I bought a stolen cargo bike. What should I do?

Questioner

I bought a second-hand cargo bike at a bike shop. The price is very reasonable and realistic. (3250,-). I took the bike with me together with the purchase invoice on which the warranty conditions and price and payment method are stated. When I got home, I checked the frame number on the RDW website to be sure and it showed that the cargo bike was reported stolen. So I definitely bought in good faith. What to do now?

Lawyer

If you buy a product and it later turns out to be stolen, you are normally forced to return the product to its rightful owner, in this case a cargo bike. This is the general rule in the Netherlands. The Code prohibits theft and applies the principle that the buyer must return the stolen property, even if they bought it from someone else and did not know it was stolen. Good faith, meaning that the buyer did not know it was stolen and had no reason to suspect it, does not change this general rule. The buyer can bring a claim against the seller for the refund of the money they paid. This is a claim for the refund of the purchase price on the grounds of 'undue payment', as the buyer is not bound by the purchase agreement due to the fact that the item was stolen. It may be necessary to seek legal assistance with this step.