What do you do if you find your stolen items for sale on Ebay? I get the chance to find out.

My car was stolen and some items in it. I have never seen the car again, but a month after it disappeared my large double barred tripod with a wonderful Miller Compass 12 head on it appeared for sale on Ebay.
But what do you do about it?
In this film I get the opportunity to find out. I get my tripod back and it doesn't cost me a penny, just lots of time.
Mike Lane wildlife photography www.nature-photography.co.uk/

[@johnbewick6357]

Well done Mike for persuing the case, and getting your tripod back. Handling stolen goods is a criminal offence in the UK, and Cash Converters having handled the tripod were in my opinion guilty, once they were made aware of the fact the tripod was stolen. They should have taken immediate action to recover the money for you, or risked legal action for the handling.

[@kt5661]

They were probably not guilty as you allege. The offence of handling stolen goods in the UK states 'The goods must be proved to be stolen and the defendant must be proved to have known or believed the goods were stolen at the time they handled them'. They were notified that they were stolen afterwards, not before. This is difficult to prove and any action however small taken by Cash Converters to mitigate against 'handling' would show they acted in good faith.

[@heavybrambles]

​@@kt5661 Them being unwilling to investigate and see if they had bought other stolen items in the same transaction doesn't strike me as a 'good faith' effort to avoid handling stolen goods. If they were worried about breaching customer confidentiality, they could have asked Mike to provide detailed descriptions of the items that were stolen and check against the items they purchased from that customer. They chose to do essentially nothing, meaning that there's a strong possibility that they are still selling (or have sold) the other items. It's pretty indicative of the respect most companies have for customers nowadays, they'll do slightly less than the bare minimum with the (usually correct) expectation that the customer will just give up on the money instead of putting in the amount of effort it would take to resolve something.

[@57thorns]

@@kt5661 At the same time pawn shops and other professionals have a fairly low threshold for believing the goods is stolen.

[@joelunchbucket]

Is Mike committing a crime by buying back his tripod (handling known stolen goods).

[@johnbewick6357]

@@joelunchbucket Only if he had been compensated by insurance for the value of it, in which case possibly yes, as it would then be the property of the insurance company, otherwise you cannot be liable for theft of your own property.

[@spongebobvader]

Well done for persevering Mike. The injustice of this type of occurence really winds me up.

[@dukeofengland]

He's done what the cops are supposed to do.

[@danquaylesitsspeltpotatoe8307]

Maybe report the crime to police? so they stole your set up then just happened to have a scope from elsewhere to put it on top? You cant sue the seller for the cost you paid for it! you could sue to get your property back! CC would have Id for the seller!

[@wotviewer]

@@danquaylesitsspeltpotatoe8307 did you watch the video to the end? He reported to the police, got a refund, and got his item back.

[@drdoolittle5724]

You are a better producer than many extremely well paid 'professionals', thank you!

[@BillDavies-ej6ye]

Given that police don't investigate shoplifters in smaller shops, I'm impressed that you managed to get any help at all. I'm sure the MP's involvement must have helped.

[@davidbarnes241]

When I found my power tools on eBay I took printouts to the local police station and they told me to “buy them back” The police force in west London were shockingly bad and I mentioned that they were for sale in east London, “not our jurisdiction” was the reply. I hope you resolve this problem and get back your equipment. EBay refused to help me without the police getting involved. Disgusting state of affairs!

[@ClayCourtGuy]

Sorry to here you didn’t get yours back. I had my push bike stolen and found it on Gumtree. I phoned the plod and told them I was going to get it back. I bought a burner phone… contacted the seller and set up a meeting at the Wandsworth train station. Recontacted the plod and they were there at the meet point… I counted 4 of them all plain clothes. We got’em and got my bike back. I think the reason was 12 months before a policeman stopped me on my commute and they had a registration system so they marked my bike with a number and got my name…. so when I initially phoned them I said you guys marked up my bike now follow through… shoutout to Wandsworth police!

[@davidbarnes241]

Excellent result 👍

[@kencampbell-rf6ot]

Police in briton are privet individual businesses, that is why stations can't profit form outside their designated area. The same as any other franchise ran cooperation. If the crime does not come with a standard fine why would any self profiting business carry out works that would cause financial loss. Police are not permitted to give legal advice. "buy them back" was your instruction to organise a meeting with the seller, take your possessions back and let the seller deal with the dumbfcukery of the police, if the seller was so inclined.

