HELP!!! I bought a bike and it ended up being stolen...

[sbrguy]

craiglist is normally very good, you just have to get a clean title from someone with their name that matches their id, etc.  no title, no sale, simple as that in my book.  bill of sale as you are fiinding out is basically worthless.

now title is not always 100% full proof and those can be counterfeit as well but its something else someone has to forge which is sometimes harder to do.

good luck.

its not the legal system that fails you, its the people that have to go out and try to stop criminals that are failing you, sounds like they are not doing anything like you said.

[BMiller]

I pushed buttons in GA and got a felony warrant issued for his arrest........but now they need to actually find him or that does nothing either............maybe one day I'll get it back.  (not holding my breath)

[Privateer]

if you have all his real legal identity information, can you determine if he owns any property and put a lien against it?

[BMiller]

if you have all his real legal identity information, can you determine if he owns any property and put a lien against it?

His address isn't accurate any more, but I have his real name etc.  Not sure of the legal stuff associated with any of what you mentioned though.  I'm guessing he owns nothing though.......

[ducatiz]

How much are you in for?  Sue him in small claims, you have more thab enough evidence.  Take the judgement and mail copies to all the banks around and all the national and internet banks.  They are obligated to freeze his account if they get a copy of an order and an account matches.  He'll pay.

[BMiller]

He owes me $2,800.  The small claims would be an option, but they have to be able to find him to serve him.......or it gets dropped.

[ducatiz]

He owes me $2,800.  The small claims would be an option, but they have to be able to find him to serve him.......or it gets dropped.

Look up to see if "service by publication" is available in your county for small claims.  if it is, you just have to show the judge you did it.  Easiest way to get a judgment, when the bastard doesn't even show up.

[BMiller]

I live a state away in TN.  I'll have to contact the courts down there and do a little research though, that would be nice to go ahead and have the ruling for when they arrest him.

[ducatiz]

I live a state away in TN.  I'll have to contact the courts down there and do a little research though, that would be nice to go ahead and have the ruling for when they arrest him.

I would be surprised if the court didn't allow service by publication.  Usually it requires you to mail to the last known address, get a kick-back (send it certified with signature, and have it rejected..) then you get to put an ad in a paper.  There is a fairly standard format for it.

Once you do that and it runs for the statutory time, you take all your papers (rejected letter, copy of the ad, and all your evidence) and you go file.  Judge will look at you, look at your evidence, and ask the court if anyone comes to stand for the defendant -- no answer?  you get a default judgment.   I helped another guy on TOB to do this exact thing when someone ran over his bike and he couldn't get the cops to arrest the guy (no proof he was driving his own car -- witnesses told the police the car's tag, etc).. He froze the guy's accounts, and he couldn't pay rent -- he coughed up the money fast.

Once you get your money, you simply tell the cops where he sent it from. 

[evoasis]

Hire a PI, it'll run around 200.00 to get him properly found and served.. I know a few private investigators who are in California and find these kinda jerks all the time..

[speedknot]

This is what you would call a mystery bag of shit.  Law enforcement doesn't like to go near stuff like this.  Were you able to file a formal complaint in the county/town of occurrence/transaction?  It sounds like this dirtbag is in the wind.  I'd hate to be the harbinger of doom but you might have to chalk this up to a lesson learned.  I shouldn't have to say what the lesson is here. 
The local authorities probably wont spend too much time on this.  Especially when the place of occurrence and the complainant(you) are not even in the same state.  Like someone else here said, you and your friend should see if this guy is still peddling his stolen loot on craigs list and set up a sting.  Maybe you and your buddy can dish out your own brand of justice.

[BMiller]

I was able to push buttons down there and they realized NOTHING had been done what-so-ever since the impound.  I finally was able to get a felony warrant out on the guy, but now we're "waiting" for him to get caught.........then the slow process that will hopefully bring some of it back.  I'm sure I'll never see a penny, but at least if he gets popped he has a felony conviction 

[speedknot]

The DA's will plea it down to a traffic ticket.

[BMiller]

The DA's will plea it down to a traffic ticket.

It's sad because it's true.........the legal system in this country protects criminals.  Too bad I have morals, I could be rich at everyone's expense........

[ducatiz]

I was able to push buttons down there and they realized NOTHING had been done what-so-ever since the impound.  I finally was able to get a felony warrant out on the guy, but now we're "waiting" for him to get caught.........then the slow process that will hopefully bring some of it back.  I'm sure I'll never see a penny, but at least if he gets popped he has a felony conviction 

if he's ever in the state and gets pulled over, you can bet they will give him the royal treatment.

The DA's will plea it down to a traffic ticket.

explain to me how they work a felony crime down to a non-crime traffic violation, i missed that in law school.