Originally Posted by
Digital_Cowboy
Your first advice is very good, in the second case granted I'm not a lawyer, nor do I play one on TV. But I don't think that it would protect one from prosecution for receiving stolen property. As one would have still received stolen property.
If you buy a used bike from a LBS, or a police auction, it may still turn out to be stolen.
I'm not a lawyer either, and whether the stolen property was purchased from a Craigslist seller, a brick and mortar store, or a law enforcement agency, you have still received stolen property, and I guess you could be charged for that, but I assume most prosecutors wouldn't pursue the matter if they believed you had a reasonable belief the sale was legal. Just don't piss of your district attorney.