[@sirsquirrel0]

Such a shame you went through that Mike. Never seen your videos before, just appeared in my feed. Just feels like the police can’t be arsed to investigate your crime, they are a bloody crime! Loved the dogs at the end. All the best!

[@impgt67]

Hi Mike, David here from Tasmania, Australia. Down here in Oz, Cash Converters more popular name is "Crime Converters". The old rule was, that if you had anything stolen from your house, just go to your local "Crime Converters" store, and there was a fair chance you could find you stuff. Many years ago, when I lived in Adelaide, South Australia, I had my own company. We had a bunch of power tools stolen from one of the sites we were working on. Yep, about 3 weeks later, one of my employees was in his local "CC" store looking for a cheap lawn trimmer, and there on the shelf was a couple of our electric drills, all proudly displaying our company name which was engraved into the side of the tools. I can't remember whether we got them back or not. You did a great detective job of getting your stuff back. Did it work the same for your car ??. Cheers, David

[@jeanhawken4482]

So true Cash converter’s are the favoured fencing company for criminals. All with political blessing by incompetent politics.

[@robertshields2066]

Cash Converters your trusted local fencing agent, they will fence anything no matter who owns it.

[@woopimagpie]

Years ago I received a new Sidchrome socket set as a birthday gift. A few months later it got stolen from my garage, and sure enough, a week later there it was in the window of the local CC (I won't mention the town). I had a bunch of photos of me with the set taken on my birthday, and I'd also stuck a Dymo label (remember them?) inside the lid which, surprisingly, was still there, and one of the latches was a bit wonky from me getting careless and I knew there wouldn't be two identical sets with the exact same bent latch. It was definitely mine. I went in to the store and told them I suspected it was mine, it had been stolen, and I could prove it. The Police Station was only a few doors down, and when they started with the denial blurb I suggested that the Police might be interested in my story. At that point the woman behind the counter grabbed the socket set out of the window and just gave it to me, mumbling something I didn't hear properly and didn't care enough to ask what she said but I believe it was something along the lines of "just take it and go", so I did. I learned later they had already been investigated TWICE before for accepting and reselling stolen goods and not long after I moved away that branch closed down. I strongly suspect they had a deal with some local thieves because loads of locally stolen stuff ended up there, it was pretty suspect. Maybe they were innocent, but I doubt it. That whole spiel they carry on with about checking IDs and so on is a load of garbage. They're dodgy as. I still have that socket set and think of that experience every time I use it.

[@dodsg]

Here in Perth, the home of Cashies, it's known as Crack Converters. Hang around outside a shop and you'll soon see why.

[@impgt67]

@@robertshields2066 Hi, that reply made me laugh. Unfortunately, too true

[@jeffnorrie6557]

Fantastic video, I'm really impressed at how calmly and professionally you have conducted your investigations and presented the findings. It would be nice to think the police and your MP view this and follow up but I won't hold my breath. I also hope the video is shared and seen by a lot more people. Thank you for putting the story out there Mike.

[@tony5haw]

Really good video, well done, fair play for seeing this through. Too many people let things like this slide as they can't be bothered. Hats off to you.

[@Rachel-em4me]

Well done Mike. All crimes should be looked into as they can identify organised crime and bigger crimes. The person who stole your stuff is clearly well practised and could easily be found. Terrible state of affairs. I won't be handing over my money to these shops again. Take care 😊

[@owlinthewood]

Very worrying that the cash converters manager’s line manager knew that the tripod had been stolen before you emailed them. That would imply that the line manager was connected to the thief in some way. Steer clear of Cashconverters. I applaude your tenacity.

[@sheepsfoot2]

In Aussie we call them Crimeconverters ! A customer of mine house was burgled she lost all her jewellery etc . The police suggested she look in the local porn brokers to see if she recognises anything, But if she does NOT to tell the shop staff ! At a Cashconverters she did recognise her late mothers wedding ring but ( being thick) she just had to open her big mouth. ! staff said they would put it aside ! following day she goes back with police, the manager tells them it was mistakenly sent with other jewellery to be cleaned in Perth ( 3500 klm from Melbourne)...and that was the end of that !

[@Elberto71]

I thought you had to give photo ID when selling stuff to these places?

