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What would you do if...you bought a doll that had been stolen?

Jun 7, 2011

    1. I'd return the doll to the owner and hopefully we both go after the seller for damages. No thought required here.

      I'm an honest person, I like to believe most people here are honest as well.

      Besides getting in trouble with the law, you also risk being shunned and possibly banned from the community if it ever came to light you were knowingly holding someone's stolen doll.
       
    2. Do unto others as you would them do unto you. Enough said.

      If I bought a doll and found out it was stolen, I would return it just as I would wish, if someone bought my stolen doll, that they would to return it to me. Sure, I might be out hundreds of dollars, and that would seriously suck, and it's true, money does makes the world go round, but it just money. With time it can be earned back. The joy that someone else will feel getting back something dear to them that they thought would be lost forever, there is no price tag for that.

      Life is harsh man, there is no getting out of that. Happy ending for most situations are few and there is always going to be somebody out there willing to make a buck off of someone else's hard work and misery. I refuse to be one of them. I am a much better person then that. There is no such thing as fair in life, but that is why we have all the more reason to be honest and kind and fair to others, even if we ourselves end up holding the joker.

      (steps down from her soap box and run for cover)
       
    3. You know... I'd wanna make pretty sure that the 'original owner' wasn't someone working with the seller as a scam? They get the money, someone contacts you to say the doll is theirs, with initials conveniently placed in the headcap, and appeal to your good nature to send the doll back to them? So they get your money AND the doll back?! Cynical, maybe, and of course there are situations where you would know in your gut that the original owner was telling the truth, but there is no way I'd return the doll without police involvement, no exceptions.

      I think this topic is a good reminder to always check seller feedback before making a purchase that is worth more than you can afford to lose...
       
    4. I've had very expensive items stolen from me before - from my home while I was asleep no less - and if someone had the gall to try and resell it to me at some kind of 'discounted' price I'd send the cops after them. No joke.

      Yeah it might suck that you got scammed with stolen goods. But damnit, too many shitty things happen with people keeping their mouths closed just to keep things comfortable for themselves while nursing their guilt. Legally you have a foot to stand on if you report it and go through the authoritiess, but most of all, it's the morally right thing to do and you'll be able to sleep well knowing you did the right thing. My god, I'm not even sure why this is a thread topic, but I guess others' moral compasses don't all point the same way.
       
    5. What would you do if you found out the doll you just bought had been stolen from someone else?

      If someone... or if I... bought a doll I found out to be stolen, I'd have to tell. Otherwise I'd knowingly be participating in the theft! I'd know I had someone else's stolen doll and keeping it quiet would be just the same as having stolen it. Yeah... I paid money for it--but it was stolen... and I didn't know it, but NOW I do, so... gotta just fess up to it. It wasn't my fault at all, but I have to do the right thing.

      Put yourself in the other's position:
      What if your doll was stolen and someone else bought it and learned it was stolen and just kept quiet?

      I'd feel like that other person was just as bad as the thief in a way!

      How the money is resolved... well--both have to go after the seller of the doll! And if that seller got it from someone else, then they have to go after THAT person for the money. It's a lot of bother, but hopefully the original thief will be caught and pay people back. And that way, everything will be made right.

      ----------------

      There's no good way to check for "provenance" with these dolls, but I really like to know where my dolls came from and always try to find out when buying on the Marketplace. Usually people on DoA know where they got their dolls from and will tell you. On ebay, it's harder, but there are still things you can do to be safer... Yeah, it's nice to get a super-bargain, but sometimes there really is truth in the saying that you get what you pay for... Most people who steal and then sell dolls don't know what they have and will sell cheap... Most of the time there are signs that you might be getting something that is a bit suspicious...
       
    6. I would contact the original owner right away!! and try to get my money back by contacting paypal (because I do not want to lose about 500$ y'know. we're not rich... ) I could not look at the doll without feeling like I stole it if if I just kept quiet after finding out it was a stolen doll and its owner is looking for it!
      I would also report the thieft and keep his/her adress. normally, he should live in the area of the doll's owner. so if the owner wants to visit him/her....... >)
       
    7. Well, this is an illuminating thread O.o

      For me, there's no question. No matter what money I'd spent, the doll would go back to its original owner. Of course I would try to recover the money I'd spent, and definitely try to get the thief arrested, but even if that didn't work out, the doll would be returned from whom it had been stolen. To me, that's just the decent thing to do.
       
    8. I'd feel generally awful over something like this. If I'd bought a dream doll, (which technically every doll I want qualifies as) I'd be completely torn between loving the doll, wanting to help the original owner (out of sympathy) and wanting my hard earned money back or else.

