How do you know if you have bought stolen jewellery?
Posted on August 20th, 2009 by admin
I have bought jewellery from a shop that has been closed recently for selling stolen jewellery, how do i know that the jewellery that i purchased wasn’t stolen without going to the police.
I wouldn’t worry about it. It is only a crime to knowingly receive/posess stolen propety. If there is no way a "reasonable" person could have known that an item was stolen, in this case jewlery, then no crime has been commited; even if the propery they received was in fact stolen. You are not obligated by law to check with the police each time you buy an item to see if it was stolen.
I suppose in theory, the police could not show up one day at your door and tell you to hand over a certain piece of jewlery because it was in-fact stolen. While you would bear no criminal responsibility for buying it stolen if you didn’t know, you cannot hold onto something once its original owner has been established. But as someone already said the odds of something like this happening are slim to none.
I wouldn’t worry about. Go on about your business. If you feel bad you may have someone stolen jewlery and you feel morally obligated to attempt and return it I suppose you could contact your local police, but in reality I highly doubt that they would even be able to help you.
August 20th, 2009 at 7:59 am
Call the police and ask if it was reported stolen.
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August 20th, 2009 at 8:42 am
The only way is to contact a PD with the description to see if anything similar was reported stolen.
But just because the local PD tells you no, does not mean it was not reported stolen elsewhere.
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August 20th, 2009 at 8:50 am
why don’t you want to go to the police? That is the only way you can find out. Even if you go to the police you may never know for sure.
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August 20th, 2009 at 9:15 am
I don’t care. I just take it
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August 20th, 2009 at 9:20 am
You never will,,,,Ownership of a stolen item of jewellery (unless it was a peice that was commisioned) will be almost impossible as most is mass produced,,Gold has very little value as little as £2/3 per gram of 9ct,,,the item if stolen will probably have had an insurance claim against it anyway,,,
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August 20th, 2009 at 9:48 am
The police will come to you!
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August 20th, 2009 at 10:09 am
You should contact the police. If you unknowningly bought the jewlery that does not make you an accomplice,if this is what you’re afraid of don’t worry. If it was stolen then maybe the owner would like it back.
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August 20th, 2009 at 10:58 am
You don’t. Your best bet would be to go into the police station and explain that you bought it and have recently heard that the shop has been closed down for selling stolen jewellery. They carry a list and description of stolen goods, they may keep the item for a few days to go through checks, but will return it if it is found not to be stolen. At least you wouldn’t then get in any trouble for handling stolen goods if someone recognised the piece you have.
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August 20th, 2009 at 11:39 am
ask yourself if the price was right or realy cheap, you already know don`t you.
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August 20th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
It feels hot.
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August 20th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
I wouldn’t worry about it. It is only a crime to knowingly receive/posess stolen propety. If there is no way a "reasonable" person could have known that an item was stolen, in this case jewlery, then no crime has been commited; even if the propery they received was in fact stolen. You are not obligated by law to check with the police each time you buy an item to see if it was stolen.
I suppose in theory, the police could not show up one day at your door and tell you to hand over a certain piece of jewlery because it was in-fact stolen. While you would bear no criminal responsibility for buying it stolen if you didn’t know, you cannot hold onto something once its original owner has been established. But as someone already said the odds of something like this happening are slim to none.
I wouldn’t worry about. Go on about your business. If you feel bad you may have someone stolen jewlery and you feel morally obligated to attempt and return it I suppose you could contact your local police, but in reality I highly doubt that they would even be able to help you.
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August 20th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
You Dont,
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August 20th, 2009 at 1:51 pm
Buying stolen jewelry is not illegal if you didn’t know: it’s called ‘buying in good faith’
So as long as you didn’t know it was stolen - then its OK: and you still don’t know so keep it that way - keep the receipt so you can prove where you bought it
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August 20th, 2009 at 2:15 pm
I wouldn’t worry too much, you bought it in good faith
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August 20th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
You don’t is the honest answer…
Unless the jewellery is REALLY unique I doubt the Police would be able to identify it.
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