Possession of Stolen Property Charge for Selling Items to a Friend Who Stole Money
My question involves juvenile law in the State of: Pennsylvania
My son's 14 yr. old friend stole $3000 from his mother's unlocked safe and purchased $700 in items from my 14 yr old son. When he left he did not take any of the items. We just figured he forgot them. The boy lied and said his mother was giving him the money but he had to do chores around the house to repay her. (Which is believable because I do that with my son all the time.) My son already spent the money on a new graphics card for his computer. This was over two weeks ago. Last Friday I got a call from the mother and she said she was calling the police. About 30 minutes later a state trooper called me from her house phone and said if he doesn't return the money he will be charged with a felony of possession of stolen property. I asked the Officer to come speak with me and he refused and said he was too busy. He did not ask me to explain what happen or for any personal info. Now, I do not know if this was really a state trooper or someone trying to scare me. I have called the Police station to speak with this Officer but he has yet to return my call. I'm wondering if my son can actually be charged without the mother having her son arrested for stealing the money in the first place. I just do not know where to go from here. I do not have the money to repay her and this is really inconveniencing me. I'm worried sick and have anxiety from all of this. I do not want my son to have a criminal record! My son did nothing wrong but sell some items to his friend as we did not know the money was stolen.
Re: Can My Son Be Charged with Possession of Stolen Property
It's a good thing that the trooper did not allow you to explain anything or come to your house to talk to you. Why, because on the odd chance that your son should be charged, you talk to no one except a lawyer.
Whether or not any charges would be forthcoming is not something we can say. It may have been an attempt to just get you to pay. Did the station you called confirm that the person that called you was indeed a police officer?
You will just have to wait and see what happens. If you get a callback from the officer, don't speak with him or just don't take the call.
Re: Can My Son Be Charged with Possession of Stolen Property
Your story has some holes in it, so you are either lying here or you don't know what is truly going on, you're you're not able to properly articulate what is going on.
You should STOP talking to the police. Not only for your son's benefit, but for your own. You have pretty much confessed to a crime yourself.
If the police contact you or your son, decline to speak to them without an attorney (an attorney will tell you not to speak to them period). If an arrest comes or charges are filed, contact a lawyer immediately.
Re: Can My Son Be Charged with Possession of Stolen Property
I did get the troopers name and badge number. There is a trooper by that name that works for that station so I asked for him to call me and he never returned my call. I just want to confirm it was that officer that spoke to me. Look, anyone can call someone and say they are someone else. That doesn't mean it was the actual person that you spoke with.
What crime have I confessed to?
Re: Possession of Stolen Property Charge for Selling Items to a Friend Who Stole Mone
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inapickel
My son's 14 yr. old friend stole $3000 from his mother's unlocked safe and purchased $700 in items from my 14 yr old son. When he left he did not take any of the items. We just figured he forgot them.
Or perhaps there was no sale at all. In any event, your son doesn't want the items he "sold", they're still in his possession, and they're apparently worth $700, so your son can sell those items to other people and use the money from the sale to pay back the $700. He keeps his graphics card, the mother gets her stolen money back, and he doesn't end up in court.
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Quoting inapickel
The boy lied and said his mother was giving him the money but he had to do chores around the house to repay her. (Which is believable because I do that with my son all the time.)
If you routinely pay your son between $700 and $3,000 to do chores around the house, find some chores for him to do, then have him use the money he earns to pay the $700 back to his friend's mother.
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Quoting inapickel
I'm wondering if my son can actually be charged without the mother having her son arrested for stealing the money in the first place.
If the police officer told you that the mother's story is that her son stole her money and gave $700 of it to your son, then she has already reported her son for theft.
I am skeptical that the victim's son's story aligns with your son's story. Your son's best path out of this mess is to pay back the $700 and have nothing more to do with the "friend" who got him into this mess.
Re: Possession of Stolen Property Charge for Selling Items to a Friend Who Stole Mone
Since I presume your son is living with you, you are also guilty of knowingly possessing property belonging to another that you are failing to return. That's a felony.
Your story has holes in it as I said. First, you say the other lady's son boght stuff for your son and then you say your son took the money and bought stuff.
You'd better get your story straight if you intend to disregard our suggestions and talk further to the police (or in court).