      I'd make sure that the previous owner was put in touch with the seller, and if I could facilitate that in any way, then I'd do everything in my power to do so- I'd also hope that some sort of agreement could be reached where everyone gets back what was originally theirs, and we can all go away happy. (That's utterly naive however.)

      bother- this will teach me to read threads properly before posting! I actually really regret posting in here at all, since there seems to be a bit of judgement going on as to what other memeber's morals are. If you actually aim to judge someone on a hypothetical situation, I think that's a bit of a precarious position (and by 'you' I mean generally speaking.) You don't know what someone else's moral compass is like, and honestly, I don't think any of us are qualified to judge. We can only hope that we ourselves never have to deal with such an awful situation, and if we did, maybe people will be honest and maybe they won't- but we as a community do not have the right to accuse others of lacking morals based on something they never did... that's just my opinion (I'll run and hide before I'm flamed to death yet again -__-)
       
    9. I'm all for tolerance, and there are many situations that have a lot of gray area. However, that doesn't mean that there aren't situations with an obvious moral right and wrong. I can't think of one acceptable reason why it would be deemed okay to keep a doll that did not belong to you, or to demand money from the original owner who was not responsible for you (general you) buying stolen goods. Hypothetical or not, if someone states that they will do this or that should the situation arise, then they are opening themselves to comments from others. Of all the issues to come up, this one is pretty cut and dry.

      To never take a stand on an issue because that would be judgmental, does not make one a better person -- it's the kind of attitude that causes problems, because it allows bad things to keep on happening as there are then no repercussions for the behavior. What if it were your doll that was stolen? How would you feel if someone chose to keep it or demanded you pay for it (again)? Wouldn't you want the community to speak out against behavior that can potentially harm it's members?
       
    10. Agreeing with linakouno here. If you're an honest person there's only one thing you can do: Contact the original owner, go to the authorities together and give them the doll and all other evidence they'd need. And when all is over, the original owner will get her doll back.

      Yes, that would be generous, but you can't legally force anyone to give you a finder's fee. In this situation, you shouldn't be angry at the rightful owner, but at the one who took your money. The owner is as much a victim as you are.

      Loosing hundreds of dollars sucks, yes, but it's only money. I'd rather be proud of myself because I stood up for something, then to bath in luxury that doesn't belong to me. Wouldn't you?
       
    11. same here!


      edit: I find it interesting how a lot of people mention the law.
      in a case like this, if I was not a honnest person I couldn't care less about the law. how could anyone really know you got a stolen doll? unless it has a very specific and noticeable modification (like a gore mod for exemple) no one could really tell. especially if you don't post pictures of the doll online. the police won't inspect everyone with a doll to see if they find (ex:) the name of the original owner carved in the head cap...
       
    12. This is very educational and also confirms my resolve never to go to a doll meet! While the vast majority of people on DOA are lovely I've just learnt from this thread that some members here seem to think receiving stolen goods and extorting money out of the victims of crime are, you know, OK. I don't see the moral grey area here and it really worries me that some of you do!
       
    13. I'm with Vonbonbon (only I'm lucky enough to be actual friends with the doll community up where I live)
      It has totally changed my mind about big conventions though. I wont be going to them as I've read most of the stolen dolls seem to be stolen at them.
      Extortion is NEVER the way to go. If I found out I had unintentionally bought someones stolen doll of COURSE I would return them (probably with a little "welcome your girl/boy back home." card and everything.) I would be out of money, sure, but it's wrong to keep the doll. No other way about it. It's wrong. Of course it's no ones fault you (addressing hypothetical victim) bought a stolen doll but keeping it would be when it turned into your fault.
       
    14. You can always replace the money, you can not replace your integrity. If you received a stolen doll, discovered it was stolen, and, God forbid, the original owner finds out and you did NOT contact them, then you have lost every shred of integrity you could possibly have in this doll community. It will follow you around like a storm cloud. Your name will be on EVERY doll board and you'll find yourself very quickly without any friends, without any allies. You will be unwelcome at local doll meets and no one will do business with you.

      Is all of that worth it for a stolen doll? The answer is no.
       
    15. I would return the doll no question. I have only purchased one doll used and thank the powers that be the seller was a wonderful person and the whole thing was done with lots of research and care for the both of us. But should I down the road purchase something and find it was stolen I would return the doll to the original owner and contact the police.

