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My Former Roomate was a thief. What do?
Shurakai
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
Hello ladies and gents.
My former roommate, who was left by his lonesome over the holidays in my apartment, stole a small amount of goods and promptly fled the scene of the crime.
His moving out was planned, so the moving out part was not surprising.
However, in an apartment full of thousands of dollars of electronic equipment, he decided to merely steal 1 Ps2+ accessories and about 20-25 games.
Funnily enough, I still have him as a friend on FaceBook.
So.
Should I go to the trouble of Reporting this to the police? I do not have the serial number for the PS2, and I don't remember the games specifically. I'm thinking the police wouldn't really do anything considering it was such a small thing.
Can the police do anything with a moderately active facebook account (I havent unfriended him or messaged him, in case I spook him into remembering that I still have him on.... he's not the sharpest tool in the shed to begin with).
I have some idea of where he might be, but not all that solid information. I know it was him because of a number of factors, though there is a slight chance it could be one of his friend's instead (if he left them unattended).
My former roommate, who was left by his lonesome over the holidays in my apartment, stole a small amount of goods and promptly fled the scene of the crime.
His moving out was planned, so the moving out part was not surprising.
However, in an apartment full of thousands of dollars of electronic equipment, he decided to merely steal 1 Ps2+ accessories and about 20-25 games.
Funnily enough, I still have him as a friend on FaceBook.
So.
Should I go to the trouble of Reporting this to the police? I do not have the serial number for the PS2, and I don't remember the games specifically. I'm thinking the police wouldn't really do anything considering it was such a small thing.
Can the police do anything with a moderately active facebook account (I havent unfriended him or messaged him, in case I spook him into remembering that I still have him on.... he's not the sharpest tool in the shed to begin with).
I have some idea of where he might be, but not all that solid information. I know it was him because of a number of factors, though there is a slight chance it could be one of his friend's instead (if he left them unattended).
Shurakai on
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https://twitter.com/Hooraydiation
Do you have people who will swear in open court that you bought that stuff?
Is there much risk of a friend of his beating you to death for going to the police?
If you're ok with the hassle, go to the cops. Otherwise, chalk it up to life experience.
Don't make anything awkward, if you can live without it just move on.
The worst that could happen (well, besides him doing something irrational like murdering you or stealing more of your shit) is that.. nothing happens. Otherwise you stand to get your PS2 and your games back.
It's not 1992.
OP. It's up to you really. Do you want it back or not? You know his name, you can probably figure out where he's at.
At any point did you two "maybe" have a drunken discussion along the lines of "hey, I'll buy this game, or we'll split this old stuff when we move"
I mean I'm sure he blatantly took the stuff, but a lot of times when room mates part ways things like this happen. If the only thing he took that was actually yours was maybe $200 worth of PS2 console and games I wouldn't bother personally. If anything else comes up missing you should definitely contact him.
That's just my .02 though.
edit: I guess what I mean is what was the relationship while you were living together, and when you parted ways? if it was amicable before and during and now after, it was probably just a case of "hey, I'm moving, I have nothing in the new place and you never use this stuff so I figured you wouldn't mind..." which is douchey, but not police report worthy.
This was my first thought as well. I suggest you make sure it wasn't just an honest mistake.
The OP doesn't say anything about the roommate being a friend - He might have just been some guy met from craigslist or something. But yeah, might wanna make sure he didn't just grab the wrong box or something.
What world are you living in where the PS2 came out in 1992? Besides, for the purposes of theft and law, the current value of the stolen items isn't as important as what you paid for them.
Best case? They go ask him what happened and he admits his family might have packed it up and you get it back, or whatever else.
Worst case? It's pawned and you're SOL.
Did you have renters insurance?
Ya it didn't come out in 92, but the point is that those games NEW now wouldn't fetch $50 apiece.
Considering that it was only PS2 shit, if he avoids you I'd treat it like a Bronx Tale:
Colagero: This guy Louie Dumps over here, you know, he owes me twenty dollars. It's been two weeks now, and every time he sees me, he keeps dodging me. He's becoming a real pain in the ass, should I crack him one or what?
Sonny: What have I been telling you, sometimes hurting someone ain't the answer. First of all, is he a friend of yours?
Colagero: No, I don't even like him.
Sonny: You don't even like him. There's your answer right there. Look at it this way, it cost you twenty dollars to get rid of him. Right? He's never gonna bother you again. He's never gonna ask you for money again. He's out of your life for 20 dollars. You got off cheap. Forget about it.
but of course, file a report if you feel the need.
It's possible that the roommate felt he could take the items for the reasons you list, namely that they aren't particularly valuable and the OP is unlikely to raise a fuss over them.
Just the same, 26 games and a system could still get you a few hundred dollars on ebay, assuming he didn't exclusively buy movie tie-ins and sports games. Now if the roommate had taken an equivalent sum of money out of the OP's room, would you have responded in the same way?
If not, why? Does the fact the items represent potential cash rather than actual cash really diminish the crime?
Or would you actually respond the same way, because a few hundred dollars isn't worth raising a fuss to you?
https://twitter.com/Hooraydiation
It doesn't matter what they go for now. What matters is what he paid for them.
And not wanting your shit stolen isn't being materialistic. Just because he doesn't particularly care about the items now doesn't mean it's alright if the roommate stole them.
This is the problem with people being so plugged in with Twitter and Facebook, we're afraid to simply talk to someone about a situation. A lot of people in this thread are screaming to get the police involved with this, but honestly they have more important shit to do, whether or not they do it is not my point. The OP needs to man up and talk to this guy, if he's unresponsive/a dick and he REALLY needs these back then sure, call the cops if you really have to. That's last resort to me.
He doesn't have to be alright if his roommate stole them, I'm not advocating that either. But if someone's going to get something out of something you don't even remember being there then whatever. Move on.
Regardless of who he suspects. Mainly because sometimes criminals hit the house again or he needs to file an insurance claim to get money to restore his stuff.
The fact that all that was taken was the PS2 makes me suspect the dude probably thought it was his, but he should have the report regardless.
Next time my milk in the fridge is used I'll follow this logic.
I doubt you're going to see your games again if they were stolen. In the future, get renters insurance.
Also, videogames + electronic accessories =/= milk.
I think I will do the following:
Politely ask him to respond within 2 days as to whether or not he would return my things without complaint and/or trouble.
if he does not reply or says that he doesn't know jack, I will file a report with the police.
I shall then ask my landlord to replace the locks and take it out of my DD.
I shall then *not* claim insurance because I am dumb and don't have any contents insurance.
I dont expect to get anything back, really, I am actually glad that more wasnt stolen more than anything.
I do remember the majority of the games, all i meant by that offhand comment was that there were older games thus the inventory I had in my mind was rusty at best, would take effort to recall.
This person was a friend of a friend and he did not have any reason to believe the items were his. In fact, he had to go into my room to steal the Ps2 (which was somewhat hard to get at) and also steal all of the ps2 (and gamecube games, as it happens).
I do not believe it was random robber #5532 because the thief only stole one type of item and left much much more expensive and tantalizing items behind. I believe this person did this because he only wanted to steal "unimportant" items, which is a fucked up morality system at best, but hey, this guy was very poor and addicted to tobacco. He probably stole the shite for pawn because he "needed it more than I did".
but like, you or campus should have this guy's phone number right?
just call him. preferrably from a neutral number and ask him if he took your stuff.