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A pergunta of morals - did I do the right thing? Could I potentially be punished? Was I justified in my actions?

Two weeks atrás someone roubou my bike from the bike rack outside of my apartment. It was a pretty old but really nice and unique Schwinn (their first mountain bike, it came out in 1987). I live in a college town so bike theft is common here - I know other bikes and bike parts have been stolen from my apartment complex recently.
I reported the theft to the police but didn't have the bike registered there, nor did I have the serial number. They said unfortunately there was nothing they could do since (even if I saw someone on the rua with my bike) I could not prove it was ever mine.

Flash progressivo, para a frente two weeks - I was taking a walk in the apartment complex across the rua and there was my bike! Sitting at a bike rack unlocked and collecting dust. It was missing the front reflector and the back tire air valve cap, had a back, left side collapsable basket, and was scraped on the assento and handle bar from when I fell a few months ago. This was definitely my bike. I grabbed it and ran back to my apartment, overcome with joy.

So, did I break the law in stealing it? What if I roubou it from someone the thief sold it to? What if they denunciar it to the police and the police call me because they recognize the descrição from my report? Did the new "owner" write down the serial number as proof that it is theirs?

I'm not really too concerned about actually getting in trouble, but I want to know what you think!
 jameswilson posted over a year ago
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harold said:
Probably not the right thing to do, but certainly both against the law and justifiable. That is to say, you could be fined/charged with theft, but certainly could make a credible case in court should that occur.

I would say the "right" thing to have done would have been to:
a) wait and see if you could identify who claimed ownership of the bike
b) while waiting, get the serial number of the bike
c) confront the new "owner" to see if it coudl be restored to you without theft
d) if not, denunciar the serial number to the police


That way, you're not stealing, you might have identified the thief for future reference (if you met the thief and not someone who legitimately purchased the bike from a questionable seller, or if you met the buyer who could then identify the thief), and you might have resolved the issue without involving the police further.
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posted over a year ago 
caramelmilk said:
Haha, I'm sorry but I find it quite hilarious that you roubou back your own bike! I think I would have done the same ;) After all it was yours.
But yeah, I'm sorry for the dude who bought it from the thief - IF it was sold to someone that is.
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posted over a year ago 
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I do agree, it makes for a pretty awesome story. Plus it feels good to right a wrong that almost always goes unpunished (bike theft). I really hope that I didn't take it from someone who bought it, I would feel terrible! But it had collected dust and there were a few spiders on it - I don't think it's moved since the night it was stolen!
jameswilson posted over a year ago
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That's awesome XD Thief definitely deserves it. Spiders? I would have run away screaming without the bike in that case xD
caramelmilk posted over a year ago
cassie-1-2-3 said:
I think you're fine.
I know someone who did the exact same thing, but with a yellow Hummer. The Onstar tracking people wouldn't tell him where his stolen car was because it was taken to Mexico. He found it one day, used his key, and took it back home. It still belongs to you, even if it's been stolen.
I think if a person would steal your belongings, they don't really deserve to keep it.

If that person decided to file a report, they would get just as far as you did, since they didn't register it, and it's not likely they have the serial number.
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posted over a year ago 
Cinders said:
I highly doubt a thief would write down the serial number of a stolen bike. For one, most thefts are crimes of opportunity and spontatneous, which doesn't show much forethought that composição literária down a serial number would require. For another, even if they did think to write it down, most wouldn't because they don't know if the owner has the serial or not. And if the owner DID know it, if the thief wrote down the serial number of a stolen bike, especially if they sell it, is like saying "Well, even if I don't have the bike here now, I did at one point because, hey, look, I wrote down the serial number."

I don't know about morally, but legally, you have the same protection as the thief who originally took your bike. He said/she said (or hearsay) is not reliable in court, and that's all they'd have in either instance, so as far as I'm concerned, as long as you continue to claim the bike's yours, no one can prove otherwise (not that they should be able to, as it was yours in the first place).

Although, I have seen several sitcoms that began this way and ended badly. And we all know that sitcoms are the modern world fables, teaching us right from wrong!
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posted over a year ago 
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jameswilson was not talking about the *thief* registering the serial number, but the person who bought the bike from the thief.
harold posted over a year ago
Sandfire_Paiger said:
no! it was OUBVIOUSLY ur bike! be carful though! dont be going around saying 'thats mine!' and take it!
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posted over a year ago 
samuraibond005 said:
I say the guy got what he deserved. I say you did the right thing.
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posted over a year ago 
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