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DPChallenge Forums >> Business of Photography >> I lent my equipment to a friend, he refuses to
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Showing posts 26 - 50 of 108, (reverse)
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11/04/2013 04:15:40 PM · #26
Call the cops first. Tell them the situation. If you tell them you just want your stuff back and show them the emails and every bit of documentation that supports your case, they are likely to want to resolve it without resorting to going through a long drawn out legal process, filing charges, criminal and/or civil court. If the police show up asking for the stuff, they might get different results. If not, ratchet it up.

Otherwise, maybe you can go on Judge Judy.
11/04/2013 04:17:40 PM · #27
Originally posted by JulietNN:

I did know last week where he was working with my stuff, but I was too upset to do anything about it, as there was just so much crappolla going on.

NO I won't do a B&E or egg or key his car or pour sugar in his gas tank! =P

He has now unfriended me from FB, so not sure of his next move, but he did not block me. So I may be able to see where he goes next.

I was going to write him one last text , do you think this is okay to send?"

This is the last time, I will ask you for my triggers, lens, umbrellas, light stand and filters back. If you do not drop them off in 24 hours, then I will be going to the police to file a theft report. Then I will take you to court. I have deep pockets. If as you threatened you would like to bill me for the 45 mins of work you did on my irrigation system, then please do so and as I stated that I would be happy to pay your hourly rate. I shall be billing you for the five months of rental equipment and the two shoots of over $600 each that I specifically told you about and that I needed my equipment back and the documentations where you refused and even offered to buy my equipment from me. I will play this out.


No, it's better when the police visit is a surprise. Tends to catch them off guard.
11/04/2013 04:21:28 PM · #28
Well hell's bells, Juliet. Never a dull moment with you. If it were me, I would call the police and give a brief explanation of this "hypothetical" scenario, mentioning the loan with the later reply that he wouldn't return, and ask if that is something the police would be involved with. Depending on their answer, you'll know what the next step would be. Just make sure you have all the "evidence" at hand - receipts for all your equipment, plus all the emails where he admits that the equipment is yours and that he will not be returning it.

As for that letter, I don't know. It's clear he's dug in his heels, so perhaps taking a different tack - simply asking what has caused him to betray you when you were such good friends?

Hopeless at giving advice for this sort of thing as I'd be rounding up a lynch mob and storming his home.

ETA - by no means give him a hint of anyone showing up at his door. He will either move/hide your stuff, or, if he's totally psycho, damage/destroy it rather than returning it.

Message edited by author 2013-11-04 16:22:38.
11/04/2013 05:15:00 PM · #29
Hmm - Arizona GTG aka dpc lynchmob...
11/04/2013 05:39:33 PM · #30
Originally posted by raish:

Hmm - Arizona GTG aka dpc lynchmob...


If you are interested! =P

Message edited by author 2013-11-05 15:27:30.
11/04/2013 06:27:51 PM · #31
You lent your gear to a sex offender...????
11/04/2013 06:28:39 PM · #32
In my experience the police 'position' will depend upon which particular policemen you talk to.

About 10 years ago, a 'friend' (short term acquaintance) of our son expressed interest in buying a car from us. He 'borrowed' our utility (actually he conned our son into this bit, we didn't even know till it had gone) to go to Melbourne for the afternoon to blahdeblahdeblah (the crap that falls from the mouths of scumbags as we now know) but he didn't come back - ever. Neither did our utility. And he seemed like such a nice young man!

Anyway, when we reported the theft to the police the reaction was 'You lent it, it's not stolen.' Without a police report we couldn't claim insurance. Luckily we talked to another policeman a day or two later and his attitude was totally different. We got a report and we got our insurance payout. (Eventually the ute turned up in Darwin, over 4000 kms away - Scumbag had sold it to some young fellas and they were caught hooning in it.

