Can I report stolen video games to the police?

[Bezza27]

Here's the rundown. I'm 15. I have about 20 ps3 games. I'm in a more financially stable position than my mother(relatively based on my income and what i need against her income and what she needs). Now last week I went out with some friends and I came home and my mum had cleaned my room. I didn't think anything of it. Until today when I went to play on James bond bloodstone. I couldn't find it. I thought I may have left it at my dads
or a friends. But then a load of my other games are missing. My NBA 2K11. NBA jam. Avatar. Little big planet. I have reason to beleive my mother has stolen these and possibly sold them on(she has done it in the past with a bunch of old batman comics I got from my dad). Can I report this to the police? It's not the games that annoys me. It's the fact that it was my own mother.

 

[m.zajac]

Who purchased the games, and how would you prove it? The legal system has a lot of loopholes, not to mention they'd more than likely take her word over yours.

 

[jakko12345]

If you can't prove it, the police don't give a shit and won't help. but seriously, blood stone? awful game.

 

[Katherine Kerensky]

If it was your property, I am pretty sure you can report it as such. Stolen property.
Hell, it doesn't even need to be your own to be reported as stolen, if it is stolen in the first place.
However, I think you should try confronting your mother about it before getting the police involved.

 

[Lawllerskater]

No. You're 15. Go learn some freshman stuff.

 

[Mar451]

If you can prove that you payed for the games with your own money you can report it.

 

[2xDouble]

There's nothing stopping you from reporting it. Odds are you won't get a serious response though.

 

[AJM]

ask your mom and confront her if she did.

 

[Mysten]

Reporting your mother to the police for selling some of your games is a little cold. You should try talking to her and explaining that your games are your possessions and that she was overstepping a mark by selling them without your permission. If she is really in such financial trouble that she has to sell her own child's PS3 games to get by, then maybe you should be more concerned with that than the fact you lost a few games.

 

[Smooth Operator]

Well atleast she didn't take anything good

But seriously how about you talk to her about it, I'm pretty sure that would resolve things easier then legal prosecution.

 

[ultrachicken]

Why are you considering speaking to the police? Just confront your mom.

 

[DEAD34345]

You'd be much better actually confronting your mother about it... Imagine how awkward it would be if the police got involved and it turned out you had just misplaced them somewhere.

 

[Krion_Vark]

*SNIP*

Sadly no. Since she is your mother TECHNICALLY everything that you own is also hers because of your age. Unless since from your post I can tell that your parents are divorced. You can get your mom into A LOT of shit. And here is why. Since your parents are divorced and you have stuff at both your dad's and your mom's house. You can try and make the argument that she has no ownership over your things that are in your room because you go between the two houses and can bring anything you wish between the two. If you are able to make the argument of theft successfully:
1) Your mom will have to buy the games back for you.
2) She will go to jail for a bit of time for theft.
3) She can lose her custody of you so that you will not live with her anymore.
(the above CAN happen not necessarily will.)

 

[BGH122]

*SNIP*

Sadly no. Since she is your mother TECHNICALLY everything that you own is also hers because of your age. Unless since from your post I can tell that your parents are divorced. You can get your mom into A LOT of shit. And here is why. Since your parents are divorced and you have stuff at both your dad's and your mom's house. You can try and make the argument that she has no ownership over your things that are in your room because you go between the two houses and can bring anything you wish between the two. If you are able to make the argument of theft successfully:
1) Your mom will have to buy the games back for you.
2) She will go to jail for a bit of time for theft.
3) She can lose her custody of you so that you will not live with her anymore.
(the above CAN happen not necessarily will.)

Sadly this, however this is grounds to emancipate.

 

[Hero in a half shell]

You have a PS 3 and a large selection of games for it, and your mum is in a financial situation where she must steal your games to sell for a measly $10-20 to make ends meet. I think you need to sit down with your mother and have a chat about how you can help her pay the bills, this action is almost certainly an idication of a much bigger problem, don't feel angry at your mum, this isn't something any parent would do lightly.

 

[Lilani]

Who purchased the games, and how would you prove it? The legal system has a lot of loopholes, not to mention they'd more than likely take her word over yours.

Pretty much this. Your story may be 100% true, but if you can't prove it on paper, then there's not much the police can do.

*SNIP*

Sadly no. Since she is your mother TECHNICALLY everything that you own is also hers because of your age. Unless since from your post I can tell that your parents are divorced. You can get your mom into A LOT of shit. And here is why. Since your parents are divorced and you have stuff at both your dad's and your mom's house. You can try and make the argument that she has no ownership over your things that are in your room because you go between the two houses and can bring anything you wish between the two. If you are able to make the argument of theft successfully:
1) Your mom will have to buy the games back for you.
2) She will go to jail for a bit of time for theft.
3) She can lose her custody of you so that you will not live with her anymore.
(the above CAN happen not necessarily will.)

Are you sure of this? I mean, sure he's a minor and a dependent of his mother, but if he can prove through receipts that HE purchased the games with HIS money, surely something can be done?

 

[Krion_Vark]

Who purchased the games, and how would you prove it? The legal system has a lot of loopholes, not to mention they'd more than likely take her word over yours.

Pretty much this. Your story may be 100% true, but if you can't prove it on paper, then there's not much the police can do.

*SNIP*

Sadly no. Since she is your mother TECHNICALLY everything that you own is also hers because of your age. Unless since from your post I can tell that your parents are divorced. You can get your mom into A LOT of shit. And here is why. Since your parents are divorced and you have stuff at both your dad's and your mom's house. You can try and make the argument that she has no ownership over your things that are in your room because you go between the two houses and can bring anything you wish between the two. If you are able to make the argument of theft successfully:
1) Your mom will have to buy the games back for you.
2) She will go to jail for a bit of time for theft.
3) She can lose her custody of you so that you will not live with her anymore.
(the above CAN happen not necessarily will.)

Are you sure of this? I mean, sure he's a minor and a dependent of his mother, but if he can prove through receipts that HE purchased the games with HIS money, surely something can be done?

That's the problem entirely is that he IS a minor. He can't work unless he gets a special work permit. The money he has is technically his parents that's why trust funds usually kick in at 18 when you are no longer under your parents dominion. I would kind of like to know how he got his money.

 

[Lilani]

That's the problem entirely is that he IS a minor. He can't work unless he gets a special work permit. The money he has is technically his parents that's why trust funds usually kick in at 18 when you are no longer under your parents dominion. I would kind of like to know how he got his money.

He said in the original post that his form of income was more stable than his mom's, which would explain why he's got a PS3 and several games for it while his mom feels the need to steal said games and sell them for money. So if that's the main discrepancy, I think he's got a chance as long as he's got the paperwork in order. It's always worth trying, anyway.