[@ens0246]

​@@Elberto71yeah you do. You have to register an account with name, address and date of birth along with a photo ID. I'm not entirely surprised at the cash converters staff being like this. After all, it's a pawnbroker. It's a miserable line of work, full of criminals and desperate people as your day to day contact. But my local is actually amazing. They're very kind. And when my Scooter was stolen they said they would notify me if someone tried to sell it.

[@mickee8025]

@owlinthewood or it might imply that the person he spoke to at Kings Norton may have relayed the information to the line manager at Redditch in order to let them know that they may be getting a visit.

[@janecapon2337]

I am very pleased you finally got the tripod and refund back. However I do not think anything would have been done if you hadn’t contacted your MP. An exceptionally entertaining story told by an exceptionally entertaining person. Thank you.

[@mcfcguvnors]

most amazing part is the MP replied , mine took THREE YEARS to reply to an email

[@geri-atric1660]

I loved your video and was gobsmacked that Cash Convertors eventually gave you your Money back and gave it to the police to return to you. I had my home burgled and set on fire in the process. Hard to tell what was stolen but I went past a cash converters in Sydney Australia and there was my jewellery and rings for sale. I knew definitely re one ring as I had dented it at a work site. I went in and asked them what I needed to do as they were part of the items stolen and said I needed to get in contact with the police. I did and we went back to the Cash Converter and the goods had disappeared and the manager denied ever seeing or speaking to me. The cops asked to see their shop cameras but strangely they weren’t working. You are one extremely persistent and lucky person. The first place you went to immediately relayed your visit to the other branch that is how they knew. The rest of the gear was probably at the first place you visited is my thinking. You were unlucky re the whole scenario but came out Trumps on the Tripod. Well done 👍🏼

[@mrrcassidy]

Well done Mike. ebay seller for 24 years here :) This is so frustrating. From a marketing point of view, ebay wants the customer to believe they are dealing with 'ebay'. They go to enormous lengths in pursuit of this objective. Then something goes wrong. Ebay, suddenly are 'just a venue' - which is of course correct, ebay is an advertising platform. Your contract is with the seller. The point at which I would have involved my MP and the local council/Trading Standards was when Cash Converters attempted to bounce you back to ebay - ie, treat you like an idiot. Outrageous - and they have been trading long enough to know it.

[@mcfcguvnors]

ebay like every other business is now conducted on Twitter !? esiest way is to spam their posts - soon het a DM = also works wth power companies but not MPs who take 3 -5 years to reply to an email

[@jarthurs]

Lots of middlemen all taking their cut, but strangely nobody interested when there's a problem and the finger pointing begins. If they did a proceeds of crime audit I suspect some of these places would take a big dent in their turnover.

[@derekheeps1244]

eBay not take payments directly from buyers , and charge fees to advertisers ; they now also collect national Insurance details and provide data to inland Revenue : they are a selling agent who take commission on every sale - that makes them responsible .

[@Fozzie68]

I wouldn’t touch cash converters if you paid me !! It’s quite OBVIOUS the line manager has something to do with it , but alarmingly still be employed by CC to continue handling stolen goods . Well done Mike for your tenacity.

[@mariemccann5895]

You need to be careful who you accuse.

[@1kreature]

@@mariemccann5895 Hello Miss line manager...

[@pspr33]

Very well documented and presented. It's a shame that no one wants to deal with the actual problem of finding out who stole the car/items in the first place. I'm not sure if you were as calm as you were on camera, off camera but well done on persevering!

[@neilyeomans9805]

This is why the law in this country is useless and crime pays. The police should be finding out who and what was sold to that shop returning any other goods and doing what they're paid to do. I would send the police and your mp a link to the video once all your followers have commented.

[@dave24-73]

@@stra998on principle yes, but maybe not if it was 100k

[@dave24-73]

@@stra998 you implied that one could prosecute based on the way you framed it. Which if there was a chance to do that I would happily spend the extra was my point.

[@watto7728]

@@stra998 if that 200 left the thief with a permanent limp then yes..

[@dave24-73]

@@stra998 you also said and find him, don’t misquote yourself, which loosely implies one could and likely would do more (otherwise what’s the point in identifying them) maybe I over thought it, but at least I was civil.

[@dave24-73]

@@watto7728 you know that’s why the IRA use to kneecap people, so next time they had an encounter they couldn’t run away.