All this makes me think of another possibility - if you are insured against theft and can get a police report, maybe your insurance company could pay you out and then hopefully pursue him themselves. One advantage that you have is that you know where the thief is. As far as I know our thief has never been caught.
11/04/2013 06:40:58 PM · #33
Wow oh wow Juliet...what a shithole of a situation, and what a fucking bastard that friend turned out to be. I'd've taken a wrecking bar to him by now. I think you have enough sound advice already to go on so I have nothing new to add, just watch you don't get your gear destroyed in the process of getting it back. Good luck kiddo! (HUGS)

jomari, what on earth is *hooning*? Do I really want to know?

11/04/2013 06:44:03 PM · #34
Originally posted by snaffles:

Wow oh wow Juliet...what a shithole of a situation, and what a fucking bastard that friend turned out to be. I'd've taken a wrecking bar to him by now. I think you have enough sound advice already to go on so I have nothing new to add, just watch you don't get your gear destroyed in the process of getting it back. Good luck kiddo! (HUGS)

jomari, what on earth is *hooning*? Do I really want to know?


Haha! I guess that is an Australian term. Misbehaving in cars, driving dangerously etc. While I'm at translating Australian, utes (utilities) are pick-ups.
11/04/2013 06:53:39 PM · #35
I have read most of the posts and the B&E crowd crack me up, all I could think of was isn't that how OJ handled his situation, I think he is still in jail....hahaha. To me small claims court would be a good fit, maybe get in judge Judy!
11/04/2013 07:02:49 PM · #36
Originally posted by PapaBob:

I have read most of the posts and the B&E crowd crack me up, all I could think of was isn't that how OJ handled his situation, I think he is still in jail....hahaha. To me small claims court would be a good fit, maybe get in judge Judy!


OJ engaged in armed robbery - quite a different animal...
11/04/2013 07:03:38 PM · #37
Originally posted by tanguera:

You lent your gear to a sex offender...????


Impressive.
11/04/2013 07:05:07 PM · #38
Originally posted by jomari:

In my experience the police 'position' will depend upon which particular policemen you talk to.

About 10 years ago, a 'friend' (short term acquaintance) of our son expressed interest in buying a car from us. He 'borrowed' our utility (actually he conned our son into this bit, we didn't even know till it had gone) to go to Melbourne for the afternoon to blahdeblahdeblah (the crap that falls from the mouths of scumbags as we now know) but he didn't come back - ever. Neither did our utility. And he seemed like such a nice young man!

Anyway, when we reported the theft to the police the reaction was 'You lent it, it's not stolen.' Without a police report we couldn't claim insurance. Luckily we talked to another policeman a day or two later and his attitude was totally different. We got a report and we got our insurance payout. (Eventually the ute turned up in Darwin, over 4000 kms away - Scumbag had sold it to some young fellas and they were caught hooning in it.

All this makes me think of another possibility - if you are insured against theft and can get a police report, maybe your insurance company could pay you out and then hopefully pursue him themselves. One advantage that you have is that you know where the thief is. As far as I know our thief has never been caught.


Same case here in the states... I know a plumber who loaned a vehicle to a hand to go get lunch. Same thing, except they really persisted in the "it's a loan, not a theft" mentality.
11/04/2013 07:13:45 PM · #39
Originally posted by Cory:

Originally posted by PapaBob:

I have read most of the posts and the B&E crowd crack me up, all I could think of was isn't that how OJ handled his situation, I think he is still in jail....hahaha. To me small claims court would be a good fit, maybe get in judge Judy!


OJ engaged in armed robbery - quite a different animal...


Yes and no, B&E from what I understand is still illegal even without a gun, time in jail might be shorter but breaking the law just the same. I do however think this would be the most enjoyable way to get the items back.

Message edited by author 2013-11-04 19:14:35.
11/04/2013 07:17:02 PM · #40
Do you know any attorneys? I have found the best way to get results in these kind os stalemates is to get something polite, but very clear on what is about to be a legal case with allegations and loss penalties spelled out, with a take action date. In fact I keep a few pieces of stationary on hand for these situations to save the hourly of acctualy having an attorney having to draft the letter.

