[Icom] Decision time and request for advice (long)

[daveg]

I can't sit here any longer without throwing in my $.02.  Sorry for the length
here. 12 or so years ago, I was sitting in court with a lawyer defending ME
against charges of receiving stolen property.  It was a scanner receiver and a
few other electronic items, but the principals are the same, I think.

1. Every CB'er that I know is very much aware of the value of his/her
equipment.  Every bootlegger knows that an Icom beats a Cobra with a junky
amp.   If you were buying it from some non-radio person (widow, estranged wife),
well maybe they had no idea of the value, it's not hot, and you just need to
deal with the guilt.

Maybe.

2. You can't be prosecuted unless it's proven stolen.  So, if the police become
involved with something suspected as hot, they'll actually put in extra effort
to match it up with the rightful owner because...

3. If they are able to, it's a 'two for one' win for them.  The guy who had his
rig ripped off is happy, kudos to police.  Of course he'll happily sign
something legally stating that rig with that serial # was stolen from them and
not 'misplaced', sold or whatever.  They won't 'feel it's nessesary' to state
that that a fellow ham had the rig.

4. The second win for police is that they have you.  An easy mark.  A nice guy -
easy to arrest with a minimum of hassle for them.  Receiving Stolen is a
felony.  Your average felon out there is a real threat to police (buddies
packing weapons, etc). Your friends pack HT's.

5. My advice - life is tough.  Look out for yourself.  You are in a jam.  Best
way out - wrap up, make it look like trash, get it in a dumpster somewhere.  A
big dirty dumpster that doesn't get picked through.  Tell no one else.  If asked
about it, reply 'Icom - what Icom?'  You received a very valuable education for
$100.  Legal fees could top 10 times what you saved in that purchase, probably
more.

What happened to me - I was aquited.  Not guilty.  The scanner was as hot as 10
meters was last winter.  But - I never gave anyone any money for it. Yes, it was
in my house.  I was able to prove that I never even took it INTO my house and
that someone else living there was the person in posession of it.

Yes - I'm a jaded grumpy old man.  But a wiser one now.  A lot of my gear is
used. Nothing but nothing in my shack is even SUSPECTED as being hot. I still
guard my equipment serial #'s just like my social security #.  They are recorded
in a safe.  Never revealed unless absolutely nessesary.

My opinion.
Your mileage may vary.
Dave
call withheld
Flames off-list please!

anthony costa wrote:

> I would like to find out ken,the guy's name is rudy crook.Yes im not
> kidding.He is a  nam vet and seem's quite intelegent.I will try to find a
> website to see if i can put theese ser# up to find out if its clean.or
> better yet he might have the reciept.anyway thank's for the advice and keep
> away from stolen goods ...ok
>
> tony