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Stolen Bass! Feel good story!


redd

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Hi everyone,

I'm posting this story because it reinforces what a close-nit community that we musicians, and in particular, bass players are.

Some of you might have noticed recently I advertised on basschat a lovely Paul Everson Caiman bass for sale. 

I acquired the bass through a trade about a year ago with a guy who advertised it on Facebook. We met in a service station. I swapped a very nice 4 string Shuker bass for the Everson, had a nice chat with the fella who bought it and returned home.

Whilst we were talking the lad confessed to me that he had found the Everson Bass in one of those second hand chain stores that have 'cash' in the title. He knew next to nothing about basses but had liked the look of it and bought it. He then tracked down Paul Everson on Facebook to get some info about the bass. 

I loved the bass. It appeared to have been treated quite badly. The electrics were shot and it was covered in a weird thick dust. I had it cleaned, sorted and set up and quickly picked up another Everson that appeared on Facebook. 

That was around a year ago. I recently decided to sell the caiman. Id always had a little niggle in the back of my head about 'Cash _________' and wondered if I'd been a little naieve in my trust.

So to put my mind at ease I contacted Paul (Everson) who told me he had sold the bass through the great British bass lounge. I then contacted Drew who was running the lounge and asked them both if any Everson basses had been reported stolen. They both did some digging and came back with a resounding no. Drew had a record of a sale to a lad called 'Justin' who lived near Bradford (I'm in Macclesfield).

So back to present day. After advertising said bass on Facebook and BC I received a message from a lad called Justin who explained to me that this was his bass and that he'd had it stolen in early 2016.

I immediately phoned him and we discussed at length what to do. Now the dilemma. Justin hadn't been insured and had lost the bass along with a whole heap of equipment. He had been scouring the Facebook sites to try and recover the bass for the last 2 years. I had essentially swapped a 900 quid Shuker with it. The lad who had bought the bass oringally had moved the Shuker on. We were all victims of crime and it was a difficult puzzle to unravel. Justin had contacted Yorkshire police for advice and they had said it was a civil matter.

Anyway the final result is that we met the following week and Justin got his bass back. It was a great end to a saga and needless to say Justin was chuffed!

Just a big shout out to Paul Everson and Drew for caring enough about this story to help me with my clumsy detective work and a big shout out to Matthew who contacted me on behalf of (current) BBL.

The photo below is of Justin (on the left) recieving his beloved bass back! 

Moral of the story. Cash ___________ are a store I like even less now and Bass players are awesome folk.

Andy

IMG_20180303_141345_1.jpg

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Andy is a top guy and I never expected to see the bass again after 2 years - to say it made my week would be an understatement! My lesson learned is always unload the car post practice and gig regardless of whether you're knackered and it's chucking it down and get insured..... the other guitar, an ACG, was returned in similar circumstances a year ago by a great guy in Hebden Bridge

 As Andy says bass players are a fantastic community of like minded souls - my faith in human nature is reaffirmed! 

Cheers Justin 

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Did you get the crime number and go back to the pawn shop where the lad bought the bass?  They have a responsibility here.  It's well known that places like this pass on a lot of stolen goods and they are supposed to get an ID and address of the person selling. If the toerag selling the bass has used a false ID, at least they can get a description, and he might well be known to the local plod.

According to citizens advice, you are liable for a full refund if you buy stolen goods from a shop, so the lad you met on Facebook should get this for you.

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This is why I steer clear of knocking shops like Crack Generator. I found my own, and a friend's, stolen instruments in an Edinburgh Pawnbroker.

 

Take note of the article below.

 

 

THE boss of a Cash Generator branch in Edinburgh has been jailed after selling on stolen goods worth up to £50,000. James Devlin, 53, manager of the chain's South Bridge shop, pleaded guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court but claimed he had simply turned a blind eye to the scam. The court heard a false customer account had been set up in the shop to deal with stolen or reset property. Fiscal depute James O'Reilly told the court that it had resulted in "a large number of stolen goods" being passed through the business. Devlin, of Ferniehill Avenue in the Capital, who had been in charge of the shop since 2005, admitted acting with others in the scheme between May 6, 2006, and August 24, 2010.

Read more at: https://www.scotsman.com/news/cash-generator-branch-boss-jailed-after-selling-stolen-goods-worth-163-50k-1-1589006

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 11/03/2018 at 08:20, redd said:

Hi everyone,

I'm posting this story because it reinforces what a close-nit community that we musicians, and in particular, bass players are.