[@stevevickers2844]

You showed immense patience Mike and for that you deserve a medal. You highlight just what a crazy society we live in when you have to go through such avenues to effectively get back what is yours - I suppose you have no compensation for your time and petrol or any idea if the thief is to be pursued. It males you weep at how far you have to go just to get some positive outcome. Well done.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Strangely I never gave the thief any thought. Just how to get my tripod back and not lose more money.

[@GMT439]

@@MikeLaneFRPS Ok... First of all the Obvious hidden Digital I.D Agenda is the reason for this video... OBVIOUSLY!!! So Please provide Proof of all your CLAIMS for Verification.

[@IamBeautyBraeden]

@MikeLaneFRPS good strategy not wasting emotional energy on the thief. Helpful and enjoyable video, especially loved your humour at the end. Thx mate 😊

[@marsterofnotrades]

If they did catch the thief nothing would happen as ( 1 )there would be no evidence that they stole it and didn't find it dumped on the side of the road ( this happened with my case) (2) because of a deprived childhood or using drugs let go.

[@Chatterisdotbiz]

Absolutely brilliant, so glad you got your stuff back and exposed the real world problem of dealing with corporate and police.

[@brianmillerthomas]

You showed immense patience. Believe me, I worked in the Civil service....if anything was an MP's complaints case it got TOP priority,

[@rogerhance5883]

Glad you made a video about it Mike, and also glad you finally got your tripod and head returned. Interesting that Cash Converters were not interested until the police were involved. I wonder if the MP had anything to do with the Police finally getting their act together. I am not surprised Ebay were not interested. Best wishes for 2024.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Another film I enjoyed putting together.

[@BlueJayKRO]

Persistence is key. Well done for not giving up on this. It’s pretty bad that it takes so long to get your own stuff back after a theft and that you have to do all the investigating yourself. Glad you got it back.

[@UndeniablyOliver]

Only a true photographer gets his car stolen, goes to that much trouble to get his tripod back, and doesn't even mention what happened to his stolen car in the entire video. I am glad you at least got your tripod back in the end (regrettably only because of your own hard work). I admire both your dedication and your priorities.

[@EnglishStrippedBare]

Bravo Mike for jumping through all those hoops. It's really an indictment on the process that you had to do so much to get back what was stolen from you. What a world!

[@briantinker7290]

Such a dignified way of presenting this story and very well made indication of the apathetic attitude of the companies concerned. Be interesting to see if the Police follow up, seems like an easy win for them, you've handed it to them on a plate. Thanks for this, Ive learned from you today

[@nickmaclachlan5178]

Will they hell, the Police were forced in to action by his dogged resolve (most people when faced with such bureaucracy simply give up) and probably ceased all activity once he got his property back, box ticked. Mike made the Rozzers do more work than they would normally do, so there's no expectation they would take it any further and make more work for themselves is there? Now if he'd reported someone for telling a rude joke on Social Media, they'd be all over that like a Rat up a drainpipe........

[@12Jerbs]

Appreciate the time you took to put this altogether. It really does highlight that The efficiency of Govt is fairly poor and the care factor of a business can be low once they have your money. Seems crime does pay, as most people don't have your tenacity and would simply consider the item a loss. Thanks again!

[@ScratchyBaws]

Can't believe you still have a sense of humour at the end. Won't sit here bleating on but wish you all the best for 2024 Mike.

[@SuperBettyswollocks]

The simple fact is, times have changed. 40 years ago crimes like this were seldom and treated a bit more seriously, where as now it seems to be commonplace. It's just not fair that honest people are treated like this, and that a system becomes so complicated, that giving up is actually an expected outcome. Your patience on this matter has been commendable, and puts the crime investigation system to shame to be fair

[@MickHealey]

Really good video Mike. You have the patience of a saint, whereas my blood would be at boiling point. This case clearly demonstrates that crime does pay, which is disturbing to say the least. So called 'data protection' provided the criminals with anonymity, allowing them to make cash on your stolen property through Cash Converters. The police don't appear to have the resources to respond quickly and effectively, even when you provided them with a rock solid lead. The fact remains that your car and contents were stolen. A crime has been committed, yet the overloaded system seems powerless to make any timely attempt to apprehend the criminals. We live in sad times.

[@constructioneerful]

This is great- and makes me think there ought to be a channel that pursues the vendors of stolen goods through the courts - I think it would be very popular.

