Legal Question in Real Estate Law in Texas
I live in texas, my GPS was stolen from my truck on Wednesday night. I filed a police report and gave them my serial number on Thursday morning. The GPS was pawned on Friday and the police told me that I would have to buy it back from the pawnshop, for the price that they paid out. Please tell me that is not the law in Texas. If that is the case, then the police are telling me to go buy stolen property and the pawnshop is knowingly selling stolen property. I am going to pay the pawnshop to get back my GPS, because it is not worth the hassle. Not really seeking advice, but would like to know if that is indeed a law in Texas.
1 Answer from Attorneys
Wow! - I am an Austin Divorce Attorney.
No you do not have to pay to get your property back.
On one hand we want pawn shop owners to go to the police and report suspected stolen property and if you pay the pawn shop owner she/he will have an incentive to continue to report to the police.
On the other hand, you are the victim of theft, and it is your GPS so why should you have to pay for it.
The GPS unit is yours, the civil cause of action against the pawn shop is "conversion", which is similar to "trespass", but for personal property rather than real property.
Good Luck!
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