Re: Possession of Stolen Property Charge for Selling Items to a Friend Who Stole Mone
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flyingron
Since I presume your son is living with you, you are also guilty of knowingly possessing property belonging to another that you are failing to return. That's a felony.
Under what law?
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Quoting flyingron
First, you say the other lady's son boght stuff for your son....
Bought stuff from, not for.
Re: Possession of Stolen Property Charge for Selling Items to a Friend Who Stole Mone
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flyingron
Since I presume your son is living with you, you are also guilty of knowingly possessing property belonging to another that you are failing to return. That's a felony.
Your story has holes in it as I said. First, you say the other lady's son boght stuff for your son and then you say your son took the money and bought stuff.
You'd better get your story straight if you intend to disregard our suggestions and talk further to the police (or in court).
I am sorry but I am with Mr KIA on this one. The son sold things to his friend with money he did not know that his friend had stolen from his mother. The friend for some reason did not take the things home with him immediately(maybe did not want his mother to see them and wonder where they came from). The son then purchased an item for himself with the money.
I see nothing to indicate that mom is facing a felony because it looks like the son did not really do anything wrong. I am not even sure that it would be legal at this point for the son to resell the property to try to come up with the $700.00. The OP should do nothing at all until the OP gets a consult with a local attorney.
Re: Possession of Stolen Property Charge for Selling Items to a Friend Who Stole Mone
She told two different stories. One the other woman's son bought things for her son and then she said he gave her son money and her son bought the computer card. In the second case it definitely is a felony.
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Bought stuff from, not for.
Read the initial post again. She both stated that the other kid took the money and bought stuff for her son, and in another she said her son bought the graphics card with the $700 the kid gave him.
Re: Possession of Stolen Property Charge for Selling Items to a Friend Who Stole Mone
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llworking
I am sorry but I am with Mr KIA on this one. The son sold things to his friend with money he did not know that his friend had stolen from his mother. The friend for some reason did not take the things home with him immediately(maybe did not want his mother to see them and wonder where they came from). The son then purchased an item for himself with the money.
I see nothing to indicate that mom is facing a felony because it looks like the son did not really do anything wrong. I am not even sure that it would be legal at this point for the son to resell the property to try to come up with the $700.00. The OP should do nothing at all until the OP gets a consult with a local attorney.
This is exactly what happened.. It's not legal to resell the items as the items do not belong to my son any longer. They were bought and paid for by the friend.
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flyingron
She told two different stories. One the other woman's son bought things for her son and then she said he gave her son money and her son bought the computer card. In the second case it definitely is a felony.
Read the initial post again. She both stated that the other kid took the money and bought stuff for her son, and in another she said her son bought the graphics card with the $700 the kid gave him.
No disrespect flyingron but maybe you need to reread what I typed... It says FROM, not for.
Re: Possession of Stolen Property Charge for Selling Items to a Friend Who Stole Mone
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inapickel
This is exactly what happened.. It's not legal to resell the items as the items do not belong to my son any longer. They were bought and paid for by the friend.
I don't believe that is what happened, and obviously neither does the officer, but let's go with that. Let's say the friend complains to the police, "I used the money I stole to buy items that I left with my friend, and didn't bother to take until you made him give back the money that I stole, and now he says he sold them to somebody else to pay back the money that I stole." What do you imagine that the police would do?
That aside, the point is, you have made a compelling case that your son's bedroom is brimming with high-value stuff that he can sell, and you have claimed to routinely pay him thousands of dollars to perform chores, so he has ample opportunity to raise $700. If he is truly afraid to sell the stuff that he supposedly sold to his friend, he has a computer that he can sell.
Re: Possession of Stolen Property Charge for Selling Items to a Friend Who Stole Mone
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Mr. Knowitall
I don't believe that is what happened, and obviously neither does the officer, but let's go with that. Let's say the friend complains to the police, "I used the money I stole to buy items that I left with my friend, and didn't bother to take until you made him give back the money that I stole, and now he says he sold them to somebody else to pay back the money that I stole." What do you imagine that the police would do?
That aside, the point is, you have made a compelling case that your son's bedroom is brimming with high-value stuff that he can sell, and you have claimed to routinely pay him thousands of dollars to perform chores, so he has ample opportunity to raise $700. If he is truly afraid to sell the stuff that he supposedly sold to his friend, he has a computer that he can sell.
