So, the police stole my buddies car trailer...

[davbrucas]

I agree with the guys above. Law enforcement should NOT be able to benefit at ALL from their crime fighting activities. It leads to policing for profit like we've seen the past forever.

[Gasser64]

If it's stolen, it should be returned to the owner. If that's not possible, then it should be cut up and destroyed. Isn't there a law against profiting from the proceeds of a crime?

Yeah what happened to this? If that vin is still somewhere on the trailer, that moron thieves likely didn't get, then it should be just a few keystrokes away from getting it back to its original owner. Or, if they were insured, and the insurance paid out, then it is now clearly the property of the insurance company, and it needs to be handed over to them so they can see it at one of THEIR auctions, and not one that goes to benefit whatever cause nets the police some new equipment. As we are seeing here, and other places around the country.

The point is, the police are taking what isn't theirs, and using it for their own gain, or the gain of their town/county. Two wrongs don't make a right. Just because an item was stolen, doesn't make it right for police to steal it yet again. Which is what it is, unless its returned to the original owner or insurance company. Instead of the thief getting to benefit from the theft, now you're benefiting from the theft.

[kingjason]

If it's stolen, it should be returned to the owner. If that's not possible, then it should be cut up and destroyed. Isn't there a law against profiting from the proceeds of a crime?

It is returned if a insurance company hasn't paid off on it. See below. How you doing Frost? Long time no chat!

Yeah what happened to this? If that vin is still somewhere on the trailer, that moron thieves likely didn't get, then it should be just a few keystrokes away from getting it back to its original owner. Or, if they were insured, and the insurance paid out, then it is now clearly the property of the insurance company, and it needs to be handed over to them so they can see it at one of THEIR auctions, and not one that goes to benefit whatever cause nets the police some new equipment. As we are seeing here, and other places around the country.

The point is, the police are taking what isn't theirs, and using it for their own gain, or the gain of their town/county. Two wrongs don't make a right. Just because an item was stolen, doesn't make it right for police to steal it yet again. Which is what it is, unless its returned to the original owner or insurance company. Instead of the thief getting to benefit from the theft, now you're benefiting from the theft.

You are making a assumption of what happens to stolen recovered property and you are wrong. Maybe somewhere in this monstrosity of a thread this has not been addressed. You see, we do in fact locate the original owner or reporting party, then the trailer is returned to them. If the insurance company has paid the trailer off on a claim then they are contacted to come get the trailer. The police do not keep these and just auction them off. We contact the original reporting agency and they contact the RP or the insurance company.

[Gasser64]

It is returned if a insurance company hasn't paid off on it. See below. How you doing Frost? Long time not chat!




You are making a assumption of what happens to stolen recovered property and you are wrong. Maybe somewhere in this monstrosity of a thread this has not been addressed. You see, we do in fact locate the original owner or reporting party, then the trailer is returned to them. If the insurance company has paid the trailer off on a claim then they are contacted to come get the trailer. The police do not keep these and just auction them off. We contact the original reporting agency and they contact the RP or the insurance company.

Yeah I didn't know that. So that's every single time, and its required by law? What happens to the individuals involved in this process, if they don't go through all of those steps? Or if they just write down that the owner/insurance co didn't want it back? What would be the repercussions of that, if the insurance simply never knew that their trailer had been found? Or the individual? Then what would happen?

Which to me, it seems extremely unlikely. Are these insurance companies, and individuals, saying that they don't want their stuff back?

[dcs13]

What insurance company, or individual, is going to say "Oh yeah, sure. Fuck it. We don't want money. You know what... you keep it". Everyone and their dog is going to want their shit back. And yet, we see them being sold to benefit the departments. We definitely need some much greater oversight on all this.

You would be amazed at home many people and insurance companies say eff it. I'm real good friends with a wrecker company owner. The best deal I have seen was a car worth $35k that was a stolen recovered. Insurance had paid off the owner, so insurance owned it. It NEVER got picked up..They auctioned, new owner gets clear title. They made huge money on that car. Happens all the time. Just look at Rene Bates or lonestar.

[kingjason]

Yeah I didn't know that. So that's every single time, and its required by law? What happens to the individuals involved in this process, if they don't go through all of those steps? Or if they just write down that the owner/insurance co didn't want it back? What would be the repercussions of that, if the insurance simply never knew that their trailer had been found? Or the individual? Then what would happen?

Which to me, it seems extremely unlikely. Are these insurance companies, and individuals, saying that they don't want their stuff back?

We impound said property or put it in evidence. The owner is notified and it is picked up almost always. I saw a gun returned a few years ago that was from a paper report like 15 years prior. I think our CID tracked down the owner. He was shocked. In the event that an owner can't be notified or the insurance company can't pick it up, it is sold at auction, 30 days after the wrecker company gets the receipt from a certified letter to the registered owners address or insurance company. The wrecker company gets all the proceeds and are not affiliated with the PD at all (IIRC).

