Q: Can I report thefts by false pretense year later and how do I do that?
I had a minor accident last year and it he person who was with me at the time of the accident, said that he can fix that easily. I didn’t had too much money and this seemed as a good idea at a time. I gave him money in few instances because he was allegedly buying the parts.
He was promising that vehicle is almost done and than MIA.
When I finally located my vehicle, nothing was done and it was in worse shape than prior, not fixable leaving me without vehicle. Per witness statement, which I recorded, the individual who was supposed to fix the vehicle, purposely damaged it even more.
Ad well as emptying my gas tank and taking out of the vehucje things of any worth.
I do have a knowledge of this person serving prison sentence for committing commercial burglary, and that’s the reason why I gave him chance after chance and to pay me back ( asking him to pay back only 20 dollars weekly)
He does have an income, but refuses to pay anything.
A: Under California law, you generally have a three-year statute of limitations for theft by false pretense, so reporting the crime a year later is within that window. To initiate the process, you should file a report with your local law enforcement agency, providing all evidence you have, such as the recorded witness statement, financial transactions, and any correspondence. If you possess sufficient evidence to demonstrate the intent to defraud, the individual in question may face criminal charges, and you may also have civil remedies to recover damages.
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