Recognizing stolen equipment ???

[flyerdan]

I read that you should never include a VIN or serial number in an advertisement, because some lowlife could use it to file a stolen equipment report and then show up with the sheriff to reclaim "their" stuff at gunpoint. If someone insists on numbers, email them with the caveat that it establishes a timestamp so some effing cee-esser can't pull that scam on you.
Titled vehicles are a bit different; dealers have made carfax almost a must have regarding damage history and mileage verification, and that requires a vin, but stolen vehicles tend to get flagged pretty quick if someone tries to register them.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Then you get the whole problem of such work farms that just grabbed innocent peodple off the street on bogus charges to make them money in their little enterprise. Can you say corruption?

And that's the thing. Some want to Hang tractor thieves, but the people that run things and make the rules STEAL TRILLIONS!

 

[Cat_Driver]

You want guarantees then buy new from the dealer. Any purchase other than dealer is a crap shoot. Crooks have more ways to screw you than you have the time to figure out how they will do it.
The courts are zero help, sure you will win, but you can't get blood from a rock. I sued a well off crook driving a Range Rover, his kid was in a high end school, he lived in a million dollar home etc etc.

Sure I won the judgement, but he has NOTHING in his name. Everything was in his wife's name and he refused to show up in small claims court after being served so I autmatically won teh judgement. He never paid and they can't go after anything of "his" as he owens NOTHING - but he's millionaire.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Probably has friends who are cops, judges and politicians too. It really is just a game that some know how to play, and most don't.

 

[BAP]

As for a copy of the original bill of sale. If you cant trace it back to a dealer, then dont buy it. That might seem excessive, but it is MUCH better than loosing $30k.

This is the best and probably the most reliable answer given in this whole thread. First place to start is to look for a dealer sticker on the equipment. All dealers put them on and most thieves probably are not going to look and remove them. Call the dealer and give them model and serial number. Tell them you are looking to buy it from so and so, did they sell it to them and do they know if it was financed? Go from there.

 

[Richard]

Not related to original post....but not unrelated either...

Couple years ago, bought a new Stihl pole saw. Something like $700 I think?

Used it ONCE to trim something. Went out to use it the second time and ended up at neighbors house, leaving pole saw in my backhoe which was parked on the (dead end) road and we (about 5 of us) were standing about 150 feet away from the backhoe. Truck drove into the area.... came out and when they left, I noticed my pole saw in the back of their truck.

Called Sheriff but got out here too late.

Since it was brand new, I went home, got my receipt which had the serial number on it.

About a year later, got a call from the police.... my saw had shown up at a pawn shop about an hour away. The "seller" of it had violated his probation so I could wait through the court process & get it back afterwards OR, drive there to pay them $150 to reimburse them their fee to him.

I drove the next day & got it.

Couple months later, I got a county (state?) check in the mail which happened to be the reimbursement of the $150 that they must have fined him so in the end, I got things back.

When this began, I specifically told the detective that I do NOT want to know who the perp was...... because if he ended up floating in the lake, I wanted as much ignorance of him as possible lest someone look my way for his demise.

(didn't happen)

I can see where the pawn shop was in a quandry..... it's not fair they're out the money (they should have caught it prior to buying it) but, it's not fair that I had to buy it again (not knowing if I'd get reimbursed or not)


But it wasn't a $30,000 item either, ouch.

 

[RjCorazza]

These discussions are important to keep the honest people thinking, but man do they put me in a bad mood!
There was a skid steer stored in a neighbor's garage a few years ago by an unscrupulous 3rd party (scam love interest). He was trying to sell it, when the property owner wised up and called the sheriff to investigate the skid steer and force him to remove other property from her garage.
Turns out he rented and failed to return the skid steer, which was then returned to the rental company. I spoke to the rental company months later, and was told that the guy wasn't even charged with a crime. In Maryland apparently failing to return rental equipment is not even a criminal act - totally a civil matter.

 

[Fuddy1952]

This is the best and probably the most reliable answer given in this whole thread. First place to start is to look for a dealer sticker on the equipment. All dealers put them on and most thieves probably are not going to look and remove them. Call the dealer and give them model and serial number. Tell them you are looking to buy it from so and so, did they sell it to them and do they know if it was financed? Go from there.

Good thoughts. I'm curious now on something expensive if a local deputy would meet you there for the purchase?
He/she would witness the transaction. After all...a lot of money is involved, they could check their database if stolen, witness the payment, etc.
If anything went awry they could testify on the purchasers behalf.

 

[Industrial Toys]

Pawn shops are an interesting case. Like where do they think much of the stuff comes from?

I guess if you can even get to see work orders, with the machine listed, as well as the sellers name, that would go a long way to assure me. Criminals aren't big on documenting stuff.

 

[ovrszd]

Humph!! First there has to be some, any, used equipment/implements for sale in your area. I'm still waiting. Have been for over 38 years.

Maybe adjust your criteria? 38 years and no used equipment for sale? Hmmm?