Hot tractors?

Been wandering on something for a while.

Is there some kind of an on line database for stolen tractors? I have heard of people buy'n a tractor and keeping it for 20 years only to trade it in and find out it was hot.

Is there any way to check numbers on that deal that is just too good to be true?

Dave

A lot of states keep a 'hot sheet' of various items of stolen property. Safe bet if it looks to good to be true, take the sn to the sheriff and have him run the hot sheet. But.... realistically, how many people do check the sn
s? Even on financed equipment most bankers dont even check for leins much less stolen.

Thank you much. I was think'n of going by the court house, but was just wandering if there was anything on line or a hot line people could call.

Going to look at what looks in the paper and sounds on the phone to be a too good to be true deal. I will need to go to the bank and move some money if I get it and the courthouse is across the street. May just stop in and ask about it, with the numbers. Thank you much.

Dave

The only problem with going to the courthouse or sheriffs office would be that if it WAS to come back stolen then that would put you in a predictiment. Because then , if it's listed as stolen and you're asking about it then the courthouse or the sheriffs people is going to be asking you questions about were you got the numbers ,what you know about it , etc. And if you refuse to tell them , then they could probably arrest you for hindering justice / withholding information, etc. and if you told then they would go after the guy selling it to you and then he'd be mad at you for telling the law on him and he's liable to try to get revenge on you ,etc. And if he's bought it honestly from someone else like you were going to do , then he'd have to tell or the same thing / consequences would apply to him and they (the law ) would keep taceing it back till they finally find out who originally had it and were/ how they got it , or came into possession of it. And then when they started talking then you'd have a bunch of people mad at you . And the more people involved the worst it would be. In other words , it would set off a chain reaction of mad people. Yes , you could do the anoumous informative routine , but they'd have an idea that it was you because of the timing of it , as in guy tries to sell it to you , you get numbers to go to the bank to get a loan and the next thing the seller knows here comes the law and arrests them ( seller ) for posseesion of stolen property and everything was fine until you came to try and buy it and get numbers off item to go and try and get a loan and now here comes the law at that particular time after you leave with the numbers and everything had been fine up until then. When you buy something , especially from a stranger and even more especially if its something valuable and really, really especially if it's something that would really interest / tempt a thief , ALWAYS and I mean always get a signed reciept , canceled check , money order , etc. or someway of verifying that you bought it honestly ( or you thought it was honest ) and keep up with it even if you sell the item and it does come back as stolen in the future on down the line then it can be traced back to you and if you keep the reciepts then you have proof of your story or it's your word against someone elses . Take someone reputable with you as a witness. Also be on the alert if the seller says cash only and / or refuses to give you a reciept or even if they won't let you take the numbers off of the item , even if it's supposedly to go to the bank for a loan. Last but not least - ALWAYS BE AWARE IF THE DEAL SOUNDS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE ,THEN IT PROBABLY IS . Such as a brand new 2009 model $15,000.00 mint condition car being sold for $100.00 with no strings attached . While there's a small chance that it could be legitimate , if it sounds to good to be true then it probably is !!!!!

All the reasons you gave are why I was wandering if there was some online data base or a national hotline where you could check the numbers. I know there is a list some where, nighbor had a 8600 ford stolen about 15 years ago and parts were found 3 hours away 5 years later.

Thank you for your time.

Dave

I would love to have a database like what you are talking about.
But have all type of equipment on there, 4 wheelers, tractors, implements, boats, snowmobiles, air compressors, etc.
There is a whole racket out there that rips off equipment, changes serial #s and then sells it for 1/2 of what its worth. (really *isses me off)
Right now the only thing is when the cops take your info and its reported stolen only the cops have access to the info on a regular basis.

I would love to have something like that too.

Lots of shady stuff out there. Buy'n a good deal now could come back to bite 10, 20, or more years down the road. Not fair to the guy pick'n up iron at acution or the poor fella that got his stuff swiped.

Dave

I hear ya, of what you speak has been a problem for a long time even 30 years ago that's why when we would take a tractor on trade we used a document that we got from Farm and Power Dealers Association which included serial numbers and description of piece of equipment then it had two pages of small print legal smegal stuff which included lean releases and stating that the equipment was not stolen and that he or she was the sole owner. We required two pieces of ID and we recorded the numbers on the original. Basically if they lied they were facing prison time. Believe me selling or trading machines with liens on them are just as bad if we weren't made aware of it. I suggest that you should have a document made up and have them present some ID and record thier numbers. I would say if they shy away from that you need to also. Just a little piece of mind but crooks always find ways I know but at least you have some legal paper trail which should get you off the hook.