Putting aside any idea that I have any warm and fuzzy family ties to this person: My brother took from my dead father's home items that were agreed to go to me, promising at first to send them to me (I am 2800 miles away) but he has since kept or destroyed them and is unreachable/unresponsive by e-mail, phone, or letter. Can I file a theft report and have him arrested for stealing the items? Do I call the local cops or who? Why is it that if I had something stolen by a criminal who breaks in that I can call the cops and file a theft report and have the stolen good found and returned to me but if a family member takes it it seems to be called 'civil dispute' and it's like nobody can get the items back unless I want to spend a pile of money getting essentially worthless mementoes returned to me? These is absolutely no dispute in the entire family about the items my brother has being mine. He is just on some power trip refusing to send them to me/and or vindictively destroyed them because he's been an arse his whole life.

Have't I heard where a kid took a parent's car and the parenst field a theft report and had the kid arrested for stealing their car?

Second Q: If I can't call the cops and file a theft report, is there a classification of some job title somewhere of a person who can be 'sent' (NOT A thug!! ) to confront my brother in person and request the items on my behalf since I am physically so far away? Where would I hire such a person if it exists?

Thanks for any and all responses

Hello wall:

You already know the case is civil. Second Q: No, there's only thugs.

excon