I had just walked out of the courthouse and when I got to my car, the phone started ringing. When I looked at the area code, I just saw 310 and assumed it was Star. I had been trying to get a hold of her the last few days and it goes right to voice mail and says that's it's full.
But much to my surprise it was a mans voice and he was asking me if I knew a John xxxx. I said I didn't know a John xxxx, but I did know a Dave xxxx. He said that his legal name was John, but he uses the name Dave.
Anyway, the detective got right down to the point, asking me if I made a threatening call to him (Dave) on January 22. One thing I learned about dealing with the police, and that is to tell them the truth. It gets them on your side when they find out you're not lying to them and can only help you not hurt you....unless you committed murder of course. I told him I had made the call because he had stolen my laptop and I was pretty pissed about him lying to me that he didn't have it.
Well, he tells me that Dave filed a complaint against me and he was investigating what happened. I went over all the details and leaving out nothing. I told him I had shipped the laptop via FedEx during the 1st week in January to Star and he was in Florida visiting his parents. After he had returned, Star went out to do the laundry on a Friday night and got put in jail that night. After she had made two collect calls from me which went to voice mail, I had to assume it was her and I called Dave the next day to see if he had seen her. He told me that the last time he saw her was Friday night and she was going out to do the laundry. I wound up calling the police station and found out that it was her who had called and there was a $20,000 bail for commercial burglary and a $50,000 bail for her outstanding Barstow warrant for FTA.
I then called back Dave to confirm it was her in jail, and we both seemed to feel that she wasn't getting out anytime soon or if she did, they would ship her to Barstow. So Dave decided that I probably would want my laptop back and he would ship it to me. I told him either he could do that, or I could have someone from our L.A. office stop by and pick it up one day.
On the Thursday before Star got arrested, I had mailed her a new debit card for her SSI account where I am the payee. I also enclosed $13 cash which was change from the $80 I took out of her account for her truck insurance. For some reason, it didn't get up to L.A. by Friday, and didn't get there until Saturday where Dave got it in the mail.
The next time I spoke to Dave, he basically told me he was going to hold my laptop "hostage" because Star owed him money. I told him that I didn't owe him anything, but he felt because I handled her money, that he could get paid back. I told me to send back the envelope that I had sent Star and to send me a list of what he felt she owed him and we'd work something out. 1 Day, 2 days, 3 days passed and I never received the envelope. I had already changed the PIN so he couldn't take out any money.
well now I find out that Star is getting out, and I call to tell him the news. He starts screaming at me that he wants nothing to do with her and he's putting all her things outside including my laptop. I told him that he wasn't being fair to her and he better not do any such thing with my laptop. I don't know why he was pissed at me and after he hung up on me I called him back. I really was starting to get pissed and I really wanted the laptop back in my possession.
Days later, I spoke to Star and I told her she better talk to Dave and get my laptop back. So now the detective cuts in and wants to know my relationship with Sharlene, Dave's relationship with Sharlene, and how long we've both known her. I told him that I knew her about 3 years and Dave might have known her about 6 years and she once lived with him in Vista or Oceanside. I just told him we were both friends with her.
He then wanted to know if I ever lived in the L.A. area. I told him I had lived in Northridge, Beverly Hills, Long Beach and then back to the valley to Woodland Hills before moving to Vegas for a few years, and then down to Del Mar before moving to Vista for the last 12 years. I thought it was the right time to throw in a few names of L.A. detectives that I knew at Administrative Vice, but he didn't seem to know who I knew. Oh well....nice try.
I then proceeded to tell him about my trip to L.A. to visit Dave and try to get my laptop back. I told him that I picked up Star at her current residence and travel about 2 miles to Dave's house..or should I say rental. On the way over there, I told her I wanted to call the police and have them meet us there so she could recover her belongings with them looking on. I told them when we got to the house, Star told me to drive around to the alley way to see if Dave had really put her belongings out by the garage in back. Well sure enough when we got to the back....Dave was good to his word and he piled up her belongings in plastic garbage bags and left them out there in the pouring rain for three days or more. Also out there was Stars broken laptop which is what Dave claims he was going to send me. Now why in the world would I want Star's broken Compac laptop when I had an almost new Gateway 17.3" screen, Blue Ray with all kinds of memory and storage? So I told him we loaded everything up in my car and drove around to the front of his house so I could confront Dave.