You would be amazed at home many people and insurance companies say eff it. I'm real good friends with a wrecker company owner. The best deal I have seen was a car worth $35k that was a stolen recovered. Insurance had paid off the owner, so insurance owned it. It NEVER got picked up..They auctioned, new owner gets clear title. They made huge money on that car. Happens all the time. Just look at Rene Bates or lonestar.

This is also very true. Not usually the owner that won't pick it up, but the insurance companies. I have seen stripped cars though that the owner won't pick up.

[Forever_frost]

I'm good Jason. Been being a Dad which has been a very busy time and the Council has me occupied along with my final semester in school. Hectic like crazy in addition to just getting back from New Zealand.

Police should never benefit from anything they seize. If it's cash, it should be turned over to the state itself if it can be 100% linked to a crime and there has been due process. If it is property, it should be, if the owner refuses to take it back, be destroyed.

Police are already funded by taxes. There should be no benefit for them doing their job ie asset forfeiture giving them sports cars to make into police cars or cash going into their budgets.

[Gasser64]

You would be amazed at home many people and insurance companies say eff it. I'm real good friends with a wrecker company owner. The best deal I have seen was a car worth $35k that was a stolen recovered. Insurance had paid off the owner, so insurance owned it. It NEVER got picked up..They auctioned, new owner gets clear title. They made huge money on that car. Happens all the time. Just look at Rene Bates or lonestar.

Yes I would be amazed. No one that I've ever met, would just say "eh, fuck $3,000" (or a lot more). And then just forget about it. Its theirs, it belongs to them. Its just not at their current location, or at a location where they left it. If what you're saying is completely true, then all they have to do is go get it. Are these people you're talking about, all super rich? I can understand if the car was stripped or wrecked, but other than that, what you're saying doesn't fit the insurance company mentality at all. It certainly doesn't fit what they display to their customers.

The insurance company that I know, would snatch that shit right back up in a heartbeat, to make sure they were able to at least put some dent in their expenses when they paid out. They're just like banks. Piss scared to lose a penny. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but I have a very hard time believing its as common as you make it out to be. Hell, if there's just free money floating around out there so much, I think I'll go grab me some. What auction were you saying, that this stuff is being sold at? I'd like a link, if you don't mind.

Police should never benefit from anything they seize. If it's cash, it should be turned over to the state itself if it can be 100% linked to a crime and there has been due process. If it is property, it should be, if the owner refuses to take it back, be destroyed.

Police are already funded by taxes. There should be no benefit for them doing their job ie asset forfeiture giving them sports cars to make into police cars or cash going into their budgets.

This. If you cut out their ability to benefit, then this could never be a question or a concern.

[dcs13]

Here's the local auction sites..Lot of cars that never get picked up for various reasons. Many are just a POS. Some, have some meat on them.
Just pick a city and look for "impounded cars"

https://www.renebates.com/

http://www.lonestarauctioneers.com/

Dallas impound is one of the only ones that still does an "on site" auction. Still do it every monday morning at 10am at the pound on Vilbig. Never know what you will see down there. Don't be going to that one if you have warrants though, you'll get impounded yourself...

Here's a 2012 that Insurance probably paid on and didn't pick up. Theres a ton of money in parts they could have made

http://www.lonestaronline.com/listings/details/index.cfm?itemnum=1074355476

Not sure what the deal is with the Z car, but it looks decent:

http://www.lonestaronline.com/listings/details/index.cfm?itemnum=1074355618

[JC316]

Yes I would be amazed. No one that I've ever met, would just say "eh, fuck $3,000" (or a lot more). And then just forget about it. Its theirs, it belongs to them. Its just not at their current location, or at a location where they left it. If what you're saying is completely true, then all they have to do is go get it. Are these people you're talking about, all super rich? I can understand if the car was stripped or wrecked, but other than that, what you're saying doesn't fit the insurance company mentality at all. It certainly doesn't fit what they display to their customers.

The insurance company that I know, would snatch that shit right back up in a heartbeat, to make sure they were able to at least put some dent in their expenses when they paid out. They're just like banks. Piss scared to lose a penny. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but I have a very hard time believing its as common as you make it out to be. Hell, if there's just free money floating around out there so much, I think I'll go grab me some. What auction were you saying, that this stuff is being sold at? I'd like a link, if you don't mind.



This. If you cut out their ability to benefit, then this could never be a question or a concern.

I had a guy wreck a 96 F150 that I was financing. Insurance company totaled it out and told us to keep it, they didn't want it. So yeah, it does happen, but not very often.

[SMKR]

[Rick Modena]

^^^

hahaha!

[Gasser64]

I had a guy wreck a 96 F150 that I was financing. Insurance company totaled it out and told us to keep it, they didn't want it. So yeah, it does happen, but not very often.

That's wrecked. We're talking perfectly good trailers, as well as many automobiles.

But even still, if I was the owner of the insurance co, I'd have taken the $75 I would have gotten for the scrap.

[SMKR]

Gotta love it when Alvarado PD blocks you from their Facebook page so you can't ask them for an update on these trailers....

[KBScobravert]

Gotta love it when Alvarado PD blocks you from their Facebook page so you can't ask them for an update on these trailers....

They sure like to brag on their new chief.