[@mickymack1230]

Well done Mike. It's a sad refelection on the state of the Uk that the Police are simply not concerned with solving crime.I suspect if you had not contacted your MP the case would never have been allocated an officer. I have often susupected that CC and similar companies are well aware that most of or at least a great deal of stolen property passes through their hands and this is indeed what they profit from. I left the UK in the year 2000 and I think for a large section of society it has become a third world country.The amount of crime, petty or otherwise, is for the majority of people deeply depressing. I am glad you you got your Tripod and head. It's simply ridiculous to see what an individual has to do to get such a result.

[@sweetbb125]

I'm so glad you got your money and tripod back! We work so hard for our equipment, and it is too bad that there are shameless, lazy, deceitful people and business people around that do us in.

[@denisoleary5302]

Brilliant proffesional report. Very sad that everything we do now is online, or waiting half hour to get to somebody to talk to, and still njot getting an answer.

[@russrichards]

Great news that this issue was finally resolved and you got your tripod, money, and most importantly your sense of justice being done back Mike. Happy new year to you and your family.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Thanks

[@uwattie]

Absolutely brilliant video, your final scene illustrating your new security 'work arround' was really brilliant - it brought tears to my eyes. But seriously! How both Cash Converters and eBay can try to distance themselves from the crime is truly amazing. How they can escape prosecution for handling stolen goods is astounding. How they can 'look the other way' while also claiming 'we didn't know' beggars belief.

[@thesunreport]

Your point doesn't really cut it though, because by that standard, if a random person bought this set-up off ebay in good faith, then that random person should also be charged with handling stolen goods and that wouldn't be fair in the greater scheme of things. I think the problem is that (in isolation) it is a relatively low-level crime so isn't a huge priority for the Police, hence this guy having to go round the houses to get it sorted out, but it did get sorted out, so in that sense the system does work, just not as efficiently as we would all like, and it took quite some guile and effort to make it happen. Having said that, one would hope that cash converters now have flagged the ID of the person who sold it so them so at least that avenue is cut-off for them, and perhaps the Police also now know who it was, which is helpful in the long run and might serve as a deterent to them, or evidence ultimately of a wider 'stolen goods' crime from that individual, which could all add up if they were investigated/prosecuted later for other crimes.

[@harrythompson6977]

@@thesunreport you would be if the police found you with it and they had the information to prove it was stolen you still get charged for handling stolen goods its just extremely unlikely there going round harassing everyone they see with a tripod till they find it. iv caught the charge 2 times in my life and have never actively gone out my way to steal items or purchase stolen goods but the charges stick

[@TheWizardOfTheFens]

“Low level”? You mean not like misgendering someone or calling out r@pe gangs?

[@misterflibble9799]

@@thesunreport The case with eBay is not comparable to "a random person [who] bought this set-up off ebay in good faith". Up to the point where they were told that it was stolen, then yes, it would be unfair to charge them. However, once they've been told that it's stolen goods AND THEY CONTINUE TO OFFER IT FOR SALE IN FULL KNOWLEDGE THAT IT IS STOLEN, then as far as I'm concerned, they're guilty and should be prosecuted as an accessory to the crime. Don't forget that they'll be taking a percentage of the selling price, for goods that they have been told are stolen. eBay is a truly scummy company that don't give a shit about anyone but their own profits. They're happy to protect criminals and fraudsters as long as they can take their cut.

[@geoffpriestley7310]

I went to cash converters and found a cb radio for sale. it was a private mobile similar to the ones use by utility companies in the 2000's you could see the crowbar markings on it. It's no coincidence that the branch is in walking distance of the most notorious estate in bradford . They should confiscate the contents of the store until they can prove where their stock came from

[@CameraCombo]

Funny ending! I'm genuinely amazed you got your tripod back. Shame on ebay. It only confirms my thoughts about them.

[@michaelwallwork7482]

Got to admire your determination Mike. What a country we live in 😤. Its made me angry and frustrated for you. Anyhow well done 👏. Glad you've got your tripod back, but still you've lost other gear. And most annoying the scumbag who stole from you has got away with it, and will no doubt continue to prey on others. Best wishes for the new year Mike. Love your vlogs, look forward to them every week 👍

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Thanks 👍

[@gertsy2000]

Love the final gag. LoL. Congrats on getting one item back at least.

