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What To Do?

I started using a new tech earlier this year.  Nice man, seemed very knowledgeable about the vintage amp i took to him for repair.  After I got the piece back from him, another issue occurred, and I took the same amp back to him in early June for repair.  Since early July he has not taken any of my calls or responded to texts/e-mails asking for updates. I've been as firm as i can without being threatening and have offered to come retrieve the item unrepaired. But again, crickets for 4 months.

I spoke with the person who referred him to me, and he said that he's physically fine but just has a lot going on.

I live a little more than an hour away, so tracking him down in person is not a viable option. At this point, what should I do?  I'm thinking that filing a police report is my only option.  Would the police deal with something like this?

 

nicholsr
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cleeds
5,960 posts
 

If he's been a nice guy calling the cops should be a last resort. If he's only an hour away, it's worth taking a drive to his shop.

mahgister's avatar
mahgister
13,102 posts
 

Calling the police for an amplifier repair ?

😊😅

To spare an hour trip ?

 

nicholsr OP
57 posts
 

To clarify.....he does his tech work as a side venture. Has a shop, but does not keep consistent or regular hours, so going there will be a shot in the dark, which i don't have time to do.  So, I'm not calling the police about the repair, I'd be calling them to recover my property. 

toro3's avatar
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toro3
336 posts
 

You haven’t been threatening, you’ve sent text messages, emails, and phone calls with no response for the past four months, but have been informed that’s he’s likely dealing with stressors in his life. It seems like you’ve given this tech more than a few opportunities to respond - you’re just not being met half way.

I’m extremely flexible and understanding when dealing with people within our small community. If it were me, and because I know know that he’s dealing with some personal issues, I’d follow Cleeds suggestion of making the hour drive. If he’s not there, you’ve at least shown law enforcement that you’ve done everything you possibly could in attempting to make contact with this tech, and that a police report was truly your last resort. I’m assuming the police report would be made in the jurisdiction of his shop.

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cleeds
5,960 posts
 

Are you in the US? If so:

If you're unwilling to take a drive to see him, send him a USPS certified letter, return receipt requested. Send an identical copy of the letter via First Class mail, noting on each that it is being delivered both ways. (This way, if he doesn't accept the certified notice and retrieve it, he's assumed to have been noticed because of the First Class copy.)

In the letter, summarize your experience in detail.

Then issue a deadline, e.g. "I want to pick up this amplifier from you with 7 days of your receipt of this letter. Should that not be possible, I will take further action."

He'll probably cooperate. If not, you have choices. How much is the amp worth? Small claims court might be a better option that the cops.

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