I came here for advice, not to be judged. Personally, I couldn't care less if you believe me or not. You don't know me and you don't have any idea how I parent or live my life.
I never claimed that I pay my son thousands of dollars to do chores. He does get paid for doing chores and he WORKS mowing lawns. He's not a thief! You think you know it all, when in fact, you don't. He's NOT selling anything of his and he's not being punished as he has done NOTHING wrong nor have I. The mother, my son and I are the victims here. You have no idea what the other boy told the police or his mother. Now, Kindly stop replying as all you are doing is bullying me.
Re: Possession of Stolen Property Charge for Selling Items to a Friend Who Stole Mone
You have received many suggestions.
Whining about being judged doesn't help you. Your son's story is weak, and he's going to be judged if he ends up in court.
You claimed that you didn't think that it was unusual that your son's friend had thousands of dollars in cash, supposedly for doing chores, because you do the same thing with your son. I can't blame you for backing off of that story, but you're trying to have it both ways -- your son's friend told a story that was not believable, and you have now effectively admitted that it was not believable.
Your son doesn't get to keep the property he sold and the stolen money he received, even if you want to make petulant declarations that he's the victim. You can't pretend that he sold the items to the 'friend' and that they're still his to keep.
Re: Possession of Stolen Property Charge for Selling Items to a Friend Who Stole Mone
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Mr. Knowitall
You have received many suggestions.
Whining about being judged doesn't help you. Your son's story is weak, and he's going to be judged if he ends up in court.
You claimed that you didn't think that it was unusual that your son's friend had thousands of dollars in cash, supposedly for doing chores, because you do the same thing with your son. I can't blame you for backing off of that story, but you're trying to have it both ways -- your son's friend told a story that was not believable, and you have now effectively admitted that it was not believable.
Your son doesn't get to keep the property he sold and the stolen money he received, even if you want to make petulant declarations that he's the victim. You can't pretend that he sold the items to the 'friend' and that they're still his to keep.
I would point out that there is nothing in this thread to indicate that mom knew that the friend had thousands of dollars on him at the time that he bought the items from her son. The OP knew that he had 700.00 on him because that is what he spent. While 700.00 is a lot for an average teenager, its not an outrageous amount.
Re: Possession of Stolen Property Charge for Selling Items to a Friend Who Stole Mone
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Mr. Knowitall
You have received many suggestions.
Whining about being judged doesn't help you. Your son's story is weak, and he's going to be judged if he ends up in court.
You claimed that you didn't think that it was unusual that your son's friend had thousands of dollars in cash, supposedly for doing chores, because you do the same thing with your son. I can't blame you for backing off of that story, but you're trying to have it both ways -- your son's friend told a story that was not believable, and you have now effectively admitted that it was not believable.
Your son doesn't get to keep the property he sold and the stolen money he received, even if you want to make petulant declarations that he's the victim. You can't pretend that he sold the items to the 'friend' and that they're still his to keep.
I NEVER said they were his to keep!! I said they are NOT his. Also, I had no idea his friend had thousands of dollars until the mother called me 2 weeks later! My son isn't the only one this boy has involved in this mess. There are other ones he just gave money to. Before you say it, he didn't just give my son money. He bought stuff off of him. The "story" isn't weak.. it's the truth and I have text messages if it were to go to court that he was buying the items and then messages after the police were called stating that he lied.
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Mr. Knowitall
You have received many suggestions.
Whining about being judged doesn't help you. Your son's story is weak, and he's going to be judged if he ends up in court.
You claimed that you didn't think that it was unusual that your son's friend had thousands of dollars in cash, supposedly for doing chores, because you do the same thing with your son. I can't blame you for backing off of that story, but you're trying to have it both ways -- your son's friend told a story that was not believable, and you have now effectively admitted that it was not believable.
Your son doesn't get to keep the property he sold and the stolen money he received, even if you want to make petulant declarations that he's the victim. You can't pretend that he sold the items to the 'friend' and that they're still his to keep.
Like I said before, I am here for advice and if I were lying then how am I to get accurate advice? I wouldn't waste my time!