[@paullakin7777]

Well done Mike, I imagine that you put as much effort into your photography, so you deserve success.

[@steerpike50]

Great vid , customer service is almost completely gone these days , glad you got your stuff back , pity the police couldn't trace and track the thieves.

[@Distinctly.Average]

A couple of tips for you. First is dealing with eBay on things like this. I have had zero luck until I contacted my local BBC Radio consumer program. Suddenly they are all ears, same with companies like cash converters. I often hear similar tales on such radio programmes and it seems the only people these companies talk to are the press. Second tip, buy a few Apple air tags and hide them in your car, photo bag etc. you can then track your stuff and hopefully the police can get on top of it before it gets too destroyed

[@mellowmarkable]

Yes, air tags is a good suggestion. I had all my gear stolen a few years ago and now put a couple in my bags.

[@digihorse6730]

Well done 100% support what you did. Definitely send a link of this video to your MP, and the head of the police force.

[@magicknight8412]

Glad you got it sorted in the end, but it really shows how in this country the victim of a crime or injustice gets totally screwed over, that they have to rectify the situation and get pretty much no support or help. Meanwhile the criminal/perpetrator gets away with it and has zero comeback or punishment.

[@goldmagnet9013]

Hi Mike - What a brilliant, but some what frustrating video. I was so pleased that you persevered. I think its is only people of our generation , people who remember a time when fairness, justice and true customer service were commonplace. If you had access to the full information that these companies hold, then you could solve the original crime of your car theft too, but sadly the police/government would prefer to put their resources elsewhere. Top job Mike, well done.

[@pjmccracken]

Fair play ! Good story well told ! The only surprise was that you were surprised by the lack of interest from any of the involved parties. Petty crime seems to be largely tolerated by the authorities.

[@foldingthemap3823]

Anyone just coming to this video should know you should absolutely stay to the end. Class!

[@EricStrebel]

Then end was priceless! well done, because justice matters.

[@JoePCP]

I agree well dome Mike. All these institutions, (including the police) drag their feet hoping that you will go away. I had a similar incident with the Post Office who destroyed a parcel and sent the bits in a plastic bag with a sticker that said make a claim. I did that and 2 months later after writing to the CEO of the Post Office, I got a cheque for the goods. I had to jump through hoops to do it, but I'm afraid I never give up!

[@tooyoungtobeold8756]

Great video, thank you. MPs are generally useless. But mine also helped me out with a problem I had with HMRC. I also had a problem with an insurance claim (it had been dragging on for two years), so I wrote to the CEO of the company. The claim was resolved in about a week. Never give up and go higher up the chain.

[@woopimagpie]

This! We've just had a 19 month long fight with our insurance company for a totally legit claim which they assessed and documented and then tried every reason imaginable to get out of honouring the claim, including not even reading their own assessment. Each time we got correspondence it was from someone different. Eventually I had enough and wrote to the email address of the PA of one of the big bosses outlining the situation very politely and hey presto, within 2 days our claim was approved. I don't actually think they were deliberately trying to shaft us, they're just so awful to work for that front line employees keep quitting the job so your claim keeps getting handled by new people who don't bother to check the history. They're just incompetent. Once I got to correspond with someone who had a proper career there it got resolved within days.

[@Maebbie]

absolute legend. Best twist at the end, just return the head, so you can get it back again.

[@TicketyBoo.]

Well done you Mike. Sadly, Britain today favors the criminal and theft is big business. You and I don't matter a damn,

[@johndoe-nh9sh]

Perseverance pays off. Good on you Mike, glad for you that you have the tripod back at least.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Thanks 👍

[@micol2434]

Great job Mike! Unbelievable it is so hard to get things sorted, no wonder there are so many scumbag thieves around as nothing happens to them.

[@Engelhafen]

Go for it Mike - it’s hard not to take matters in your own hands

[@UKHope384]

Well done Mike. So glad there was a positive outcome. Unfortunatly its unlikely the scumbags who stole your equipment will be prosecuted.

[@1946scoop]

Good work, Mike and thanks for sharing your experiences. Ebay, Cash Converters and the Police should all be embarrassed.

[@NottsBobUK]

Congratulations on getting your tripod back, well done for persevering. I learnt a heck of a lot from your experience, thanks for sharing it.