To our surprise, Dave came to the door even though in an email to Star the night before he said he wouldn't open the door and would call the police if we showed up. So, I told him that I asked Dave for my laptop. He said he didn't know what I was talking about. I asked him if he didn't know what I was talking about, why did he he offer to send it back to me when we found out Star was in jail? He told me he thought I was talking about Stars laptop. I asked him why in the world would I want a broken laptop when I had one that was almost new? I told him this went on for a few minutes before Dave closed the door. I told him I knew it would be worthless banging on the door as he probably wouldn't open it again.
I then told him we discussed calling the police but Star thought it would take too long for them to get there and I was pressed for time to get back to San Diego. I then drove her back to her place to unload all her belongings. What a joke that he left them out there in the rain. After that, I started driving back to San Diego. I left out the part where I went upstairs for a BJ.
Anyway, he told me that after he spoke to Dave....he hadn't yet.....that he would present whatever his finding were to the DA and they would either press charges or let it drop. I'm sure they'll let it drop.
I told the detective that I had my receipt from Fry's and it had the serial number on the receipt to show it was mine. I also let it "slip" that Dave had at least 4 warrants out for him for driving without a license. Now here's the good part about telling the truth and getting the detective on MY side. He told me if that were true, and he gain access to his house, not only would he be arrested, but if the laptop was in his house, he would get it back for me. I told him that I would fax him the receipt if he needed proof that it was mine. He told me that he believed me and if he needed it, I could fax it to him at a later date.
Knowing that he would only find out later...knowing Dave would save them..I told him I sent Dave some derogatory emails suggesting I was going to send some friend to his home to visit him. I never mentioned what I was sending them there for. I told him I was planning on going to small claims court to try and regain my property or at least a cash settlement. I now have proof that the laptop was sent to his address because since I had charge the FedEx to my companies account, they have a record of when it was sent and where it was sent. I'll have that receipt tomorrow.
I'd still rather see this guys head busted open because I'm an old school type of guy and I hate someone lying to me. But I guess I'll have to change with the times and do this thing legally. Rats!
But much to my surprise it was a mans voice and he was asking me if I knew a John xxxx. I said I didn't know a John xxxx, but I did know a Dave xxxx. He said that his legal name was John, but he uses the name Dave.
Anyway, the detective got right down to the point, asking me if I made a threatening call to him (Dave) on January 22. One thing I learned about dealing with the police, and that is to tell them the truth. It gets them on your side when they find out you're not lying to them and can only help you not hurt you....unless you committed murder of course. I told him I had made the call because he had stolen my laptop and I was pretty pissed about him lying to me that he didn't have it.
Well, he tells me that Dave filed a complaint against me and he was investigating what happened. I went over all the details and leaving out nothing. I told him I had shipped the laptop via FedEx during the 1st week in January to Star and he was in Florida visiting his parents. After he had returned, Star went out to do the laundry on a Friday night and got put in jail that night. After she had made two collect calls from me which went to voice mail, I had to assume it was her and I called Dave the next day to see if he had seen her. He told me that the last time he saw her was Friday night and she was going out to do the laundry. I wound up calling the police station and found out that it was her who had called and there was a $20,000 bail for commercial burglary and a $50,000 bail for her outstanding Barstow warrant for FTA.
I then called back Dave to confirm it was her in jail, and we both seemed to feel that she wasn't getting out anytime soon or if she did, they would ship her to Barstow. So Dave decided that I probably would want my laptop back and he would ship it to me. I told him either he could do that, or I could have someone from our L.A. office stop by and pick it up one day.
On the Thursday before Star got arrested, I had mailed her a new debit card for her SSI account where I am the payee. I also enclosed $13 cash which was change from the $80 I took out of her account for her truck insurance. For some reason, it didn't get up to L.A. by Friday, and didn't get there until Saturday where Dave got it in the mail.
