Author Topic: A question of ethics. (Read 861 times)

svlilioukalani · « **Reply #30 on:** February 02, 2011, 05:19:43 PM »

You have all jumped to a dangerous conclusion. As I understand this; the police notified the store owner he bought a hot bass.

In the state of Washington, pawn shops and guitar shops must register the serial number of the items they purchase. The item then can not be sold for 3 months. So it was the police that notified the store owner he was ripped off. The police were never able to contact the person who reported the bass stolen.

So, as I understand this, the store owner was as much a victim, as the man who was originally ripped off. The shop owner was stuck with a bass he can not sell. He was forced to eat the loss and warehoused the bass.

He moved the shop recently and found the bass hidden back in a corner, it has sat there for 10 years.

The store owner who has never been to the Alembic Web site did call and talk to, as he said, a very nice young lady. Who informed him who the bass originally belonged to.

So.... As I get this, this bass is sitting in limbo.

I have contacted Mica.

crobbins · « **Reply #31 on:** February 02, 2011, 05:25:09 PM »

If a person believes in karma, there is only one thing a person can do.

pace · « **Reply #32 on:** February 02, 2011, 05:33:53 PM »

So it was the police that notified the store owner he was ripped off.

Are you certain of this?

guitar shops must register the serial number of the items they purchase. The item then can not be sold for 3 months.

REALLY?

hmmmm...... I don't believe this is true for instrument retailers. Pawn shops, 30 days out here on the east coast.

The police were never able to contact the person who reported the bass stolen.

OK, I'll bite and say MAYBE..... yet you say that the police notified the store owner that HE was ripped off

He moved the shop recently and found the bass hidden back in a corner,

Gee.... HIDDEN... I wonder why?!?!?!?

I have contacted Mica.

Finally, common sense prevails.

mica · « **Reply #33 on:** February 02, 2011, 06:34:15 PM »

I have contact details for everyone involved and you know I will be contacting them all, so please just stay tuned for updates if you're interested.

I am explicitly requesting that nobody try and help me by contacting a shopkeeper about this matter. I really appreciate it!

3rd_ray · « **Reply #34 on:** February 02, 2011, 06:48:15 PM »

Good luck Mica! And right on Gary - you did the right thing.

thumbsup · « **Reply #35 on:** February 02, 2011, 08:44:07 PM »

So it was the police that notified the store owner he was ripped off. The police were never able to contact the person who reported the bass stolen.
That wasn't mentioned in the 1st post.
So am I to understand since the police could'nt contact the person that reported the theft, the police could not conficate the stolen property. Very Cconvienent!
Smells A Little!
Not sure about how police conduct thefts there....but most eveywhere the item would have been confiscated from pawn shop/store as evidence etc...
quote As I understand this the police notified the store owner he bought a hot bass.
As for pawns the ticket holder usually has 90 days to pay the pawn amount and reeem the item and after 90 days the item can be sold! . .. .......
guitar shops must register the serial number of the items they purchase. The item then can not be sold for 3 months. ......
I believe that only applies to pawn shops ..a little more BS. (ok I could be wrong here,but it dont make sence) I've bought many guitars taken on trade within days.
Its a bass guitar, not a fire arm! If he contacted Alembic and was told it was stolen just futher goes to show his true caracter and his lame excuse could'nt locate owner
Smells a lot fishy now! In any part ...if the store owner knew even after the fact....
I just don't buy that he stored it aways for ten years and forgot about it and mysteriously found it ten years later! As was previously stated..this famous picker could have easlily been located...The story stinks....
Joey, thanks for doing the right thing! Won't it feel great to have helped reunite the original owner with his child
Vintage shops are notorious for huge mark up!
This shop owner may be the victim of his own greed.
just my thoughts
Steve

(Message edited by thumbsup on February 02, 2011)

(Message edited by thumbsup on February 02, 2011)

thumbsup · « **Reply #36 on:** February 02, 2011, 09:55:30 PM »

Mike (Joey not) thanks for doing the right thing and reporting to Mica!
And Gary for bringing this to attention.
I'm sure it will feel great to have helped reunite the original owner with his child.
Imagine how he will feel!
Being the victim of a stolen bass I can not help but be bias.
I do believe the board has spoken.
A snake in the grass is hard to see til you get bit!
Vintage shops are notorious for huge mark up!
Not that there's anything wrong with that...it'a a business!
This shop owner may have become the victim of his own greed....
or could there possibly be a sliver of truth to the story..who knows....sometimes its easy to jump on the band wagon or get rail roaded!
The most important thing is the reunite!
just my thoughts
Steve

(Message edited by thumbsup on February 02, 2011)

glocke · « **Reply #37 on:** February 03, 2011, 02:46:32 AM »

Hopefully when all is said and done we will know who got their bass back, and which bass shop to not purchase from ?

As far as I am concerned, if the shop owner checked with Alembic ten years ago and had the bass identified as stolen and did nothing, than he is just as guilty as the original thief.

Hang him by his thumbs I say!

funkyjazzjunky · « **Reply #38 on:** February 03, 2011, 01:42:03 PM »

It seems funny to me. Does it make sense that the police had a record of the bass being reported stolen, but no idea how to contact the person that reported it stolen?

That store owner does not seem to be a victim as much as an accomplice after the fact.

VMG

(Message edited by FunkyJazzJunky on February 03, 2011)

mica · « **Reply #39 on:** February 03, 2011, 04:02:20 PM »

I'm working on this - talking to everyone involved. There's lots to it, and at this point from my interactions I don't think there is any intentional wrongdoing here. Maybe I'll have it all figured out in the next couple of days and I hope to report a happy ending for everyone.

peoplechipper · « **Reply #40 on:** February 09, 2011, 01:52:04 AM »

I work in a pawnshop, and we have hoops to jump through, which is fine and appropriate...thankfully we don't have to deal with the cops very often, but it is amazing how different departments don't talk to each other, or different cities don't coordinate...I know that if they can't find the owner here of stolen stuff, it ends up in the police auction, so I guess it's a bonus if the owner/victim has moved...and things get lost/forgotten in pawnshops; not usually 10 years, but it would depend on the size and age, and # of staff at the shop...if it's been around forever, stuff gets forgotten in corners...like any warehouse...
I'm not trying to whitewash here, just pointing out how it could be...Tony.

bsee · « **Reply #41 on:** February 09, 2011, 06:06:47 AM »

Many places make you do an annual inventory and pay taxes on whatever you're holding at the first of the year. One would think an instrument that should be on the books for a couple thousand at least would have a hard time slipping through the cracks. It would have to be one very large and casually operated business for an item of that value to go missing without notice.

If the deal was above-board, it would also be one of the most valuable instruments in the store, and possibly one of the most unusual and attractive. Wouldn't it be an item to be shown off? An item that a shop owner would want customers to see? An item to be moved to recover all that capital and make a fair profit? If I had a shop, that bass wouldn't spend a minute longer in a back room than required by any local holding laws.

-bob

thumbsup · « **Reply #42 on:** February 09, 2011, 08:21:59 PM »

Hum.....Is ten years a local holding law?
Looks like a duck, Quacks like a duck.....

bsee · « **Reply #43 on:** February 17, 2011, 10:32:58 AM »

I was hoping we'd have a resolution by now...

phylo · « **Reply #44 on:** February 18, 2011, 10:35:51 AM »

as in a hanging?

Sounds like this guy has already been tried and convicted.