stolen stuff on Craigslist?

[stevephillips]

A year or so ago, I saw a great deal on Craigslist for a medium sized Stihl that was supposedly in near new shape. When I called, the guy wanted to meet me at a gas station. I understand that Craigslist sellers often don't want people coming to their houses, with good reason. But how do you evaluate what's a good deal from a cautious seller, and what's someone selling stolen property.

I did not go look at the saw because it gave me a bad feel.

 

[o8f150]

you just answered your question,, you had a bad feeling, other then that you just don't have any idea if a saw is stolen or not unless you ask them for paper work

 

[homelitejim]

I have been told by someone in the know that volunteers scour places like craigslist with a copy of the hot sheet and report any suspicious items then the cops set up a sting. I have been told that they usually catch the thieves before any of the goods make it out on the street. I myself would rather meet at a public place instead of my house, in case they are a undesirable.

 

[Anthony_Va.]

If the price is too good tobe true and the seller is acting funny then it's prolly a bad deal. I just go by my instinct. I would never want to buy something that was stolen from someone who worked hard to buy it, just to get a good deal.

I believe that anyone who buys something that they know is stolen is no better than the thief. JMO.

 

[Dan_IN_MN]

If the price is too good tobe true and the seller is acting funny then it's prolly a bad deal. I just go by my instinct. I would never want to buy something that was stolen from someone who worked hard to buy it, just to get a good deal.

I believe that anyone who buys something that they know is stolen is no better than the thief. JMO.

A while ago I was in CA helping my brother. We were looking to buy a used hammer drill. Of course we looked on CL. Found one. Went to look at it the SN had been ground off. The guy said that 'he'd just gotten out of the tile business'. We passed on that one.

 

[flyboy553]

I parted out a gold wing motorcycle that had been left in a repossessed home we had to clean out.
I listed it on CL. The next day I got a phone call from the police who wanted the serial number off the frame so they could check it out to see if it had been stolen.

Also, i bought a 55 Rancher from a guy from a craigs list ad. When I paid for it, I got a receipt stating I paid cash for it and had his name and address on it. He wondered why, and I explained that if I ever had to take it in for repairs and it came back stolen I wanted proof that I was unaware of that fact. He had no issue with that at all, so that was good.

Ted

 

[stevephillips]

I have been told by someone in the know that volunteers scour places like craigslist with a copy of the hot sheet and report any suspicious items then the cops set up a sting. I have been told that they usually catch the thieves before any of the goods make it out on the street . . .

I hope so.

 

[Roanoker494]

Problem is a real thief is good at their job and can carry on a conversation without any issue. A real thief could steal your bloomers, convince you they are not yours and sell them back to you............

Your own gut feeling is the only thing you have to go on. Does the deal seem to good to be true?? Maybe or maybe not........ Even if it seems that way sometimes a legit owner only wants a fraction of what something is actually worth.

EDIT:
BTW, all my meetings happen in the local Wal-Mart parking lot where I know there is plenty of camera coverage.

 

[Jacob J.]

There's no stolen stuff on Craigslist...umpkin2:

 

[Scooterbum]

Just ask them to meet you in the local Police station parking lot.
That's what I do.

 

[Walt41]

Funny thing I found this thread, I like to look at farm equipment on CL as well as saws and recently came across an ad for a junk 8N farm tractor for $200, I figured there was at least $1,200 in parts so I got an address and then cross referenced it in Zillow, found the landowner and it turned out he was renting a cottage to an undesirable couple and a bunch of old machinery had disappeared, he was grateful for the tip and I was saved from hiring up a buddy with a tiltbed into an illegal situation.

 

[spacemule]

Just last week a guy in this town was arrested for a craigslist hold up scam. Evidently he'd pulled it off several times. He would advertise an iphone for sale for $300, then meet any interested buyers wherever they wanted. The last one for which he got caught was in a McDonald's parking lot. When the buyer showed up, he'd pull a pistol and rob them of the $300 and anything else they had.

I've bought a few things off craigslist, but from the stories I've been seeing lately, there's a few precautions that make sense. Get as much information about the item as you can *before* you agree to meet. Ask specific questions. Ask for pictures. When you do meet, make it a public place. Don't want potential thieves canvassing your place. And finally, be prepared. Bring protection. Those are my thoughts.

 

[C SAW 090]

If I have to have a deal made at my house I try to keep them outta the garage,but if they end up in there I have lots of ammo laying around in the garage in plain sight. Pretty good indicator of whats gonna happen if you come back after hours. Shotty in my bed room loaded and ready to go, bang!! give me back that saw!!

 

[C SAW 090]

Just last week a guy in this town was arrested for a craigslist hold up scam. Evidently he'd pulled it off several times. He would advertise an iphone for sale for $300, then meet any interested buyers wherever they wanted. The last one for which he got caught was in a McDonald's parking lot. When the buyer showed up, he'd pull a pistol and rob them of the $300 and anything else they had.

