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  • Interesting stuff and thanks all for your eagle eyes! Had completely given up on this.

    @Brnaby002 appreciate you not just immediately vanishing when this was flagged.
    @KTown & @Velocio thanks to you in particular.

    What's the best protocol here? Needless to say I'd (A) quite like my property back and (B) would quite like to help bring to task those folks who've been smashing down hallway doors in Clapton over the last couple of years.

    I don't want to speculate on the legal position @Brnaby002 has unwittingly found himself in but if he's happy to return that's obviously the ideal scenario as far as I'm concerned. Is somebody better informed than me in a position to clarify what the legal position here is?

    Will obviously make a nice big forum donation for the good karma in the event of any kind of equitable resolution.

  • It's largely up to you what happens.

    If you wish to report it and have Brnaby002 spoken to by the police, for me to provide all that I have to the police... you can do this. He was selling stolen property and the law does not care how he came to have it. Under this scenario you'll definitely get your property back for £0 and the police will take over, and you'll have to make a statement on top of any previously made statement that will be used in court. I'll make a statement too, and it all adds up and he'll likely get a conviction for handling stolen property.

    But, I think in this case Brnaby002 is a victim too. He's an idiot for buying something that is stolen, and the mantra "If it seems too good to be true, it probably is" applies. You may wish to simply have your property back and can choose not to pursue it. This saves a lot of police effort (though they do love cases that they can immediately close, it improves their stats).

    In this second case you simply arrange to meet Brnaby002, and exchange the property. Brnaby002 would be within his right to keep anything he has added to the bike, but you are within your right to anything that is rightfully your property.

    This second approach is a bit riskier... in that it's a private thing, the law is presently on your side, and you will be choosing to settle this matter by simply agreeing to do so amongst yourselves. That said, this is also the least effort, and doesn't fuck up Brnby002's Christmas much, and you can get your property back.

    If you choose the exchange and forget it about it approach, be sure to take someone else with you as a witness. If any attempt is made to deviate from the agreed exchange in any way, walk away and return to the first option of contacting the police with my support. Any exchange you participate in is basically accepting the outcome and finalising the matter... so be sure you walk away happy.

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