NGC: Need help in Ft. Wayne, IN

[jas67]

I was wondering if maybe someone here that lives in the Ft. Wayne IN area might help with some detective work, and hopefully to collect a bike, or the money I paid towards it.

I bought and paid for a bike in Ft. Wayne.    My transport driver made contact with the seller a few days before the planned pickup date.    Seller said he'd be there.
Not only was he not there, but, his wife didn't even know where he was, or anything about the bike when the driver showed up.   The guy's phone was there in the house.

Now, no one responds to calls or texts to that number.  That and the address is the only contact info that I have.

Some detective work has yielded facebook pages of he and his wife, and a listing for another bike he is selling.

I'm thinking maybe if someone contacted him to go look at that bike, they could see if the bike that I've paid for is there.   If so, they could maybe even present copies of the money order and texts, and collect the bike.

I've been in contact with the local police, and have a police report on file.     They won't make it a criminal matter, as the amount is under $750 ($500).   They only offered that the police report might be helpful in civil court (I'm 13 hours away).

I've bought several bikes from afar, and never had a problem like this, until now.

Any offers of help or suggestions (aside from do COD transactions only) would be appreciated.

I certainly can't justify what would likely be multiple trips to Ft. Wayne to handle this in small claims court.

[Cam3512]

Duc parts bike?

[jas67]

Duc parts bike?

Yup.

[Blueboarhound]

Any updates regarding making contact with this guy?

[jas67]

Any updates regarding making contact with this guy?

This is an "ongoing investigation."    Thanks for the tips on the phone.

My driver and I are making one last attempted to reach out to this guy, then I'm going to reach out to the Ft. Wayne P.D. again, as well as the Attorney General for the region.
 

[Cam3512]

If you used the US Mail to send him the money, you might try the US Postal Service as well.  I think that would be mail fraud.

I'm thinking $500 may not meet the federal threshold.   I really wish my travels were taking me to Ft. Wayne...

[Blueboarhound]

I really wish my travels were taking me to Ft. Wayne...

ROADTRIP!  ~;

[jas67]

The bike is now listed on ebay for 3X what I paid for it, in a town about 100 miles south of Ft. Wayne.    I know it is the same bike, same accessories, same rust/staining on the bodywork, etc.

I'm thinking that the guy I dealt with got paid for it twice (or more), and the person who actually got the bike is flipping.

I've reached out to the eBay seller.       Hopefully, he is willing to divulge where he got it from.

I'll then be going back to Ft. Wayne P.D. with this information.   Hopefully, they'll then view it as a criminal matter.

[Chuck in Indiana]

Gotta link?

[jas67]

Gotta link?

For the eBay listing?   Here it is:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/291464757421?forcerRptr=true&item=291464757421&viewitem=

I also now have a case opened with the US Postal Inspector's office.

I do realize that the Ft. Wayne PD have bigger problems to worry about than my $500 loss.   If I don't get any help from them, I'm going to have my brother-in-law, who is a local police chief reach out to them, in hopes of some professional courtesy.

[Late to the party]

Keep the pressure on, even if it's only a little bit from a long ways away.

Persist in directing attention to this man and his activities and sooner or later the dots are going to line up.

At that point, he either makes good on his "deals" or else starts paying public institutions large sums of money.

Oh, and why don't you reconsider buying motorcycles that you cannot see, walk around and touch.

(sez the man who has been down this road)

Lateness.

[jas67]

Keep the pressure on, even if it's only a little bit from a long ways away.

Persist in directing attention to this man and his activities and sooner or later the dots are going to line up.

At that point, he either makes good on his "deals" or else starts paying public institutions large sums of money.

That's pretty much my plan.    I believe in Karma.   One of these days, this jerk will screw the wrong person, perhaps someone with some thug friends that will pay him a visit and rearrange his knee caps or something like that.

Oh, and why don't you reconsider buying motorcycles that you cannot see, walk around and touch.

(sez the man who has been down this road)

Lateness.

Sadly, assholes like this ruin it for everyone else.    I've made several successful long distance deals; 5 as the buyer, and 4 or 5 as the seller.     When dealing with less than common bikes, they're usually not conveniently close.    By being willing to sell at long distances, I get a much wider audience and either a faster sell, or a better price.    For deals larger in money value than this, I pay a partial deposit, and then the deal is completed COD.     If the seller isn't willing to hold on deposit, I walk.   In this case, it was $500, so, I foolishly paid in full.   Next time, it will be a $100 deposit, or, I don't bother.

[LowRyter]

sounds like the Ft Wayne hustle.  Just under the threshold for law enforcement to do anything.  And the they guy is selling another one?  He probably just had the photo of the bike. 

More or less, "legal stealing" $500 at a time.

Dollars to doughnuts the local PD knows all about this guy.

[jas67]

sounds like the Ft Wayne hustle.  Just under the threshold for law enforcement to do anything.  And the they guy is selling another one?  He probably just had the photo of the bike. 

More or less, "legal stealing" $500 at a time.

Dollars to doughnuts the local PD knows all about this guy.

I'm sure if the local PD guy knows about this guy, and he does it enough, the PD would be after him for whatever they can get him on.

If PD doesn't help, I'll be contacting the Attorney General.     I'll be watching Ft. Wayne CL and this loser's facebook page for more bikes for sale.    If I see any other $500 bikes from him, there might be a trap set....