Q: Can I call the cops on someone for throwing my things away from their house without letting me know? Is it theft?
My uncle had a room in his house that I was going to move into, but after I got my belongings in there he changed his mind but let me keep my things there for safe keeping and free storage. They moved to San Antonio and didn't tell me they discarded my things until after the fact.
A:
There are not enough facts to answer your question. It would be important to know whether there was any written agreement between you and your uncle. It would be important to know how long your things were at your uncle's house. It would be important to know how often you went to your uncle's house to do access your things.
An argument can be made that you abandoned your things if you did not have an express agreement as to the duration your items could be stored at your uncle's house especially if you did not go to your uncle's house relatively frequently to access and use your things. It makes a difference whether you left your things at your uncle's house for a few days or for months. It makes a difference whether you came by your uncle's house several times a week or you hadn't been there for a month or longer.
With respect to calling the cops, I doubt that law enforcement would get involved in this situation. Police will most likely tell you this is a civil matter.
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