WWMD: Stolen bike found, but the guy claims he paid a lot of money for it

[My Pet Powder Goat]

this should be your signature!

Haha

[::: :::]

when my bike was stolen, my insurance co had dibs on the bike if it turned up.
the adjuster said they could reclaim value by selling it, but he seemed to hint that that would be unlikely

[TahoeJ]

Whatever you do, don't listen to people saying you should contact your insurance company. There is no ethics when dealing with an insurance company (do you think they ever cut people a break because it's the right thing to do? hell no), and all that would do is screw the other guy out of $1,000. It's not like this is some mom and pop operation here.

Leave the cops out of it too unless there's a legitimate chance of catching the guy who stole it.

[DasBlunt]

i missed the part where you live in Oaktown.....

proceed being nice to the random dude, and fuck the police and the Insurance company...

[Jong Lafitte]

i missed the part where you live in Oaktown.....

proceed being nice to the random dude, and fuck the police and the Insurance company...

OK, your insurance co is entitled to the bike IMHO. That said, a REAL good case of amnesia ought to fix all this right up (should you be so inclined); make sure he knows not to try to move the bike but without, you know, conspiring to commit fraud.

Lets say it was not a $6k bike but a $60k dune buggy. Like a badass dune buggy, even one that maybe could talk, like speedbuggy (which was totally not like Scooby Doo). So, you tell the dude, "im not doing shit, I got paid, you got the buggy, whatevs.." You guys become friends and are seen by an overly eager insurance investigator dune buggying around together. At first glance, it looks an awful lot like you "stole" the buggy "to" your bud...see? Investigation ensues and, while the original assumption was untrue (letting your bud steal it and collecting the insurance $$), it is still revealed that you and he conspired to conceal the stolen property. I changed the values to be higher because, frankly, I doubt they give a shit about anything under 10k unless you poke them in the nose with it.

This is even more of a guess but I'm also thinking that unless you are insured by United Way, they ain't gonna try to work with letting the guy keep the bike, which would really be the only way to close the case with the cops and 'clean' the title.

[Conundrum]

Legally, the cops should sort it out. The dude is in possession of stolen property assuming you filed a police report which you probably did. Not that it would ever happen but if the insurance company found out you have a bike they paid to replace, you've committed insurance fraud. Having dealt with a few insurance adjusters, that bike would probably legally be sold or given to one of the adjusters buddies once the insurance company takes it back while technically marked as destroyed on a form somewhere. My buddy's wife use to be an adjuster and there's a number of flat screens and repaired carbon fiber frames rolling around his house that he only paid for the repairs on. This is not an isolated adjuster case.

And really, fuckers that buy super cheap nice bikes from an untrusted source with no proof of where the bike came from are only slightly less lame than bike thieves. Ignorance is no reason or excuse to support bike thieves.

Now you just need to figure out which way your moral compass is pointing.

[jm2e]

Seems odd that we aren't focusing on the fact that:
1. You're trying to recover a bike that has a 99% chance of breaking in the next few hundred miles of riding. And that the bike's manufacturer gives fuck all about helping you replace it.
2. You're currently on a bike that has a 1% chance of breaking in the next thousand miles of riding, but if it does the manufacturer will replace it pretty painlessly.

[SchralphMacchio]

^ I know, it's like sex with the crazy hot chick who is, literally, crazy vs. the long term girlfriend.
You ever ridden one of those bikes?

[east or bust]

touché

[XXX-er]

every woman I was ever with and /or married to I am glad that I am no longer with/ or married to ...you also need to come to this kind of realization

Tell buddy that you think he has you confused with some body else and enjoy the bike you have

[Canada1]

The insurance company typically owns that bike after they paid for it. They will then sell it through a salvage company.

I'd call the adjuster, tell him you think you've found the bike and will he take $500 for it if you want to buy it. They might say yes, they might send the police after the kid that bought the stolen bike.

[alembical]

I would definitely not pay the guy any money. He bought stolen property and he knew it.

If you buy the bike back and keep it, you should be concerned with being in possession of stolen property and having committed insurance fraud. Once the insurance company paid you off, the bike became their property and issue.

[stuckathuntermtn]

this should be your signature!

