7 ms·
No. If you bought it, you own it. The thief now owes the original owner damages. This is true in the United States and I assume England since it's old common la
by iammisc 5y ago
No. If you bought it, you own it. The thief now owes the original owner damages. This is true in the United States and I assume England since it's old common law stuff.
It's why thieves try to steal and then turn over immediately.
- amerkhalid 5y agoNo, that’s not correct in the US. If you buy stolen property unknowingly, it can be taken away from you. Had my TV stolen, it ended up in a pawn shop. Luckily, I had receipt and serial number. There was some paperwork and court order but pawnshop had to return TV to me.
- toss1 5y agoYup, that is also why there are laws against Receiving Stolen Property [1] in the US. This is defined as: >>According to general receiving stolen property laws, it is a crime to accept or purchase any property which you believe or have actual knowledge that it was obtained through illegal means, such as theft. However, receiving stolen property is its own separate crime and thus should not be confused with the similar criminal acts of theft, robbery, or extortion. [1] https://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/receiving-stolen-property.html https://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/receiving-sto...
- iammisc 5y agoKey word is believe or have actual knowledge. If you bona fide thought it was legit it's okay. The commenter above mentioned pawn shops, a highly regulated activity. Had the tv already been sold, he would have had no recourse to the new owners. The pawn shop may still be liable, depending on how the jurisdiction handles pawn shops.
- jessriedel 5y agoKnowingly receiving stolen property is a different thing.