In cases like this the cops aren't much help. Since you loaned this shmuck the stuff it is much murkier legally than simple theft and your average officer will not stick his head out that far. Of course if you have a friend who is a cop, they might go the extra mile for you. Most police won't take action until after there is an award from a judge deciding who owns what, even if you have bills of sale and an e-mail chain. On the other hand since he seems to be a sex offender, you could imply that you were afraid that your gear was being used for kiddie porn, that might perk their ears up.
11/04/2013 07:20:35 PM · #41
Ask O.J. Simpson if it's ok to break into someone's place to demand your stuff back :)
11/04/2013 07:45:38 PM · #42

Real Friends will Help you bury the body.... I have a shovel!!!!!

PS: I use to be a land lord... I've taken so many tenants to small claims court I can't count (to get my rent) I've won EVERY CASE... So far I'm out several hundred dollars in court costs (of course I was awarded that to) but the problem is (at least in Missouri) I have no remedy to collect. IMHO small claims court is only as good as the person you are suing is honest!!

Oh yeah and SCC here is only $40.00 filing fee!!

Message edited by author 2013-11-04 19:49:28.
11/04/2013 07:52:57 PM · #43
Get copies of all your receipts and email conversations in order and go to the police. I would not wait a second.

And publically defame him. Of course (how can one not!!). I would not resist telling mutual friends about the whole sordid piece. He'll be concocting up a million tales how you've gone loco so he needs the community looking down on him.
11/04/2013 07:53:31 PM · #44
Originally posted by tanguera:

You lent your gear to a sex offender...????


NOOOOOOOOOOOO god NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO that is not him



Message edited by author 2013-11-05 15:27:46.
11/04/2013 07:58:30 PM · #45
I don't know, Juliet. At the same angle and with the beanie, they could be the same guy....
11/04/2013 08:02:12 PM · #46
Originally posted by tanguera:

I don't know, Juliet. At the same angle and with the beanie, they could be the same guy....


LOL,. I see what you are saying, but no , not him, he is 20 years younger

Message edited by author 2013-11-04 20:02:23.
11/04/2013 08:03:22 PM · #47
Originally posted by alanfreed:

Ask O.J. Simpson if it's ok to break into someone's place to demand your stuff back :)


It's most certainly not "OK", never said it was.

But, then again, OJ didn't break and enter did he? :D

Also, he did this in a Casino of all places... Nothing like a casino for video coverage...

Also, the ownership of the memorabilia was VERY much less clear than this case...

Just saying, sure it's not legal, but the situation isn't at all comparable to OJ's idiocy. -- Also, it's advisable to always break the law by yourself, accomplices are a bad complication, and were, in fact, much (if not ALL) of OJ's undoing.

Message edited by author 2013-11-04 20:04:08.
11/04/2013 08:09:44 PM · #48
Surely if he's making any kind of profit at all from using your equipment, for which you have all receipts etc(?) and you have demanded everything back...would that not be profiting from the proceeds of crime? Isn't that actionable?

Maybe it's time to call in the local Hells Angels and ask for their three biggest, baddest 1%rs to pay him a visit.
11/04/2013 08:15:41 PM · #49
Originally posted by JulietNN:

NOOOOOOOOOOOO god NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO that is not him


Forget that you know its not him. If you are going to get the cops to act before you have to go through the fracas of a trial, thinking it just might possibly be him is your best leverage. It is the only part of this sad story that brings it above the level of a neighbor who borrowed a mower and won't give it back.
11/04/2013 08:35:42 PM · #50
If you have a friend that's a lawyer, have him/her write the guy a letter spelling out what will happen if the equipment is not returned in good condition by date X. That would be my first step. It will show you mean business and might scare him into returning it rather than risk whatever comes next.
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