Comments on: 300 year-old stolen bible recovered after year-long hunt http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/300-year-old-stolen-bible-reco.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Sat, 25 May 2013 17:27:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/300-year-old-stolen-bible-reco.html#comment-1649501 Antinous / Moderator Fri, 08 Feb 2013 00:18:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211384#comment-1649501 The doctrine of 'hot potato' is usually operative. The doctrine of ‘hot potato’ is usually operative.

]]> By: lostq http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/300-year-old-stolen-bible-reco.html#comment-1649474 lostq Thu, 07 Feb 2013 23:20:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211384#comment-1649474 It seems the only one who profitted on this was Goodwill. If I paid $400 for something at Goodwill and they wanted me to retiurn it I would hope to get my money back as well. Why should Goodwill stand to make a profit from stolen goods without question? It seems the only one who profitted on this was Goodwill. If I paid $400 for something at Goodwill and they wanted me to retiurn it I would hope to get my money back as well. Why should Goodwill stand to make a profit from stolen goods without question?

]]> By: Antinous / Moderator http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/300-year-old-stolen-bible-reco.html#comment-1648517 Antinous / Moderator Wed, 06 Feb 2013 23:18:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211384#comment-1648517 If you've done due diligence (which may be very minimal), then you're unlikely to face charges.  But if you paid money for someone else's property, you still have to give it back without being compensated for your losses. Angela Merkel discovered a couple of weeks ago that the carpet in her office is Nazi loot.  Ouch. If you’ve done due diligence (which may be very minimal), then you’re unlikely to face charges.  But if you paid money for someone else’s property, you still have to give it back without being compensated for your losses.

Angela Merkel discovered a couple of weeks ago that the carpet in her office is Nazi loot.  Ouch.

]]> By: galileo http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/300-year-old-stolen-bible-reco.html#comment-1648433 galileo Wed, 06 Feb 2013 22:26:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211384#comment-1648433 What MTDutch101 wrote is exactly right. Though the law has provisions of for "bona fide purchasers for value" and the like you cannot generally obtain more title than the seller had (which is none if it's stolen). Georgia law -- the folks who had it were in Georgia -- provides that when you receive stolen property from another state and should know it's stolen then it is the crime of receiving stolen property. Ga. Code. Ann. 16-8-8. The intent matters. Of course, no one is going to pursue it -- the amount is too small. What MTDutch101 wrote is exactly right. Though the law has provisions of for “bona fide purchasers for value” and the like you cannot generally obtain more title than the seller had (which is none if it’s stolen). Georgia law — the folks who had it were in Georgia — provides that when you receive stolen property from another state and should know it’s stolen then it is the crime of receiving stolen property. Ga. Code. Ann. 16-8-8. The intent matters. Of course, no one is going to pursue it — the amount is too small.

]]> By: Meester Creester http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/300-year-old-stolen-bible-reco.html#comment-1648322 Meester Creester Wed, 06 Feb 2013 21:26:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211384#comment-1648322 CMH repreSENT! CMH repreSENT!

]]> By: MTDutch101 http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/300-year-old-stolen-bible-reco.html#comment-1648298 MTDutch101 Wed, 06 Feb 2013 21:10:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211384#comment-1648298 Actually, you can never legally "own" a stolen item, no matter how many times it's been sold, no matter if it was purchased "in good faith." If it was stolen at some point, and the original owner can demonstrate that it was stolen, that's all she wrote. I guess you could pay the ransom to avoid the hassle of having to get a court order to return it, but that's it. Actually, you can never legally “own” a stolen item, no matter how many times it’s been sold, no matter if it was purchased “in good faith.” If it was stolen at some point, and the original owner can demonstrate that it was stolen, that’s all she wrote. I guess you could pay the ransom to avoid the hassle of having to get a court order to return it, but that’s it.

]]> By: technogeekagain http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/300-year-old-stolen-bible-reco.html#comment-1648273 technogeekagain Wed, 06 Feb 2013 21:00:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211384#comment-1648273 It's not ransoming stolen goods. It's "return our money or we'll make sure you get charged with _selling_ stolen goods." Which strikes me as mostly reasonable; no reason for the last legitimate purchaser to take the financial hit. Of course, it isn't clear how anyone could have thought this was anything but... It’s not ransoming stolen goods. It’s “return our money or we’ll make sure you get charged with _selling_ stolen goods.” Which strikes me as mostly reasonable; no reason for the last legitimate purchaser to take the financial hit.

