I appreciate the advice. I am certainly not taking my success in this matter for granted and I genuinely hope I never have to deal with this sort of thing again. However, it does itch at me the way our system seemed to work in this case. I realize some people refuse to get behind my actions in this matter but I am still amazed how criminals are able to work the system to their advantage! In this case, we had no idea who took the property or where it was, but we were looking for it as many people might be. We just happened to find it.
I realize some people feel this is somehow a vigilante justice trip, but I also don't think everyone feels the same level of wrong with theft. Some people like myself feel it is more than just a property loss, but the invasion of our life/privacy/security. Some feel, "it is just property", to which I say "so, can I just have yours then?"
I guess when I was a kid, I watched as our family was victimized by a thief and literally stole a small motorcycle while we were standing in our yard, and us chasing this prick on foot. A motorcycle I had worked hard to build and repair, and the thief destroyed it in seconds, without one bit of remorse or compensation afterwards. I guess this set in a level of deep level of wrong with theft.
The sad thing is I actually still feel sorry for this young man! And had things went differently, I probably would have bought this kid a bike on my own dime! His mother lives off the government, thus depriving the kid of things we take for granted. He wanted a bike so bad, he was willing to steal one.