2:40 PM PT -- Mark S. Zaid, an attorney for RR, tells us, "RR Auction has been cooperating with the Petty family from the moment they reached out to us just days ago and will happily continue to do so without unnecessary hostile threats of litigation. We take theft allegations such as these very seriously. Indeed, in the years I have represented the company, we have never failed to reach an amicable resolution when on the rare occasion items presented by our consignors turned out to have provenance concerns."
He says, "We continue to diligently investigate this situation and have requested the Petty family to cooperate with us as well. That said, we also take seriously any defamatory allegations against our company, which has developed a stellar reputation over the last half-a-century of auctions, many of which are often in the news."
Tom Petty's family is ripping the auction house that's selling his wardrobe to the highest bidder ... claiming the items are stolen!!!
The late singer's family tells TMZ ... "We believe RR Auction, headquartered in Boston, is offering stolen Tom Petty memorabilia with a completely false provenance inaccurate to fact and in complete denial of clear evidence they have been presented. They will not disclose the cosigner who has provided these items or how they were acquired. But they are clearly stolen, there is no other word for it."
As we first reported ... RR Auction says the items are from Tom's former home in Encino, CA and the collection includes hats, jackets, shirts, shoes and more.
Tom's family is "pursuing swift legal action" against the auction house ... their goal being to get Tom's gear returned to the family.
The Pettys also say they firmly believe the auction items have "been outright stolen from a secured archive based on prior knowledge, staff observations and documentation."
RR Auction is already auctioning the items off, but the bidding doesn't end until June 22 ... so it seems like there is time for this to be resolved.
In the meantime, Tom's family is asking fans and collectors to "refrain from participating in this auction until the matter is settled to avoid getting further involved in this legal action."
Bottom line for the Pettys ... "These items have irreplaceable sentimental and educational value for the family and legacy of Tom Petty and we look forward to their safe return."
We reached out to RR Auction ... so far no word back.
Originally Published -- 1:47 PM PT