[@crampo21]

Great humour in difficult times. What a load of BS you had to go thru. So happy that you are able to take these tentative steps to show the people the absolute BS, We the people, have to go thru, to get anything done. Respect.

[@levantos]

Well done Mike, fighting the good fight. What a farce though for justice. Happy you at least got some of your equipment back & a refund!

[@paultreviews]

Very well put together video Mike - so far in my 40 years as a professional photographer I have been fortunate and lucky enough not to have had anything stolen - I would have been incensed - you handled it well. Virtually all 'online' companies now simply lead you in circles back to FAQ or similar in an effort not to fulfil their legal or moral obligations. Nice ending at the car lol

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

Almost impossible to talk with a person with most large companies.

[@degu44]

I'm glad to hear you got some of your kit back but what a run around you had. I hope your other stolen items find their way back to you.

[@EdwinvandenAkker]

I installed 2 Airtags in my car: #1 in a slightly obvious place, between the front-seats, in an armrest compartment. #2 in another place in my car, way less obvious. From the 2nd Airtag, I removed the little speaker, that sound a chirping noise. If my car gets stolen, they might find the first Airtag, remove it's battery. But they will not likely find the 2nd. Using Airtags saves a lot of money on dog food 🤣 I do this trick with some of my expensive gear as well. If you have an e-bike, this trick with the two Airtags is also very valuable.

[@CornwallStressFreeTelevision]

Well done Mike - full marks for stickability! I wouldn't have had the energy nowadays. What a catalogue of ineptitude though. Very entertaining and well produced.

[@japfourme381]

Such a long winded process, but glad it all worked out for you Mike, and you got your tripod and money back! I wonder if the Police investigated further, to bring the thief to justice?!!

[@duncancookdrummond3273]

Great video, Mike. Sorry to hear about all the hassle you've been through with this, but I'm happy you've at least got your own tripod back again now. People have a right to expect better from ebay and cash converters. It's all too often "pass-the-buck" nowadays. Incidentally, you'd make a better investigative journalist than some of the professionals we have in this country. Looking forward to more videos on your own specialist subject. Cheers

[@ianclampin103]

Well done for your perseverance. I have tried to contact eBay before and you are right, it sends you in circles and you just waste your time. It's about time they were made accountable for the business they do.🤬

[@MagicRat]

Glad you got it back, I hope you left the seller some glowing 5 star feedback on eBay 😀

[@robert1016]

Great content glad it worked out for you mate, just shows you how hard it is to get your stolen goods back, very easy for thieves to off load the ill gotten gains at these places.

[@cherrob48]

Sorry to hear this bad luck happened. Kudos for your efforts and determination, and thank you for posting your experience. I don’t want to be too critical of the police because they are probably under resourced but you could teach them how to do detective work in this sort of case. Ihope you document your experience and the steps you took. Give it to your MP, your police station, and perhaps they can learn from it. 😊. Glad to see they didn’t steal your sense of humour. I will post this on my camera group and bird watcher FB pages. Best wishes from tropical North Queensland in Australia.

[@Wormetti]

Love the video. I have bought an item from cash converters that had an SD card with it. At home, I found personal information on there that would surely be erased if they sold it. Contacted the person and they told me it was stolen from them months ago but I couldn’t get them to report it, they were an international student and didn’t want to cause a fuss for a low value item.

[@Billy_Bunter]

Glad you got it back and great humour at the end.

[@TheRetroEngine]

Interesting watch, you handled this well. The way you explained your thought process was totally watchable. Ebay is scum. Police helped. Cash Converters I've never liked, always seemed scummy. Great extra protection for your car.

[@kimwedgbury8518]

Glad you got your tripod back Mike which is obviously all down to your own effort. Like the rest of the country you must be asking yourself "What is the point of the Police". There is a clear line of enquiry in the purchase records of Cash Converters as to the seller and therefore potentially the thief, not only of your tripod but by default also your car. The concept of effort, professional and timely investigation and ultimately service to the public, is something the police just don't get anymore.

[@MikeLaneFRPS]

I suspect the number of crimes versus the number of police officers is a huge problem.

[@derekheeps1244]

It should not be possible for them to pay by cash for items brought in - all payments need to be by cheque or ideally into a bank account - that way the 'customer' can be traced . This would be an easy way to stamp this out .

[@johnpeach4085]

one of the best postings i have seen well done Mike

[@bigdarbs19]

Very good summary! Well done for sticking with it.