Done, lol

[stuckathuntermtn]

Legally, the cops should sort it out. The dude is in possession of stolen property assuming you filed a police report which you probably did. Not that it would ever happen but if the insurance company found out you have a bike they paid to replace, you've committed insurance fraud. Having dealt with a few insurance adjusters, that bike would probably legally be sold or given to one of the adjusters buddies once the insurance company takes it back while technically marked as destroyed on a form somewhere. My buddy's wife use to be an adjuster and there's a number of flat screens and repaired carbon fiber frames rolling around his house that he only paid for the repairs on. This is not an isolated adjuster case.

And really, fuckers that buy super cheap nice bikes from an untrusted source with no proof of where the bike came from are only slightly less lame than bike thieves. Ignorance is no reason or excuse to support bike thieves.

Now you just need to figure out which way your moral compass is pointing.

That's a good point.
Call the cops to close the case. At least keep the dude in the loop on it, since it seems like he might be stupid but at least honest. Also call the insurance company. Again, you may be able to keep the bike. He'll be taught and expensive lesson. Either way, you have a bike. Or 2.

[jm2e]

Just walk away.
If you think about the $1k you're considering spending on this increasingly low value bike, perhaps put your energy and money toward flipping the Bronson frame and trying something like a SOLO or Nomad. Or any one of a number of bikes that are loved right now. Personally, I'd get a carbon Warden.

[SchralphMacchio]

It's an SB-66a w/ XTR Trail wheelset, XTR shifter & RD set up as 1x10. By no means a "low value bike," but yes it requires linkage/bearing service and everyone has broken a bazillion rear triangles on that bike.

But also, that disposable cash suddenly seems better put towards donations to ACLU and Planned Parenthood ... but that's really for the Asshattery forum.

[Conundrum]

I still say fuck the guy that bought that bike for $1,000 and stand by ignorance is no excuse. If he can look up the stolen bike report two months in, he should have looked it up when he came across a sweet deal from an unknown seller. Some lessons are expensive.

He should either give it to you or the police. I'm normally a little left of the law but I hate bike thieves and this guy is one of the reasons there are bike thieves.

[jm2e]

Yea, I hear you on all fronts. All I was getting at is that it's a buyers market right now for used bikes. Especially for used bikes with 26" wheels and 10sp drivetrains that were a super good deal 2 years ago because Yeti had just discontinued them. A buddy of mine just retired his. And he's thinking he'll get a couple grand for it. He and a dozen other guys on PB. Sick bike, just no market. You most definitely got the best deal with the insurance payout.

[shirk]

Shoot the hostage.

[DasBlunt]

Shoot the hostage.

not really funny these days.

[TahoeJ]

Before we call the buyer a bad guy let's remember that he reached out when he didn't have to. Let's not be so quick to re-affirm the "no good deed goes unpunished" mantra. Also keep in mind this is the Bay Area where its not all that rare for someone to buy a 5k bike, barely use it, then sell it cheap a few years later.

[MiddleOfNight]

The "correct" answer is call the cops and notify your insurance company.

This.

a) Insurance paid. It's theirs now.
b) You have a start point, for tracking down who stole/fenced the bike! Maybe even connected to this 'samaritan' who reached out.

This theft may not be an isolated incident, they often aren't. You have a lead for the cops start looking for the bad guys. That info could maybe prevent someone else's property from getting stolen.
And IF the guy who has your bike is really innocent and gets hosed out of his money, he could maybe get it back in restitution.

Maybe find a way to get your old rig back once the dust settles, if it's what makes you happy. Salvage from insurance or something.

Clear your conscience.

[TahoeJ]

You have a lead for the cops start looking for the bad guys.

[MiddleOfNight]

Ha! Yea, maybe a bit naive.

Just sayin' .. two similar cases in these parts this year, that I know of. Serial bike thefts, listed on eBay and Craiglist.
Investigations led to felony arrests in both.

Maybe the fuzz' effort was a small town thing, but you never know.

[SchralphMacchio]

This was a bitch to find ... not indicated in my policy, or the offer of payment. It was in the original communication from my insurance company when I opened the claim:

Be advised that once ____ has made payment to you for your loss, the stolen and/or missing item(s) and/or property belong to ____. Should the item(s) and/or property be found or recovered, you are required to notify ____.