Unauthorized Use of Personal Property
State: Massachusetts
Last weekend my girlfriend borrowed my laptop (worth over $1,000 when purchased in January 2009). Her initial request was to use it to search for a jobs and housing. However 2 days later (Tuesday) she called me and told me the laptop got stolen out of her car. I asked her to call the police and file a report for the car-break in, and she said she did it. Unfortunately the item(laptop) loss is not covered by the Auto insurance policy and is not insured under renter's insurance. According to her statements she did call the police and they wrote a report for the incident. However when going to check up and collect the report from the police department I learned that no call has been ever made from this address nor dispatch was sent to investigate this incident. Obviously I now suspect the ex-girlfriend of unauthorized possession of my personal property. Knowing her financial situation, I have a reasons to think she would (have tried) to pawn or resell the item and keeping the money for herself, which I never authorized her to do. Another scenario is that she might decide to keep it for herself. What are my chances if any to recover my property, if she still has it or if she has already completed transactions either with pawn house or buyer? Since there were no witnesses when she received the laptop, she might declare I gave it to her as a gift( voluntary gave up my property) and also can simply say she did not report the theft to the police( if a such event exists).
Re: Unauthorized Use of Personal Property
Have you called any of the pawnshops in the area?
My other guess (and I'm not a lawyer) would be to sue her in Small Claims Court.