That really sucks! That's a lot of money, man. I'm trying to get back $600 from a previous landlord, and it's hard doing stuff out of state because you can only file in small claims court in the state of residence. I'm sure, though, that if you know a lawyer, or have some kind of connections, if they send a legal letter, you might be able to scare them a little bit if you threaten to press charges. That's what I'm doing now. Good luck with it and keep us posted!