Macbook Air Stolen - seeking advice

[WizardOfOz]

Purchased a new MacBook Air 11" for $1,147 a couple of months ago.
While at Boy Scout camp, a couple of slugs broke into my house and stole it.

A few days go by and slugs are caught and arrested. Confess that MacBook was pawned. After all the red tape and other police stuff, detective calls me and says which pawn shop has it and there is a police hold on it and I can go and pick it up.

However, I have to pay the $510 that the pawn shop paid for it (Kansas law). So my dilemma is do I pay an additional $510 to get back an $1,147 MacBook Air or should I save a little longer and purchase a new one?

What would you do?

 

[Growltiger]

Won't your insurer pay the $510?
Isn't it on your household cover?

 

[little big man]

I would think the criminals would have to pay that amount as restitution? At what dollar amount is it a felony charge in KS?

Sean

 

[WizardOfOz]

Won't your insurer pay the $510?
Isn't it on your household cover?

Oh the irony - I was forced to sell my home a few years ago and never checked into renters insurance. Right before I left for Boy Scout camp my car tags were getting ready to expire. Could not find my proof of insurance card so stopped at my insurance office (which is really close) and picked up a copy. While there told my agent when I get back lets talk about getting renter's insurance and commercial insurance for a new business I'm starting. Then two days later - poof!

I would think the criminals would have to pay that amount as restitution? At what dollar amount is it a felony charge in KS?

Sean

You are correct. They will be required to pay back the $510 if they ever get any money. They were caught with 2 stolen laptops and in a stolen car. They had just pawned mine about 10 minutes before the police pulled them over.

I think anything over $1,000 is a felony. I have known one of the slugs for about 12 years. He was a friend of my older boy when they were growing up. This kid was getting in trouble with the law all the time starting in grade school. I put a wedge between him and my kid as quickly as I could as I felt he was going down a path that I did not want my son following.

He has been in the system at a young age and the older he got the more serious the crimes. He just got out of a county jail a few days before his last crime spree.

 

[bigluelok]

well if mac air cost 1000 + isnt it a felony?

 

[snagglepuss31]

Purchased a new MacBook Air 11"
However, I have to pay the $510 that the pawn shop paid for it (Kansas law). So my dilemma is do I pay an additional $510 to get back an $1,147 MacBook Air or should I save a little longer and purchase a new one?

What would you do?

$510 << $1147. If the notebook is in the same condition as when you last had it, then it is an easy decision. Pay to get it back.

 

[Electromen]

Sign in to iCloud.com using your Apple ID. Use "Find My iPhone" Erase the MacBook Air and Lock it.
After it's locked, see what the pawn shop will do, they can't use it.

 

[uscmatt99]

Sign in to iCloud.com using your Apple ID. Use "Find My iPhone" Erase the MacBook Air and Lock it.
After it's locked, see what the pawn shop will do, they can't use it.

That's a great idea. On principal I'd not pay a pawn shop for something that was stolen from me for the price they paid. If you lock it, you've reduced their potential customers to exactly one, and maybe it will become negotiable

 

[WizardOfOz]

Will a fresh install of the OS disable the lock?
If I got it back I assume I can override the lock?

 

[WizardOfOz]

well if mac air cost 1000 + isnt it a felony?

yep

 

[pr549f2678]

If the police caught them 10 mins. after pawning it, would they not have the $510.00 on them? Just a thought.

Phil.............

 

[catalyst]

Sorry to hear this, James.

If it was purchased only a couple of months ago, you are still covered by Apple's warranty, with their excellent phone consultations, etc., and you should contact them with a description of this event. They might not be able to provide legal advice, but I suspect that they could provide you with decent and concrete information.

 

[WizardOfOz]

If the police caught them 10 mins. after pawning it, would they not have the $510.00 on them? Just a thought.

Phil.............

Oh they did - and it was confiscated. Although I'm pleased with how quickly they caught the guys and all, would think the money could be used to pay the pawn shop.

I am waiting to hear from the DA (which can take weeks) for the date of the hearing.

 

[WizardOfOz]

Sorry to hear this, James.

If it was purchased only a couple of months ago, you are still covered by Apple's warranty, with their excellent phone consultations, etc., and you should contact them with a description of this event. They might not be able to provide legal advice, but I suspect that they could provide you with decent and concrete information.

Actually, my nephew is a programmer with Apple and he purchased it thru the Family and Friends plan for me. I spoke with him this evening and he going to try to get the lock enabled and anything else that might help.

The whole thing has been a little stressful. First time someone has broke into my house and I've been living on my own for around 30 years.

The weekend before I left I had photographed a wedding. I told the Bride and Groom that I was going to camp and would not have the images completed umtil I got back. Right before I left I went ahead and completed the images and gave them a copy of the completed images. I was glad to get that done but the format given to them was jpgs. The raw files are gone as I was told the pawn shop wiped the drive when they got it. I am hoping that is not true as the report was told to them in a few days afterwards.

 

[Lurker]

Not to throw the thread off the tracks but what's the rationale behind that legislation? It's not exactly encouraging pawn shops from scrutinizing their merchandise, on the contrary. Which in turn promotes burglary as you can always pawn off your stolen goods at the local pawn shop.
What rocket scientist came up with that idea?

Make the pawn store liable for healing stolen goods and they'll be a lot more careful in what they accept, methinks. Especially when it's suspicious goods like laptops, tablets, cameras, etc.

 

[gregv]

Did u buy it with a VISA?? Depending on your VISA they usually carry a 90 day policy to replace a damaged or stolen item. Could check into that!!

 

[HappyFish]

What happened to the $510.00 they had in their pocket when they were pulled over?

 

[Rich Gibson]

Sign in to iCloud.com using your Apple ID. Use "Find My iPhone" Erase the MacBook Air and Lock it.
After it's locked, see what the pawn shop will do, they can't use it.

Super idea. I can't believe that there is a law like that on the books!!!! The computer is YOUR property.

 

[Rich Gibson]

I'm incredulous about the Pawn shop owning your laptop. I've never heard of any case where a buyer of stolen goods gets to keep it. Do you have small claims court in your municipality? I think the shop owner is bluffing. The entire concept of loaning out money on pawn includes the risk of pawning stolen items. That's their problem, not yours.

K.S.A. 16-720(b) provides in relevant part:

"When converted or stolen property has been pawned or sold to a precious metal dealer and the pawnbroker or dealer refuses to redeliver such property to the rightful owner upon demand and presentation of a bill of sale or other proper evidence of ownership by the owner, and legal action by the rightful owner to recover the property becomes necessary, the court may assess the pawnbroker or dealer for reasonable attorneys' fees incurred by the rightful owner if the court finds that the pawnbroker or dealer wrongfully withheld the converted or stolen property." (Emphasis added.) K.S.A. 16-720(b).

This suggests the pawnbroker must return the item if the true owner shows proof of ownership. I still think the pawn broker is bluffing. They will have to pay attorney fees for wrongful withholding of stolen property. Small claims court link here.

 

[little big man]

I'm incredulous about the Pawn shop owning your laptop. I've never heard of any case where a buyer of stolen goods gets to keep it. [/url]

It happens fairly often - if my house was burglarized and camera gear taken, the first call would be the police and the second would be to the local pawn shop to inform them of the items and not to purchase anything matching them:

http://www.1011now.com/home/headlines/Pawn-Shops-and-Stolen-Stuff-213748131.html

Sean