Police let bike thief go!

[Torellian]

What is the name of your state? WI

I hope this is the right place to post this.

I had a bicycle stolen from me about 1.5 years ago. I had paid $350 for it and kept it in mint condition. Now, after all this time, the police catch a guy who had sold it to a pawn shop. The bike has now been returned to me, completely trashed! I called the District Attorney's office where the police said the case against the guy who pawned it would be forwarded, and they told me that in fact the case has NOT been forwarded to them because they said the police questioned this guy and he said he didn't steal it, but bought it from someone else. And the case won't go to court because they don't have a "suspect". They said there's no way to prove he was the original thief.

But wait a minute! Isn't the guy who is caught selling stolen property a suspect? Isn't it a crime to receive or possess stolen property? According to the police, if the guy didn't "know" the property was stolen, then he's not guilty of anything! Oh yeah, they also said this guy won't reveal who he bought the bike from either. So now I have a trashed bicycle and the person who was caught with it will be let off the hook.

Is there anything I can do now? I'd like for this guy or whoever he bought it from to pay for the damage done to my bike, and for the police to not simply take people at their word even after they've been caught red handed.

 

[CraigFL]

Here is further information to the sad state of affairs we are in....

My stolen goods(Florida) were pawned at a local pawn shop. The thief was caught and my items were found in the pawn shop because of my descriptions and pictures I provided to the police. BUT.... because of the FL pawn shop lobby, the only way I can get my items back is to buy them from the pawnshop for the amount they gave to the thief.

The laws have been manipulated to protect everyone but the victim....

 

[tranquility]

There is nothing you can do regarding the criminal case. The state makes that decision based on many factors.

Sue the guy for conversion. You would have to prove he took the bike. Can you do that? If not, sorry.

 

[garrula lingua]

because of the FL pawn shop lobby, the only way I can get my items back is to buy them from the pawnshop for the amount they gave to the thief.

It's the same in California.
A victim can ask the court to order restitution, including the pawn shop costs, from the defendant as a term of probation.