Stolen/Used gear at begining of play, Do you allow it? Options

[The Jopp]

So, how many GM’s allows for stolen/used weapons and gear at beginning of play?

Personally I see no problem with it as it comes with certain problems:

Item used in a crime under investigation
Now, what could this apply to? Mostly weapons and vehicles but I’d think that identified hardware such as a commlink (if it is identified through some hardware check).

Item Stolen
This could include EVERYTHING – And why shouldn’t a runner have some (or a lot) stolen goods? The Cybered to the gills ex-mil streetsam might have gone AWOL and taken the hardware with him. Riggers stealing vehicles, you jest good sir, they would never…Oh, you would. Software? Well, hacked software could be classified as “stolen” and could probably be identified when it is used, too bad for the hacker if someone sends a signal to his programs to shut down.

Item used
This can also be applied for everything – how many runners have spanking new equipment? Poorly taken care of guns? Glitchy cyberware? Old commlink? The GM can enforce a multitude of small glitches in play whenever they feel like if the character have programs that are prone to failure, package loss for the hacker giving them a temporary -1 Matrix initiative.

Item used could easily be applied to every vehicle a character has, or drones, especially stolen vehicles should have this unless they are stolen from a new car dealer.

Yes – in the end it’s about saving money, but it has it’s drawbacks.