Recovering Laptop Computer from Ex-Boyfriend

[nepawolf]

My question involves personal property located in the State of: Pennsylvania

For the past few months, I was dating a guy who at first seemed to be really great. He ended up getting a job at my place of work after about two weeks and things were going well. His laptop broke and he asked if he could borrow mine until he got paid and could buy a new one. I didn't think I had any trust issues to worry about, since he gave me a set of keys to his house, his car, and his lock boxes, and therefore was clearly trusting me with his property. I also have a desktop computer, so loaning him the laptop wasn't an inconvenience.

Two paychecks went by, and he made no effort to save any of it for the computer. He also kept asking me if he could format the hard drive and install new software that he had. I told him "no" many times, because there is a lot of data on the laptop that I do not have backed up and do not want to lose. We ended up breaking up over the weekend, partially because several of his friends informed me that he was cheating on me, and partially because I found the personal property of a coworker in his car that had gone missing and told the coworker about it. She naturally confronted him about it, and he denied it and quit his job on the spot. He left me a rather angry voicemail that night and hasn't spoken to me since. I have called him and e-mailed him several times in the past few days in an attempt to get my laptop back, but he will not respond. I have requested that he simply drop it off at our place of work, and have also offered to return his keys and some other assorted items that I have of his.

I can't say for sure if he is going to willingly return my laptop to me. He may just need some time to cool off. However, my coworkers who were there when he quit advised me never to go near him again, as they feared he would do something violent to me. I have considered asking his mother (whom he lives with) if she can get the laptop for me, but he generally keeps his room locked when he is not home and she does not have the key, although I do. I don't know if there is any legal action I can take to recover the laptop. From what I've read in some other posts, some people have had police escorts with them when they recovered items from an ex. However, that seems to only apply to people who have lived together. I've also seen it suggested that people go through the small claims court, which I don't really know anything about.

[Mr. Knowitall]

If he cools down and gives it back, great. Otherwise, consider small claims court.