Stolen Macbook Pro Being Sold on PhilMUG!
By Rico, 11:11 am Tue Mar 17 2009 - Featured, News, Tips & Tricks - 1 Opinion
Unfortunately, this isn’t the stolen Macbook Pro of Marco Palinar. To make a long story short: Marc Macalua’s Macbook Pro was stolen last year. Mr. Macalua posted an announcement on local Mac user group PhilMUG, telling people to look out for the serial number of his stolen laptop.
Forward a few months later, and Marc encounters someone selling his stolen Macbook Pro—right on PhilMUG! (The item also appeared on Sulit) As of this writing, Marc is working on getting the gadget back. Further details to follow, once I’m sure additional information won’t hinder the attempt to track down the thief.
To be clear, I don’t think the person selling it now on PhilMUG (user djwoblely) actually stole the laptop from Marc. In any case, here’s what he had to say:
Okay, [Marc] has contacted me via cell. and we talked. i purchased the item second hand so please stop the accusations. I really do not know what I can do now since i bought the laptop on tipidpc. I would like any advice because i do not want to be down the 70k or so i paid for it plus the upgrades. What are my legal options? this really sucks. I feel bad for the owner but I’m also in a bind.
What can we learn from this?
- Check the serial number before buying anything. After his Macbook Pro was stolen, Marc posted its serial number online, asking people to watch out for it. Before buying anything, try to see if the serial number belongs to a gadget reported as stolen. If the original owner catches you using or selling his or her laptop, you could be held liable under the Anti-Fencing Law. PhilMUG does a great job of requiring that users post serial numbers when selling anything on the forum.
- Keep all documentation from your purchase. Obviously, it’s important to prove that you own a stolen gadget while trying to recover it. Marc found his stolen Macbook Pro—and can prove ownership—because of the purchase order he filed away. It clearly lists the unit’s serial number.
- Keep old seller contact numbers. Let’s say you buy a laptop from a total stranger, finding him through a for-sale site online. What if the laptop you bought turns out to be stolen? It will be easier to clear your name if you can lead the authorities to the thief. The first step is to contact the party that originally sold you the laptop.
Ryan Soriano Does Not Return Stolen Macbook Pro, Betrays Trust
12:12 am Tue Jul 28 2009
[...] couple of weeks ago, Marc Macalua saw someone selling his stolen Macbook Pro on PhilMUG and various for-sale sites. After pointing this out to the poster, user djwoblely, who was [...]