The next time I spoke to Dave, he basically told me he was going to hold my laptop "hostage" because Star owed him money. I told him that I didn't owe him anything, but he felt because I handled her money, that he could get paid back. I told me to send back the envelope that I had sent Star and to send me a list of what he felt she owed him and we'd work something out. 1 Day, 2 days, 3 days passed and I never received the envelope. I had already changed the PIN so he couldn't take out any money.
well now I find out that Star is getting out, and I call to tell him the news. He starts screaming at me that he wants nothing to do with her and he's putting all her things outside including my laptop. I told him that he wasn't being fair to her and he better not do any such thing with my laptop. I don't know why he was pissed at me and after he hung up on me I called him back. I really was starting to get pissed and I really wanted the laptop back in my possession.
Days later, I spoke to Star and I told her she better talk to Dave and get my laptop back. So now the detective cuts in and wants to know my relationship with Sharlene, Dave's relationship with Sharlene, and how long we've both known her. I told him that I knew her about 3 years and Dave might have known her about 6 years and she once lived with him in Vista or Oceanside. I just told him we were both friends with her.
He then wanted to know if I ever lived in the L.A. area. I told him I had lived in Northridge, Beverly Hills, Long Beach and then back to the valley to Woodland Hills before moving to Vegas for a few years, and then down to Del Mar before moving to Vista for the last 12 years. I thought it was the right time to throw in a few names of L.A. detectives that I knew at Administrative Vice, but he didn't seem to know who I knew. Oh well....nice try.
I then proceeded to tell him about my trip to L.A. to visit Dave and try to get my laptop back. I told him that I picked up Star at her current residence and travel about 2 miles to Dave's house..or should I say rental. On the way over there, I told her I wanted to call the police and have them meet us there so she could recover her belongings with them looking on. I told them when we got to the house, Star told me to drive around to the alley way to see if Dave had really put her belongings out by the garage in back. Well sure enough when we got to the back....Dave was good to his word and he piled up her belongings in plastic garbage bags and left them out there in the pouring rain for three days or more. Also out there was Stars broken laptop which is what Dave claims he was going to send me. Now why in the world would I want Star's broken Compac laptop when I had an almost new Gateway 17.3" screen, Blue Ray with all kinds of memory and storage? So I told him we loaded everything up in my car and drove around to the front of his house so I could confront Dave.
To our surprise, Dave came to the door even though in an email to Star the night before he said he wouldn't open the door and would call the police if we showed up. So, I told him that I asked Dave for my laptop. He said he didn't know what I was talking about. I asked him if he didn't know what I was talking about, why did he he offer to send it back to me when we found out Star was in jail? He told me he thought I was talking about Stars laptop. I asked him why in the world would I want a broken laptop when I had one that was almost new? I told him this went on for a few minutes before Dave closed the door. I told him I knew it would be worthless banging on the door as he probably wouldn't open it again.
I then told him we discussed calling the police but Star thought it would take too long for them to get there and I was pressed for time to get back to San Diego. I then drove her back to her place to unload all her belongings. What a joke that he left them out there in the rain. After that, I started driving back to San Diego. I left out the part where I went upstairs for a BJ.
Anyway, he told me that after he spoke to Dave....he hadn't yet.....that he would present whatever his finding were to the DA and they would either press charges or let it drop. I'm sure they'll let it drop.
I told the detective that I had my receipt from Fry's and it had the serial number on the receipt to show it was mine. I also let it "slip" that Dave had at least 4 warrants out for him for driving without a license. Now here's the good part about telling the truth and getting the detective on MY side. He told me if that were true, and he gain access to his house, not only would he be arrested, but if the laptop was in his house, he would get it back for me. I told him that I would fax him the receipt if he needed proof that it was mine. He told me that he believed me and if he needed it, I could fax it to him at a later date.
Knowing that he would only find out later...knowing Dave would save them..I told him I sent Dave some derogatory emails suggesting I was going to send some friend to his home to visit him. I never mentioned what I was sending them there for. I told him I was planning on going to small claims court to try and regain my property or at least a cash settlement. I now have proof that the laptop was sent to his address because since I had charge the FedEx to my companies account, they have a record of when it was sent and where it was sent. I'll have that receipt tomorrow.
I'd still rather see this guys head busted open because I'm an old school type of guy and I hate someone lying to me. But I guess I'll have to change with the times and do this thing legally. Rats!