I've bought a few things off craigslist, but from the stories I've been seeing lately, there's a few precautions that make sense. Get as much information about the item as you can *before* you agree to meet. Ask specific questions. Ask for pictures. When you do meet, make it a public place. Don't want potential thieves canvassing your place. And finally, be prepared. Bring protection. Those are my thoughts.

That sig is some funny ****!! :hmm3grin2orange:

 

[D&B Mack]

I actually just posted this question in the stolen section, but I would like to see if I can get an answer here.

I went and looked at a stihl 261 for a good price. I believe it may be stolen, but I got the serial number. Will Stihl tell me who registered the saw upon purchase?

 

[avalancher]

I do a good bit of buying and selling on Craigslist, and there are a few simple rules I always follow when making a deal.

I always have two copies of the bill of sale, both get signed, and I keep one. I also write down their phone number on my copy,and I always jot down their license plate number as well. Most times I catch the plate number as they pull into the parking lot so they dont know, but sometimes I have had to resort to going and looking with them standing there. Both copies get the serial number recorded on the receipt as well as the purchase price.

I always meet in a public place where there are lots of cameras and lots of folks around, and I pick the time of day.No late nights, dark parking lots,etc

I never carry cash in my pocket, its kept in a locked box in the truck.After I look the item over, I make an offer, and if they accept the deal I leave the item on the hood of the truck, retrieve the cash, and make the swap.When I turn to go back to the truck to get the cash, they can plainly see the 9mm in my waistband under my tshirt.

When I get home, I attach the bill of sale to all printed out copies of the craigslist ad, as well as all emails from the seller/buyer and they are filed away.

 

[slowp]

I actually just posted this question in the stolen section, but I would like to see if I can get an answer here.

I went and looked at a stihl 261 for a good price. I believe it may be stolen, but I got the serial number. Will Stihl tell me who registered the saw upon purchase?

I'm not sure. My dealer keeps records, and they also etched my name and the date of purchase on the bottom of the saw. I would think that the same might be true for your area. The dealer I bought my saw from does a huge amount of saw business--they are smack dab in the center of logging.

 

[Chris J.]

I actually just posted this question in the stolen section, but I would like to see if I can get an answer here.

I went and looked at a stihl 261 for a good price. I believe it may be stolen, but I got the serial number. Will Stihl tell me who registered the saw upon purchase?

I don't know if John Q. Public can access registration info, but it makes sense that an authorized Stihl dealer could. That said, I'm sure that many saws legitimately change hands without the registration being changed/updated.


My CL purchases have gone smoothly, but only one of them involved anyhing of semi-serious value. In most of the cases I had a loaded handgun under the front seat (gotta love the Texas laws!):

One seller met me in a McDonald's parking lot in broad daylight.

One seller gave me directions to his house, where his GF met me at the front door & the saw was on the porch in a box. Kind of risky, but we did speak for a while on the phone, & we lived less than five minutes apart.

I worked out a trade with one seller, we met in a crowded parking lot in broad daylight. In this case the amplifiers & gear we traded did have some $$ value.

One seller met at a gas station, & I followed him to his house. It didn't appear that he had much a thief would want (an observation, not a judgement).

One seller had the saws at his place of business, a garge where they rebuilt vintage VWs. Not so risky since their shop was already vulnerable to break-ins (clearly an automotive garage filled with tools & not in a good neighborhood).

One seller met me at his house. He was a retired auto mechanic, & had a nice house, and had a lot of nice stuff in his three car garage & shed. He had a lot of saws for sale, and wouldn't provide much info over the phone or by email, so maybe letting folks come to his home was how he needed to do business. Risky IMO.

One seller I met at 'his' house was in-town doing some remodeling for his brother. The house was nice, & they had lots of tools & such in the grage/shop. Risky IMO.

One deal I didn't follow through on. I got a weird feeling speaking with his wife?GF?SO?. He wouldn't come to the phone, & the saws weren't anything special, so I passed.

 

[Trailtrimmer]

I never carry cash in my pocket, its kept in a locked box in the truck.After I look the item over, I make an offer, and if they accept the deal I leave the item on the hood of the truck, retrieve the cash, and make the swap.When I turn to go back to the truck to get the cash, they can plainly see the 9mm in my waistband under my tshirt.
.

Purposely exposing a pistol to a criminal while you'll have your back turned on them at your truck might not be the best idea. A common thief will still sell you the saw or take off, a more violent or armed one may see a free gun and be poiting his own gun at your head when you turn around from your truck.

As for craigslist, I've had good luck but also avoided a too good to be true deal or two. You can tell a lot from a simple conversation, if it smells fishy, it is.

 

[blsnelling]

I actually just posted this question in the stolen section, but I would like to see if I can get an answer here.

I went and looked at a stihl 261 for a good price. I believe it may be stolen, but I got the serial number. Will Stihl tell me who registered the saw upon purchase?

I can run it for you.