats what I don't get gereonb, yeah I don't have anything but eBay to back up purchase.

But, I have the original police report (knife point mugging not lock cut) and the frae has some very distinctive gouges in the headtube and I had the wheels built (front has a weird offset radial and rear still has my phil spocket on it)

Have emailed the PC in charge again, offering to take the 'not mine' parts off. If not, guess its lawyer time, even though it'll cost more then the bike is worth.