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Just found the first partsacaster I ever built on TradeMe. It was stolen three days before the September 4th Earthquakes here in Christchurch and was my most treasured possession at the time.

Naturally I have a massive understanding of the guitar and could prove that it is mine by stating things about it that only I could know. I am not going to share the link to the auction because the dude could be an innocent party.

Anybody ever been in a similar situation? Did you get it back? Advice?

There was a thread or maybe part of the trademe madness thread a year or so (?) ago about a stolen gat. I believe it was recovered and iirc the thief arrested. It was a gibson hollowbody electric i think. You'll have to do some digging. Some of the others will know the story better. You could pm Bg or unique they might remember.

I'd contact Trademe and the police, I'm sure between them there'd be some sort of sneaky way of contacting the lister and figure out what's goin on

Definitely contact TM and the Police.

This guitar was stolen from you. It is yours. Regardless of whether the vendor is the thief or an innocent victim, the fact remains that it is your guitar and you have legal right of possession. If the vendor is innocent, it's tough on them but that is the risk we all run buying second hand.

Hopefully you reported the theft and hopefully you can produce the incident number. That will help your case immeasurably.

Good Luck!

I think at least you would have to prove it was your guitar and that it was stolen. If he's bought it in good faith and you can't provide that proof I suspect you won't be getting it back.

You could just win the auction and go see the guy.

EDIT: Thinking on this I wonder how many of us could provide evidence that a particular guitar was ever ours in the event that it was stolen. I have pics of serial numbers uploaded and though I don't have receipts for any, I suppose I have the email trail with the sellers.

Legally Molly is wrong and Slowy is right. But the issue will be proof that it's yours and was stolen.

I think there are some exceptions eg where it's ended up being sold to a shop and on-sold. I haven't looked at that for a while.

Link?

Kev77 wrote:Link?

I would mate but don't want to cause any shit for the seller (innocent till proven guilty).

I think whether or not insurance has been paid out is where it gets real tricky, in most cases the insurance company technically own the stolen item and you have to buy it back off them

Kiwiaxe wrote:Legally Molly is wrong and Slowy is right. But the issue will be proof that it's yours and was stolen.

I think there are some exceptions eg where it's ended up being sold to a shop and on-sold. I haven't looked at that for a while.

Interesting. I'd just have thought the onus would be Mathew to prove it was his and was stolen. Otherwise anybody could go around claiming this or that guitar was theirs. And just knowing the serial number can't count for much. Loads of guitars are listed with it shown.

Sounds like a bloody minefield.

druz15 wrote:I think whether or not insurance has been paid out is where it gets real tricky, in most cases the insurance company technically own the stolen item and you have to buy it back off them

You are correct. Funny thing is I don't even know if I want it back. There is a lot of water under the bridge since it was stolen and I have better guitars now.

I do know that I want somebody who deserves it to have it (even if that is the insurance company)

If it's local I'd still be tempted to follow it up.

Molly wrote:If it's local I'd still be tempted to follow it up.

Me Too.....

Ive asked him where he got it. If its all legit at his end I will probably just leave it be. It is a good guitar (or at least it was 5 years ago)and is pretty well specced for the price it is being offered at if anybody wants it.

If he cant say or dosent answer I will take some of the advice from above. Thanks again folks.

I purchased an amp on trademe last year. From a cash converters on trademe.
My dream amp actually - a Goodsell super seventeen and just had a feeling it may be hot.
I couldn't deal with maybe having someone else's stolen dream amp so I went to see RYAN at the Ampshop . And sure enough it was stolen. I called the police and waited.

I was fortunate enough to get my purchase price back, and the police collected the amp.
the Original owner has his baby back, and in the big picture it felt like the right thing to do.
But dam, what an amp.
I really hope your parts guitar guy has the same perspective.