I bought a stolen Macbook.

That's a good job on BB's part. $25 for a $1,000+ notebook?!?!? That's a better deal than actually stealing a notebook.

 

Again have you tried calling any of the media to assist you with this. If you have done nothing wrong, then with the media on your side, you will have a greater chance of getting your money back, etc. Let us know. God Bless

 

Just be careful what you say or dont

<embed id='VideoPlayback' src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docid=-4097602514885833865&hl=en&fs=true" style='width:400px;height:326px' allowFullScreen="true"

 

The problem is, who is he supposed to get the money back from? While I think we'd all agree that best Buy ought to step up with more than a measly $25 gift card, they're under no real obligation to do so beyond simple customer relations. The thief? Good luck. The pawn shop is the one that I wonder about. They're the ones that accepted payment for stolen goods. Don't they have some liability here? I mean, can retail establishments just go around and take money fro stolen stuff then just say...oops, sorry.

Sad to say that I doubt anyone is getting their money back here without someone suing someone. How about a small claims case against the Pawn Shop for taking your money for goods they had no legal right to sell?

 

The pawn shop went through all the necassary legal steps to purchase the laptop. If Best Buy filed a police report and given the serial numbers then the police would have caught the thief. But Best Buy did not. Once the defendant goes to court I might have a chance at restitution but even then there is the problem on the report listing Best Buy as the victim due to police error. So if that isn't a hold up then there is the problem of getting paid from the crook. It might be hard to get blood from a stone.

 

Dont know how It works in AUS but here in the US the MacBook would legally be yours. When a pawn shop buys something, especially a high-end piece of electronics it must be registered with the police. In different areas the times vary,but where I am the police have an officer whos job it is to go to the various local pawn shops every week to fourteen days and register all their new merchandise. In most cases they are not allowed to sell merchidise UNTIL the police catalog it. One of two things happened here, the pawn shop broke the law by selling you the unit before the police could catalog it, or the best buy never reported it stolen because they DONT CARE. Thats assuming this story is true because it does sound very strange. There are systems in place to keep a crime from chaining victims down the line, ie guy robs store, then sells to pawn shop, then to you making 3 victims for one theft. You legally owned that laptop because the pawn shop held it for 30 days and didn't catalog it with the police making them the responsible party. The pawn shop just burned you, I would raise hell. Also, assuming this is true, if the best buy had actually called the police the first place they would have looked would be the pawnshop 2 miles down the road... case closed

I'm a skeptic

 

This has got me thinking again.

Since Best Buy "heck care" & not report their notebook losses. Maybe it was in fact best to have just kept the stolen notebook in the 1st place because no one would even know or bother to find out. Unfortunately, doing the "right" thing has not only hurt our OP, but it has brought him more trouble, losses & inconveniences, etc....

However, I still want to wish the OP the best of luck. Hopefully, he manages to retrieve every single penny of his losses. Good luck.

 

Sorry to have to correct you..... but the OP is based in Melbourne, FL (according to his user info), which means he's in the U.S.A.!

More info of the city he's living in:

http://www.melbourneflorida.org/

 

That changes everything! anyway I still say go to the press if anything it will shine some light on your situation and you never know what kind people will do for another kind person

 

sadly no good deed goes unpunished.

 

I would contact BB again and demand that they give you your laptop back for the fact that they did not turn in a police report in a timely manor if at all. If they say no then tell them this will go to the press and mean it. If I were a manager, you going to the press would be a big deal. I had a paintball store for 5 years and had to deal with stolen stuff and pawn shops. I always filed stolen stuff instantly and never had a issue with the police nor pawn shops. BB is the ones at fault and need to pay for there ignorance in the matter. Don't be bullied by the big guys and step up to the plate and claim what is rightfully yours. You did everything right and it is not you who should pay. Good luck.

 

That pawnshop law is pretty screwy.

You cannot sell something you don't have title to.

So

(1) if the pawnshop sold the laptop they didn't own, they need to refund the OP - the laptop was never theirs to sell

(2) if the pawnshop did own it, then it can't belong to Best Buy as well, so Best Buy had no business taking the laptop back from the OP, because it's not theirs.

 

See how great people like the OP always get screwed over by the system at the end. If i were you, I would keep the laptop because i know i will be screwed at the end. If it was from an owner then I would definitely return it. Anyhows, you know how much Bestbuy make per sale? Back when the WD My book 250Gb was almost 200 + tax. They bought them it for just over 70 bucks and resold them to costumers for retail price. That's ridiculous. I found that out because on one occasion, i got a punch of coupons stracked them up. The final price was supposed to be $60. The manager walked over and said $90 take it or leave it because they bought them for over 70. I was like ? Anyways, I would file a small claim to court (you pay $70 or so for it) then hopefully, the court will do something on your behalf.

 

Just make sure that you name the seller you bought it from, Best Buy, and the pawn shop as plaintiffs in the suit. Otherwise one of the three can point towards the other two in a suit, and you'd be out of luck. Filling against all three is the only way to make sure they can't point fingers at each other just to avoid you.

 

....yes. Yes it should.

 

I having been calling the state attorneys office every other day waiting to see what happens. I hope they make the girl who stole it make restitution to me but we will see. Ultimatley that is how should pay but you know how this world works....I might owe her, the police department and Best Buy for taking up there time!

I will keep you updated when I have more info.

 

I haven't read the entire thread, but I was wondering if the OP has contacted a lawyer of his own, to see if he has any legal recourse against the pawn shop, for selling stolen goods, and or best buy for not reporting it stolen.

I also want to bring up the fact that I have noticed several best buys in my area, but specifically my local one, that does not have working hardware on display, this has been going on for over a year, I have even asked customer reps about it, but was given no answer.

