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willy24 · Feb 17, 2010, 07:54 AM

I have a snowmobile with one serial number on the motor... it is a 1997 ski doo... police are claiming it was stolen but there is no claims on it being stolen through the police department... what can I do? Do they have the right to keep it in their possession knowing that it is 13 years old and no leads on it being stolen? They haven't charged me either for possession of stolen property and its been 4 days

JudyKayTee · Feb 17, 2010, 08:06 AM

The obvious question is where did you get it?

However, if it is stolen property and the Police can prove it they will take it no matter how you got your hands on it.

this8384 · Feb 17, 2010, 08:33 AM

Originally Posted by willy24

I have a snowmobile with one serial number on the motor...it is a 1997 ski doo...police are claiming it was stolen but there is no claims on it being stolen through the police department....what can I do? Do they have the right to keep it in their possession knowing that it is 13 years old and no leads on it being stolen? They havent charged me either for possession of stolen property and its been 4 days

The age of the vehicle doesn't matter; what matters is who it is registered to. If you are not the registered owner, then it is not technically your property. Do you have any paperwork for it?

willy24 · Feb 17, 2010, 04:11 PM

Yes I do have paper work I have a receipt but I can't make out the name on it. There is no registered owner because the police can't find anything on it.

JudyKayTee · Feb 17, 2010, 04:17 PM

So you purchased the snowmobile but have never registered it or obtained title to it?

It is impossible to advise you without additional info.

this8384 · Feb 18, 2010, 07:17 AM

Originally Posted by willy24

yes i do have paper work i have a receipt but i can't make out the name on it. There is no registered owner because the police can't find anything on it.

That's impossible. They're not going to confiscate your snowmobile and make allegations that it was stolen just because it is unregistered.

How long ago did you purchase the snowmobile? Why didn't you register it at time of purchase? How have you been able to legally operate it without any registration?

willy24 · Feb 18, 2010, 11:05 AM

When I got it it was not running so now I got it running and it was on my trayler. I was bringing it home when they stopped me. I didn't regester it cause it was a non running muchean didn't know weather it was going to be a parts muchean. I have had it for about 1 year.

JudyKayTee · Feb 18, 2010, 11:20 AM

And this brings us back to the asked and unanswered question - where did you get it?

How old are you?

this8384 · Feb 18, 2010, 11:39 AM

Originally Posted by willy24

when i got it it was not running so now i got it running and it was on my trayler. I was bringing it home when they stoped me. I didnt regester it cause it was a non runnung muchean didnt know weather it was going to be a parts muchean. I have had it for about 1 year.

As Judy already asked - where did you get it? How did you pay for it?

You bought it a year ago and just got it started now? Why did the police pull you over in the first place?

willy24 · Feb 19, 2010, 05:46 AM

I got it a year ago and it was not running and I didn't now if I could get it running, so I didn't register it or anything... I finally got everything working on it and I had it in my trailer getting ready to take it to a friends to try it out in the snow... the police pulled me over cause they said they had a tip that it was stolen... how old I am should not concern you... I am legal age and I used my own money to buy this sled... do you have any info that will help me or not?

this8384 · Feb 19, 2010, 06:26 AM

Originally Posted by willy24

I got it a year ago and it was not running and I didnt now if I could get it running, so I didnt register it or anything...I finally got everything working on it and I had it in my trailer getting ready to take it to a friends to try it out in the snow...the police pulled me over cause they said they had a tip that it was stolen...how old I am should not concern you...I am legal age and I used my own money to buy this sled...do you have any info that will help me or not?

You never registered the vehicle so the original owner could have reported it as stolen. If you "can't make out the name" on the receipt, then you have no proof that you actually bought the snowmobile. Do you have a cancelled check or something that will prove you actually purchased it, or is it simply your word against the previously registered owner?

JudyKayTee · Feb 19, 2010, 08:06 AM

Originally Posted by willy24

I got it a year ago and it was not running and I didnt now if I could get it running, so I didnt register it or anything...I finally got everything working on it and I had it in my trailer getting ready to take it to a friends to try it out in the snow...the police pulled me over cause they said they had a tip that it was stolen...how old I am should not concern you...I am legal age and I used my own money to buy this sled...do you have any info that will help me or not?

