The police will not help you: they will view as a "civil" matter, or non-criminal dispute over ownership and/or access to the belongings. File a legal case against your friend for "unlawful detainer," or his holding onto your belongings illegally, which can be done in county court on an expedited basis for a court order that he has to allow you to retrieve what he is withholding (or in the alternative, in the event he has disposed of your belongings, the complaint will include a claim for the economic value of your possessions. Go the court clerk's office and explain the situation; the should be able to direct you to the correct forms and instructions. You need a court order to resolve the situation; with an order, the county sheriff can help you retrieve your possessions.