Stolen...twice

[wherryman]

Just had the police on the phone, my tricross which I brought in good faith from ebay last year from a seller who had good feedback and a track record, is a stolen bike and so it looks like it will be returned to owner with me £450 out of pocket.
I still have the bottecchia (brought new) for dry sunny days but need a replacement for these crappy norfolk b roads - any ideas on a tricross type bike, I thought a change is as good as a rest ? oh I dont want to spend more than £400-500, it will after all be a winter wet weather bike . Thanks

 

[ChrisKH]

Not my forte, but I think Planet X come highly recommended in this area. Relatively low cost with the ability to upgrade in the areas you consider important.

 

[summerdays]

How do the police know that it is a stolen bike? and is there any comeback on either the seller or ebay to refund any money to you?

 

[wherryman]

They have traced a gang operating on ebay and elsewhere, ebay must have passed on my phone number and the police have cross referenced the serial number on the bike with one that was nicked - in this case they matched and I am minus one bike and £450.
Not sure if I have any redress, I'll try for that sort of money though.

 

[fossyant]

Did you pay for it through paypal..?

 

[wherryman]

yes i did, and on a credit card - it was over a year ago. Do paypal offer a compensation service - no doubt it will be a lengthy and frustrating process if they do !

 

[andy_wrx]

If PayPal don't, your credit card company might be liable and then they'll claim it back from PayPal.

People have bought things on eBay, it doesn't arrive/isn't as advertised/etc and the seller won't refund, eBay want you to claim through the PayPal procedure.
But if that takes forever or the seller can't be traced/fraudster, people have claimed it back on their cards, the bank then reclaims it from PayPal.
Obviously this costs PayPal, so they get very uppety about it and have closed eBay accounts.

But for £450, I'd do it.

 

[wherryman]

thanx andy - any idea for a replacement ?

 

[yenrod]

Just had the police on the phone, my tricross which I brought in good faith from ebay last year from a seller who had good feedback and a track record, is a stolen bike and so it looks like it will be returned to owner with me £450 out of pocket.
I still have the bottecchia (brought new) for dry sunny days but need a replacement for these crappy norfolk b roads - any ideas on a tricross type bike, I thought a change is as good as a rest ? oh I dont want to spend more than £400-500, it will after all be a winter wet weather bike . Thanks

Thats why I avoid ebay with respects !

 

[wherryman]

first time in over 500 trades, but it was a biggie !

 

[RedBike]

I don't get it. Why twice?

 

[wherryman]

oh, and quell surprise the credit card company referred me to paypal and yes you guessed it, paypal referred me to the credit card company....adding I might want to approach ebay...even though paypal is an ebay company. I can see this is going to be a drawn out game.

Alternatively if the original owner has claimed on his insurance and he no longer owns the bike as the police said, surely the insurance company would sell it to me for next to nothing ?

hmm, moral : never buy bikes from ebay.

 

[ufkacbln]

I know this doesn't help you, but.....................


This is in some ways a good news story in that the Police would seem to have put a lot ow work into reclaiming someone's pride and joy.

 

[Rapples]

I know this doesn't help you, but.....................


This is in some ways a good news story in that the Police would seem to have put a lot ow work into reclaiming someone's pride and joy.

That's the shame of it

A lot of work and effort, but the bike now belongs to the insurance company, how much effort are they going to make? I'd try and do a deal with them they have probably written it off and could sell it to you for a nominal fee.

The only experience I have is buying a written off LandRover I owned from insurance co. I seem to recall getting it for 10 or 20% of insured value.

 

[wherryman]

Red - twice, because the original owner had it nicked from him (though he got paid out by the insurance company) and me, because its being nicked from me. At least thats what it feels like. I paid in good faith and am ultimately the only victim to be out of pocket unless by some miracle mastercard or paypal cough up.