First, I'd drop the attitude - I was not certain if you are of legal age to own a vehicle of any sort. I'm also tired of playing games while attempting to get info from you.

If this was your attitude with the Police I can understand their attitude toward you - they probably couldn't get a straight story either.

It was either running or it wasn't. If the Police got a tip that it was stolen and have seized the snowmobile I would presume the tip was correct. Whether you stole it or someone else did and sold it to you is immaterial. Stolen vehicles are routinely seized and held and returned (or sold) to the original owner.

So it WAS running and you WERE towing it, intending to use it, unregistered?

Right?

willy24 · Feb 19, 2010, 02:45 PM

It wasn't running when I got it... it took me a yeat to fix it so that it would run... I took it to a friends house you had some snow so I could see if it was running OK in the snow so that I knew if I should register it or not... wasnt going to register it if I could not use it... so I was bring it back home on the trailer when I got pulled over... the only thing that I have is the receipt that I paid 250.00 for a sled that is not running... I paid cash, no check... so basically it seems like I am out of luck and will probably be charged for a stolen sled that I didn't know was stolen

this8384 · Feb 19, 2010, 02:51 PM

Originally Posted by willy24

It wasnt running when I got it...it took me a yeat to fix it so that it would run...I took it to a friends house you had some snow so I could see if it was running ok in the snow so that I knew if I should register it or not...wasnt going to register it if I could not use it....so I was bring it back home on the trailer when I got pulled over...the only thing that I have is the receipt that I paid 250.00 for a sled that is not running...I paid cash, no check...so basically it seems like I am out of luck and will probably be charged for a stolen sled that I didnt know was stolen

Does the receipt have anything referencing the vehicle serial number, or even the year, make or model? Or does it just say you paid someone $250 for something?

willy24 · Feb 19, 2010, 05:10 PM

The receipt says the year and make of the snowmobile was sold to me, with my name on it

JudyKayTee · Feb 20, 2010, 08:03 AM

You have a receipt that you purchased it - why would you be charged with theft?

Of course, if there is no identifying info on the receipt the Police will ask where you bought it and verify with that person.

willy24 · Feb 22, 2010, 08:54 AM

Yes I have the receipt that I purchased it... I can't make out the name on the receipt though... I haven't been charged yet but they did take the sled over 2 weeks ago now... The police said that they got a tip that it was stolen... dont know from who or from where but they will not give me my sled back... they can't find a serial number on it... ski-doo itself can't find anything listed as stolen and the police now say that there is a good chance that I will be charged because they cannot find a serial number.

JudyKayTee · Feb 22, 2010, 08:59 AM

This makes no sense unless the "tip" was that you stole the sled OR that you removed the serial number. I also don't know why Skidoo would keep a record of stolen sleds, if that is what you are saying.

You need the title in order to register the sled - what name is on the title? You can also track a title backwards, starting with current owner.

I've never known the Police to give odds on whether a person will be arrested - "the police now say that there is a good chance ..."

Possession of stolen property which you did not know was stolen is NOT a crime.

willy24 · Feb 22, 2010, 11:42 AM

We are having troubles trying to find the original owner... as far as we know from research, there was no ownsership or it was not even registered so now I am trying to find out how I can get it back and register it... I told the police when they seized it that if it is stolen I did not know, and they told me that it doesn't matter whether I knew or not, I can still be charged for possession of stolen property. Is there anywhere in any laws or anything that it says if you did not know the property was stolen that its not a crime?

I'm sorry if it sounds like I have been crabby over the hole thing, just extremely frustrated not having my sled and not knowing if I will charged or not... all of your help is greatly appreciated.

JudyKayTee · Feb 22, 2010, 11:49 AM

Depends on State Law - what State? The Police have to PROVE you knew it was stolen - or should have known it was stolen. I don't know how they plan to do that unless they are just trying to pressure you.

I sometimes get "porky" too - I'm sure you're frustrated. I'll drop my attitude, too.