abandoned fly fishing gear

[rainbowchaser]

I talked yesterday to a guy about buying a large lot of tying material. He also has a number of fly rods to sell. My problem is that he says that these items were left behind by his sisters ex-boyfriend. I didn't ask about the circumstances of his departure. I can make some money reselling these items at the price he is asking but I'm not real sure about his right to sell them. I don't want to rob anyone and I really don't want some big mean sucker coming to get his stuff back. What do you think?

[Dave E]

I'd pass. What goes around, comes around. Bad Mojo attached to selling off another living mans toys without his knowledge. A few bucks today isn't worth the headache tomorrow might bring and I'm not sure I'd put my full faith into the sellers explanation about the circumstances of the boyfriends departure.

A quarter century of running fly shops, I could tell you a month of stories about gear that was brought in, with a sad / bad story attached to it.

You've got 98 cents in change coming. Dave

[clearwater]

Your profit won't equal the "crap storm" you may be involved with.
Do the right thing here and pass........

[dr korn]

Your profit won't equal the "crap storm" you may be involved with.
Do the right thing here and pass........

+1, Do the right thing.....

[Prairieschooner]

Crap storm or not, if it ain't yours, don't sell it. JMO.

[narcodog]

You know if this is something that just occurred then that is bad. She would have no legal right to sell the stuff. If it has been a year or so and there has been no contact well, I would say no problem. But I would try to contact him and see what he has to say. He may not want the stuff any longer, then you are free to get rid of it. Of course he may want it back and for your effort to contact him he may share some of it with you.

[jeffnles1]

I think I'd just pass. Similar thing happened to a friend of mine with some guitar equipment. The ex girlfriend sold a couple Fender Strats, an amp and some pedals cheap. The guy bought it for a pretty decent price. A few weeks later, he got a call from the police about stolen property. Ended up OK. He got his money back and the guy got his guitars back but it could have tunrned ugly quick.

Jeff

[rainbowchaser]

Thanks guys. I'm going to ask for more information but unless she's been sitting on this stuff for a year or something without hearing from him I think I'm going to pass on this.

[DaleW]

If I've ever learned anything in this lifetime it is not to become associated, entangled, involved with the estrangement goings on with a couple. Unless, of course, you like pain.

[WarrenP]

Hey rainbowchaser,

Just remember that the fly fishing gear used to belong to another guy and so did your friend's daugther and if you take the gear you may be obligated to take the daugther too!!! : )