[@JohnPaul-yl8ub]

Watching this video made me feel so frustrated and annoyed that no one you contacted to help you sort this out were interested in helping you. Personally I wouldn't leave anything in the car. Glad to see you got it sorted in the end, but what you had to go through is truly shocking.

[@redizeli3660]

Thank you very much for this video, which can be very useful for everyone who has experienced something like this. And perhaps he lost due to the police's slowness, eBay's hostility and sellers' reluctance. Great job, great investigation that should be carried out by the institution that you also pay for - the Police. It takes the MP's intervention to do a little but something? Embarrassing. In turn, eBay is known for protecting its own interests, i.e. protecting sellers more than buyers. Therefore, even more great words of appreciation for you for the greatness and perseverance of your efforts. And congratulations for achieving your goal. All the best in the new year.

[@trevorbyford]

Brilliant! Well done - love your sense of humour.

[@eattherich9215]

@12:16, 😂😂😂 Excellent. Seriously, I am glad that your persistence in the face indifference paid off and you have your tripod back.

[@justkerry173]

Well done! Also, the reason Google comes up with Aussie sites first, is probably because it started in Australia, the first Cash Converters was in Perth, Western Australia.

[@DTAnglesey]

Sad, sad society we are living in!! All that hassle to get your stuff back.😡 Glad to hear you've at least got one of your items back Mike!👍

[@dayeah765caoni3]

Deterioration of western societies isn’t INevitable. Brace yourself for worse to come lol😂

[@symonfraser6422]

Loved the ending, explosive laughter. Happy new year.

[@77archibald]

Well done for persevering. Love the extra security ending!

[@BlackMesa_UK]

Assuming you used them, did you consider opening a PayPal dispute once you'd received your tripod back? Upload your crime number, photos etc; interesting to know what would have happened.

[@HighFell]

Police in UK are so busy covering up their own criminal Activities they don’t have time to investigate other crimes, Cash Converters and eBay seem to ‘fencing’ operations for the criminal underworld. Mike, it’s a disturbing account but good on you for not being fobbed off. I hope this video gets much more exposure.

[@paulrayner4514]

you are a very patient man. Hat's off to an MP who did something. I would have claimed item not received or something like that especially if you paid via paypal.

[@cameronboyd397]

I absolutely wouldn't have trusted the police, in that "return the tripod step", to get the tripod back for me. Too much chance that Cash Converters would sell it out from under me again, and the police don't respond fast enough. I live in London, Canada, and my car was stolen about a year and a half ago. It took nine days for an officer to even show up at my house to get a statement. I learned after the fact that my car was reported to be left behind a local convenience store, and it took the police three days to respond to that. In the mean time, it had been moved again. Car was finally recovered three months later, by chance, well after the insurance company has screwed me over. Seven thousand dollar loss overall. Somehow, this comment degenerated into me being bitter about life. Great video! Was hanging on your every word. Also, going to document my equipment very soon!

[@iand8331]

Excellent work, clear and concise. Thanks

[@vupham.wildlife]

awesome, what a journey, wonderful to have the tripod back, your patient is top

[@tanagra2]

A brilliant end to a great video. Thank you, you brightened my day no end.

[@scousepie2]

You are a Legend Mike.. Well done for persistence, you got it sorted in the end.

[@rupertphmode1753]

Just happened across this video whilst wasting my life online. Wonderful story of persistence with a great outcome and fabulously witty ending. You are a lovely example of the best on KZbin. Now then, where is your car?

[@eattherich9215]

I'm another online time waster. Getting out of the silos is good for the mental health and often provides a laugh.

[@Kurtduzhurt]

It’s been some time since I watched any video right through to the end , I’m glad I did . Well done Mike .

[@Jeff_Davis]

Preserverence! We actually cheered out loud when you held up your tripod at the end! Love your new large alarm system and the lovely photos you share!

[@lawrencemonaghan926]

Ten out of ten mate for not giving up,glad you got it back 😅

[@ncc1701deee]

Very satisfying conclusion. So happy to see you got atleast some of your property back.

[@petehickson1921]

tenacity at its best - well done!

[@skampyfry]

Thank you for posting this, very interesting to see how it played out. Glad you got it back

[@peterthomas5792]

Top marks for persistence! Really helpful video, thanks.