Question about stolen items

[jschneidt]

Two months ago i stayed at my friends dorm and i forgot my game case full of roughly 50-60 video games in it. I asked my friend if i could come pick them up and he said sure (he lives about 45 minutes away from me). When i went to go pick them up i called him to make sure he was there and he told me he just left, when he knew i was coming. He has done this a few times and keeps telling his parents to not let me get my games back. What should i do in order to obtain the games?

[GoDirectly2Jail]

Here are just a few of the questions I have:

If you left your games at his dorm, why would his parents have access or control of them? Have you contacted the parents? Have you contacted YOUR parents and asked them to call? If you called the police, how would you go about proving your ownership of the games?

You may think your friend is ducking you, when he may have legit reasons for needing to leave in the example you cited.

[manahmanah]

It's a civil issue at this point. How do you know he's telling his parents not to let you have the games back?

[jschneidt]

Sorry i left a few things out. First off he took the games from his dorm home, i dont know why. Second he told me he told his parents not to give them to me. He is very suspicious about this. I just wonder if it comes to it can i have an officer accompany me to ensure i get them back?

[GoDirectly2Jail]

No you can't. It is not a theft because he didn't take the games, you left them. For all the police know you gave the games to him, and you can't prove you didn't.

It stinks and it's not fair, but if you cannot resolve it amongst yourselves, you may have to retain a lawyer to help you in court to get your stuff back. As stated above, it is a civil matter, not a criminal one.

[jschneidt]

Okay, but if all else fails i can still get them back through small claims?

[BP348]

You can go to small claims but why bother? Find out when he and his parents are going to be home and then just show up and ask for your games. If he refuses tell your side to his parents. Either that or just go over and talk to the parents.

If that fails then I'd let them know that you will be sueing them in small claims court for the total price of all the games. Of course if you do go to court you have to prove that you accidently left the games cuz he's going to claim you gave them to him.

Lastly once you get your games back find a new friend. Anyone who would take your stuff like that isn't really your friend.

[viperphi]

Depending on the jurisdiction to live in, you could probably have officers accompany you to pickup property. It's a Mickey Mouse call though and all we are there for is to keep the peace and ensure that you all don't light each other on fire. It's usually for couples that had a domestic incident and now have a protection order though. All in all, like everyone said, it's a civil matter and we don't deal with that.

Next time don't forget your games. And you should re-evaluate your friendships.

I had this issue with a kid in middle school who wouldn't give me back Star Fox for Super Nintendo. I just menaced him at school... And by menaced, I told him my mommy was going to call his mommy. I have that game to this day.