Hi, folks Just found this site after a bit of googling on my situation and was wondering if anyone could help advise where to go next..


Up until Nov 2008 I rented some sheds from relatives to store a few cars in to work at. In October 2008 I lost my job and they were informed I could not afford the rent. To which I was told "it was my problem not theirs" , fair enough due to not having my benifits sorted and having no diesel to get to theirs my mother sent a cheque to cover the rent for November of that year.

Towards the end of November that year I went up only to find the locks had been changed without my knowledge so I could no gain access. Soon after I was informed by text I wasn't allowed up until they decided what to do. Soon after I would get phone calls saying. I had to be up within an hour or so to move everything or it was getting binned. Most of these phone calls turned nasty when I mentioned I couldn't as I had no transport and would need time to sort something.

Then in June 09 I got a message to say I had 14 days to remove everything. By this stage I had been to see a solicitor who had told me that if I did go up to get a 3rd party to do the talking as it would limit the chances of an argument starting. We notified them that my solicitor had advised the 3rd party to which I was told once again I wasn't allowed up until further notice.

In November 2009 I actually got some of the stuff collected albeit not without some verbal abuse and even a death threat thrown my way. But once the sheds were empty I pointed out a number of tools were missing. The landowner said he didn't have them, his wife however said they were in another shed I would get them shortly. I left it around a fortnight texted about the missing items and was told it would be after Christmas. Once again to keep myself right I sought legal advice who suggested sending a letter giving 14 days to return the missing items, if not returned then report them as stolen.

I waited 15 days after the letter was signed for and reported the items stolen. Almost 4 months on I went back to the police station to find out what was happening as I had heard nothing since February, which was that they had admitted the items were there. Today I was told they had been interviewed. The officer on the desk did not know what had been said but it was on file that they would not be pursuing the matter any further as it was not theft and that it is a civil matter. His assumption was that the items are still there had they not been it would become theft.

So the questions left with me are have the police got this right, how can taking something and not giving it back not be theft?? Is it worth while pursing it further with them??

Or how else do I pursue getting the items or the value of back. They are tools which I will eventually need to get back to work.


My solicitor has already said if the police do nothing then its the small claims court, is this my only avenue?


Many thanks,

Iain

Hi, unfortunately the authorities are not interested if the dispute is amoung family members, this is wrong, but believe me I know! Are the tools worth a lot of money? as even if you win a case in a civil court you may not recover all of your outlay and so still loose out. When the police looked into it they should have given you a case/file number, phone them, quote the number and ask to speak to the interviewing officer to find out what the other people said about keeping your tools, they may of made up a load of lies.if you can let me know, and see were you can go from there.

Hi thanks for replying.

There is about £2000 worth of stuff.

Know what you mean about not having an interest. I had heard nothing about it since the 15th February which was to say they admitted they had the tools and he had to arrange an interview. So phoned on the 5th of April and left a message for the officer in charge to phone me back. They were only interviewed on the 10th April. Even the officer on the desk didn't know why the investigating officer had not been in contact yet. As of tomorrow I am going to phone every day until I find out what has been going on.

I just cannot understand how it cannot be considered theft and how it could be closed without me being asked about what they have said.

If my tools are there as the officer assumed does that mean I can go and the pick them up.

Hi again,
when you phone up, stress the point that it is NOT a family dispute, but a case of recovering £2,000 worth of property that belongs to you. Have these people refused to let you have your stuff back? or that they do not want you at their address? could you arrange for a friend to pick up your stuff from them. Do not beat yourself up trying to understand the law.

Well I got speaking to the Officer in charge. He said that he was told They will get the stuff back to me when they find it, which will be when they read up the sheds that are a mess. So it is not being kept permanently so not theft.

Thats when I pointed out I got told the same thing back in November and back then they were reading the stuff from one shed into the ones I was emptying. I also pointed out that I have asked about getting it back by letter in January and again after I got speaking to the officer at the desk I sent a text asking when I was getting it back and both times I received no reply. So in my mind they cannot be trying very hard to return my items and mustn't have many plans too as they will not respond to any contact.

That bit he seemed to take interest in, so he is going to speak to his Sargent and let me know.

Hi, seems like you are making waves at the police station, that is a good sign, keep on to them, the other people do not seem to be very interested in returning your property. You can always ask if the police officer will make a phone call to the other party to try and resolve the matter, it is only a phone call and it will give the officer an insite to what is going on, and could rattle their cages and agree for you to collect your property. keep us informed and we will sort out your next move.