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Stolen Meteorite
Dear Michael,
Earlier you commented about reimbursement for the meteorite from the
legal owners setting a precident which would influence action in the
future. I hope I inferred wrongly an implication that if they did not
refund your purchase price, you - and perhaps others, in the future
would NOT report such transactions & see the material is returned to the
leagal owners.
I am certain an unwitting "receiver of stollen goods" has no legal
right to compensation from the legal owner. One could legally pursue
reimbursment from the thief, only.
How would YOU feel if someone stole one of your $1,000 specimens at a
show & sold it to me for $750? Would you want to - or feel in any way
OBLIGATED to pay me $750 for its return?
Let us hope such thefts are so very rare that we, as dealers, (and more
rarely, collectors) very rarely have to deal with such circumstances.
HOWEVER, when we do, we cannot demand or expect compensation from the
original victime of the crime. We, too, must "take our lumps," hoping
only for the possibility of compensation from the thief, NOT the
original victime.
To imply their would be failure to report future thefts on the basis
of a lack of full compensation would be a statement of intent to engage
in an equally illigal & immoral act - to willingly be a "receiver of
stollen goods."
Please tell me (and any potential thieves) I missinterpreted your
earlier statement.
(Good going on busting these suckers!)
Best wishes, Michael
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