Now I assume the store manager is given a budget on display models, and that if one breaks, they may choose not to replace it with a working model, as that might affect bonuses or whatnot for going over budget, BUT it is a cost of doing business Sorry but it is, I have thought about asking to speak to the manager but have put it off due to the likelyhood of ineddect, I have however pondered taking pics of the broken units, ipods, laptops, televisions, etc and possibly posting them on the internet. But not sure if its worth the time.

As for being out a grand, again I suggest looking into a free consultation with a lawyer, for the time, effort and money you have involved in the case, Unfortunately you are the one screwed by this, and the only way to get parties such as best buy, and other businesses to step up and fill their responsibility may be a lawsuit. Not out of entitlement, but to get them to do their jobs.

I know one thing, once legal clarification of responsibility (or lack thereof) has been made, I myself would have no problem boycotting the establishment that was in the wrong, ESPECIALLY if they do not make restitution.

 

It's offical now. The state attorney decided not to charge the suspect so there will be no restitution to me. The police charged her with dealing in stolen merchandise and he explained that he would have a hard time proving for a fact she knew it was stolen. The state attorney also had the victims compensation call me and explain to me I am not eligible because I have to be 65 and they only pay up to $500.

I am considering trying the media route as all other ways have been unsucessful.

Thank you for listening to me and if there is a lesson to be learned here, " don't do the right thing ", it will only cost you in the end.

 

try to be optimistic that something better could come along!

 

Contact not only your local media
Try to contact the media here in Minnesota, HOME of Best Buy.
Home-town company screws over the good guy....
http://www.kstp.com
http://wcco.com
http://www.kare11.com
http://www.myfoxtwincities.com

Then go out a file a court claim vs both the pawnshop & Best Buy

Edit:
I am on the phone right now with Best Buy Corp here in Minnesota
kreidel
Feel free to provide me with your contact info via PM if you desire.

 

New Update:

I want to thank cyber16 for being a squeaky wheel for me. He called and got results!

Best Buy customer relations called me and offered to make it right by sending me a gift card for the full amount I am out and they are letting me keep the $25 gift card they sent me earlier.

While it is awesome I will be recouping my money I still wish none of this ever happened. And since it did I was hoping that the criminal would end up having to pay. It just didnt have that story book ending.

At the very least I hope there is a policy change with how they deal with theft so this never happens again. I went into this not really knowing much but this has opened my eyes for sure.

I also want to thank Best Buy for stepping up and making me happy. Even the store manager I dealt with when I originally went in was extremely nice to me and seemed genuine and grateful. I feel alittle bad because it still cost them and they were the original victim, but hopefully we all learned a lesson.

Again thankyou cyber16 for your time and effort!

 

That's awesome Kreidel. Glad you got taken care of in the end.

 

Gratz big time man! I been following your ordeal since the beginning. Planning on getting another MB Air?

 

Thanks

I don't know really. I am leaning more towards a 13" MBP but I like the speakers in the 15" MBP. I am not sure yet.

 

woohoo, congrats & mad props to cyber16 for helping you out.

 

Congrats Kreidel! Buy the 15" you will enjoyu it more because you wont need to think about, "oh man i couldve done better"

 

kreidel, congrats to you on Best Buy doing the "right thing" themselves & being generous enough to give you what you truly deserved. It's a relief for me to read that all the troubles, inconveniences, & grief that you've encountered have at last come to an end! I guess the main "problem" for you right now is to decide which new notebook to purchase.

cyber16, I got to admit that you're the man! You not only provide helpful & useful advice to kreidel, but you actually take a step further by calling up BB Corporate yourself. I have to admit that I'm very impressed by that nice & helpful gesture of yours. IMHO, I think our forum definitely needs more friendly & helpful members like you. Lastly, I'll like to take this opportunity to sincerely thank you for helping our fellow member out.

 

It's the feel good story of the day, well yesterday anyway.

 

Reading this unfortunate story play out not only left me heated in addition of ashamed on how it was handled by these for profit companies involved.

I have personally been stung by receiving stolen goods in the past, as well as having confiscating a stolen macbook from two craig’s list sellers, and getting it back to the rightful owners.

First, I was shocked that the pawnshop once learning the full details of the situation did not do the right thing to protect THEIR customer by refunding kreidel and making him whole.
I understand that the pawnshop may have followed the local laws as to hold times and obligations of police stolen check list, yet they did NOT at a minimum offer kreidel a refund on ALL profits made on the purchase/sale of the stolen Macbook air.

This should have been the very least the pawnshop should have done, therefore I would take this in consideration the next time you think about walking into that establishment again. It was the pawnshop's responsibility to go after Best Buy to recover.
Their windfall profits made from stolen goods came before you the customer.

I truly applauded Best Buy in making the correct call when faced with few options that left limited means of saving face just prior to the shopping season, Best Buy acted within twenty-four hours of a nearly one hour conversation with them once the appropriate people had been informed of this situation. Bravo to Best Buy.

It is very likely that the knowledge of what had taken place never left the local Best Buy that kreidel returned the product to, it is also likely the person that kreidel spoke with at Best Buy customer service failed to fully understand the scope of the injustice done by 100% fault of Best Buy.

Meanwhile I am sure Best Buy will conduct their own investigation to make sure their corporate protocol will be followed next time.

With all that had taken place, kreidel did the right thing; someone in his life influenced & raised him well.

A little Minnesota nice for all;
Act upon someone’s call for help; anonymously pay the breakfast/dinner check for someone, volunteer some time to a cause that is dear to your beliefs.

Be good to one another as life has it own ways giving back rewards.