Some of you might have noticed recently I advertised on basschat a lovely Paul Everson Caiman bass for sale. 

I acquired the bass through a trade about a year ago with a guy who advertised it on Facebook. We met in a service station. I swapped a very nice 4 string Shuker bass for the Everson, had a nice chat with the fella who bought it and returned home.

Whilst we were talking the lad confessed to me that he had found the Everson Bass in one of those second hand chain stores that have 'cash' in the title. He knew next to nothing about basses but had liked the look of it and bought it. He then tracked down Paul Everson on Facebook to get some info about the bass. 

I loved the bass. It appeared to have been treated quite badly. The electrics were shot and it was covered in a weird thick dust. I had it cleaned, sorted and set up and quickly picked up another Everson that appeared on Facebook. 

That was around a year ago. I recently decided to sell the caiman. Id always had a little niggle in the back of my head about 'Cash _________' and wondered if I'd been a little naieve in my trust.

So to put my mind at ease I contacted Paul (Everson) who told me he had sold the bass through the great British bass lounge. I then contacted Drew who was running the lounge and asked them both if any Everson basses had been reported stolen. They both did some digging and came back with a resounding no. Drew had a record of a sale to a lad called 'Justin' who lived near Bradford (I'm in Macclesfield).

So back to present day. After advertising said bass on Facebook and BC I received a message from a lad called Justin who explained to me that this was his bass and that he'd had it stolen in early 2016.

I immediately phoned him and we discussed at length what to do. Now the dilemma. Justin hadn't been insured and had lost the bass along with a whole heap of equipment. He had been scouring the Facebook sites to try and recover the bass for the last 2 years. I had essentially swapped a 900 quid Shuker with it. The lad who had bought the bass oringally had moved the Shuker on. We were all victims of crime and it was a difficult puzzle to unravel. Justin had contacted Yorkshire police for advice and they had said it was a civil matter.

Anyway the final result is that we met the following week and Justin got his bass back. It was a great end to a saga and needless to say Justin was chuffed!

Just a big shout out to Paul Everson and Drew for caring enough about this story to help me with my clumsy detective work and a big shout out to Matthew who contacted me on behalf of (current) BBL.

The photo below is of Justin (on the left) recieving his beloved bass back! 

Moral of the story. Cash ___________ are a store I like even less now and Bass players are awesome folk.

Andy

IMG_20180303_141345_1.jpg

What a lovely, heartwarming story. Such a shame that Justin had his equipment stolen, and that subsequently that cost fell on you, but I feel that if nothing else can be said on the matter, we can at least say you did the right thing, and Justin looks very happy to have his bass back - as well he should!

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It's brilliant that the bass was found and returned to it's proper owner. Just bad that someone is out of pocket though.

I've said before, never leave gear unattended. When I'm on the train and my bass is next to me in it's bag I always keep my arm through the strap, just incase someone decided to grab it and run at a stop.

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On 3/12/2018 at 12:20, Max Normal said:

Did you get the crime number and go back to the pawn shop where the lad bought the bass?  They have a responsibility here.  It's well known that places like this pass on a lot of stolen goods and they are supposed to get an ID and address of the person selling. If the toerag selling the bass has used a false ID, at least they can get a description, and he might well be known to the local plod.

According to citizens advice, you are liable for a full refund if you buy stolen goods from a shop, so the lad you met on Facebook should get this for you.

Thanks Max, ill look into this, any updates and ill let you know.

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3 hours ago, ambient said:

always keep my arm through the strap, just incase someone decided to grab it and run at a stop.

Probably no need, the thief wouldn’t make it out of the door on account of all those morons who try to crowd round the door and try to board before anyone can get off! 😆

 

Great, heart-warming story. After falling foul of scammers it’s nice to hear some positive news. 

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7 hours ago, bazzbass said:

you bought it in good faith. Justin left it in a car overnight. I think Justin should give you $450, why should YOU be the only loser here?

I think the only loser here is you.

Both Justin and Andy look happy. Whatever arrangement they came to, they're clearly both fine with it.

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7 hours ago, bazzbass said:

you bought it in good faith. Justin left it in a car overnight. I think Justin should give you $450, why should YOU be the only loser here?

I kind of agree with this. You’ve done the right and noble thing by getting this chap his bass back; through no fault of your own you’re a high value bass down. Well done on doing the right thing though, even if you’re taking the hit.  

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