      As I do not buy anything more costly then used eyes or wigs internationally I would hope to not have to worry about the owner being in another country and unable to have the police assist them. If that was the case I would help them research the ownership laws in their country and see what we could to do help us both. Once the doll has been shipped back to the owner and they have their property in hand, then they will be able to prove the item was stolen and so help me in pressing charges against the thief. Though even if they do not offer to help you press charges, if you keep the paypal info and the shipping address, pay with a credit card, and keep you information all together the police should be able to help you get your money back if not catch the person who sold you the stolen item. I have had my credit card stolen before and the companies have policies for getting your cash back to you. I think worrying about being out the cash is the least difficult part of all this. Just think, if you don't go after the person, the next doll they take could be one of yours. After all they have your address and have some idea of the types of dolls your interested in.

      Finally I think the biggest heartbreak is if you have bonded with the doll. Obviously the owner loves their doll or they would not be looking to get it back, though if you really love it you COULD try offering to buy it off of the owner, though it would most likely just be insulting and make them angry. If you live close enough to the original owner maybe you could arrange to meet up every now and then or get their help in locating a similar doll. I know if someone returned one of my babies to me I would be more then happy to have them play with them every now and then. The would have proven they are trustworthy by returning the doll to me. If the owner wants nothing to do with you and takes the doll back without a word of thanks just think how they are feeling. They probably want to put the whole thing behind them after all. Its a horrible situation, but the biggest thing to remember is that you are not alone in your heartbreak. Someone else knows exactly what it is like to lose that doll, and at least you have the warm fuzzy feeling of knowing you helped them feel better and gave their story a happy ending.
       
    16. Well said, Taco. This faux nonjudgmentalism described here has cropped up in other threads, as well. But tolerance and being nonjudgmental simply don't apply when it comes to breaking laws. I'll be nonjudgmental about the way you live your life-- absolutely! As long as your choices don't hurt another person. And this is in all arenas-- civic, sexual, etc. But once you do hurt someone else I'm not going to look the other way, because doing so actually makes things worse in the long run. And if I let you get away with it, I'm guilty, too. That's why the law says you can't hold onto stolen goods once you realize they are stolen. By keeping them, you are essentially taking part in the theft, after the fact.

      We all choose to live in societies governed by law. When we do so, we don't get to choose the laws we will and will not obey-- not without consequences, anyway. And to call someone who breaks the law a lawbreaker isn't a judgment, it's a statement of fact. It seems quite a few people are willing to obey the law, when it suits them to do so. But if obeying the law is only about convenience, what happens when a broken law affects someone who looks the other way when another person is affected? Will that person be as "nonjudgmental" then?
       
    17. Having read stories about dolls being stolen, I have wondered to myself how I might handle myself if I came into the posession of a doll that is known and proven to be stolen. After going back and forth between moral questions vs what's "right", "wrong" and everything inbetween, the fact is that as much as dolls feel like these magical special soulful creatures in our lives, at the end of the day they are still property, and ANY stolen property HAS to be reported to the police. If annnnnyone with a mind to do me harm found out I had a stolen doll and knew it they could get me arrested! And if the item is over $500 it's a felony! Regardless how I felt about my own right to a doll I paid for, my feelings of self-preservation would certainly take over. It would be a nightmare dealing with police and suing the theif that sold it to me but far better than having a criminal record, that will literally ruin your life forever!
       
    18. Depending how I like the doll I will

      1. If I don't like the doll that much I will pm the owner back and make an arrangement with her/him so I won't loose my money and ill give an opportunity to the ew owner to get the doll back. Its sad but there no way ill loose that much money to someone I don't know personally even if he have been stolen. Its not my fault.

      2. If I really like the doll there is no need to pm the ex owner back, its will just sound like I laugh at him/her. I paid for that doll even if its a stolen one.
      But again having a stolen doll kinda turn me off so ill probably end not liking the doll enough to keep it.

      Either way I will report the seller after making sure the doll is safe with me and depending if the person is from my country ill probably involve police.


      I don't think keeping the doll is being on the thief side, because except if you know when buying the doll that she is stolen you are 100% innocent. You paid for it, thats it. I'm sorry but i'm not rich and i've earn that money by working very hard. But if the ex owner pm me and ask to pay back for the doll because he have a lot of interest in that doll and he liked her very much I will sure think a lot about it and at 99% sold the doll back to him/her.

      Edit again to add that if one of my doll were to be stolen and someone was offering me to give me back the doll, if I really like my doll that much I will pay to get her back.

      Edit again again. I'm reading all those other opinions and i'm kinda thinking that if its illegal I have no choice of returning the doll back but is there a way someone who bought a stole object can get "refund" by the thief?
       

    19. Wow. Just... wow.
       
    20. You don't like my point of view? Nothing better to add?