Of course, it isn’t clear how anyone could have thought this was anything but…

]]> By: C W http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/300-year-old-stolen-bible-reco.html#comment-1648248 C W Wed, 06 Feb 2013 20:42:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211384#comment-1648248 "There has to be some cutoff point after which possession of stolen goods is no longer a problem." Why? You're still playing hot potato with stolen goods, especially if you demand full price. “There has to be some cutoff point after which possession of stolen goods is no longer a problem.”

Why? You’re still playing hot potato with stolen goods, especially if you demand full price.

]]> By: C W http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/300-year-old-stolen-bible-reco.html#comment-1648246 C W Wed, 06 Feb 2013 20:41:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211384#comment-1648246 Seems pretty in keeping with the rest of their faith. Seems pretty in keeping with the rest of their faith.

]]> By: C W http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/300-year-old-stolen-bible-reco.html#comment-1648247 C W Wed, 06 Feb 2013 20:41:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211384#comment-1648247 And they were alerted that it was stolen. And they were alerted that it was stolen.

]]> By: SomeGuyNamedMark http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/300-year-old-stolen-bible-reco.html#comment-1648154 SomeGuyNamedMark Wed, 06 Feb 2013 20:02:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211384#comment-1648154 Of all the ironic things to be uncharitable about this couple wasn't willing to return a stolen bible unless they got their cash. Of all the ironic things to be uncharitable about this couple wasn’t willing to return a stolen bible unless they got their cash.

]]> By: mkanoap http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/300-year-old-stolen-bible-reco.html#comment-1648143 mkanoap Wed, 06 Feb 2013 19:57:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211384#comment-1648143 For that matter as the receiver and seller of stolen goods, goodwill could refund the money to secure the bible; and maybe they would have had a better solution not presented itself. Good for the Fraternal Order of Police, who it could be said gave a $405 donation to the goodwill. For that matter as the receiver and seller of stolen goods, goodwill could refund the money to secure the bible; and maybe they would have had a better solution not presented itself. Good for the Fraternal Order of Police, who it could be said gave a $405 donation to the goodwill.

]]> By: mkanoap http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/300-year-old-stolen-bible-reco.html#comment-1648128 mkanoap Wed, 06 Feb 2013 19:46:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211384#comment-1648128 Someone found it in the trash, donated it and then goodwill sold it in good faith.  Who knows how many hands it passed through before it got to goodwill.  There has to be some cutoff point after which possession of stolen goods is no longer a problem.  Otherwise you could never safely accept dollar bill that didn't come straight off the presses.  And goodwill could accept nothing at all.  Now, if they asked for more than what they paid for it, that's a bit more churlish. edit: I meant to reply to TheOven, not EH. Someone found it in the trash, donated it and then goodwill sold it in good faith.  Who knows how many hands it passed through before it got to goodwill.  There has to be some cutoff point after which possession of stolen goods is no longer a problem.  Otherwise you could never safely accept dollar bill that didn’t come straight off the presses.  And goodwill could accept nothing at all.  Now, if they asked for more than what they paid for it, that’s a bit more churlish.
edit: I meant to reply to TheOven, not EH.

]]> By: EH http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/300-year-old-stolen-bible-reco.html#comment-1648054 EH Wed, 06 Feb 2013 19:05:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211384#comment-1648054 Conventionally, only if you knew it was stolen. Conventionally, only if you knew it was stolen.

]]> By: TheOven http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/300-year-old-stolen-bible-reco.html#comment-1648046 TheOven Wed, 06 Feb 2013 19:01:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211384#comment-1648046 Isn't hat considered Possession of Stolen Goods? Isn’t hat considered Possession of Stolen Goods?

]]> By: Cameron Postelwait http://boingboing.net/2013/02/06/300-year-old-stolen-bible-reco.html#comment-1648037 Cameron Postelwait Wed, 06 Feb 2013 18:56:00 +0000 http://boingboing.net/?p=211384#comment-1648037 the original thieves must've got to exodus 20:15 and then decided to be rid of it. the original thieves must’ve got to exodus 20:15 and then decided to be rid of it.

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