VW bus stolen 35 years ago is found in shipping container

ejworthen · Post by **ejworthen** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 7:30 am

"It looks like it's brand new," said Mike Maleta, an investigator with the California Highway Patrol.

VW bus stolen 35 years ago is found in shipping container bound for Europe
Customs agents inspecting a load bound for the Netherlands discovered a 1965 van that disappeared from a Spokane repair shop in 1974. CHP investigators are searching for the thieves.

When U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents at the Port of Los Angeles opened a shipping container bound for the Netherlands, they discovered a 1965 Volkswagen bus stolen in Washington state 35 years ago.

Far out, man!

The unusual seizure of the bus on Oct. 19 came during a routine inspection of several Volkswagens that were being shipped by an Arizona restorer to customers in Europe. The vehicle identification number of the bus, which was swiped in Spokane on July 12, 1974, was still in police computers.

"Pretty amazing, isn't it?" customs spokesman Jaime Ruiz said Thursday when the find was announced.

The restorer, who was not identified, isn't a suspect in the long-ago theft, authorities said.

"He's a victim himself. He was an innocent purchaser," said Mike Maleta, an investigator with the California Highway Patrol, who will attempt to trace the vehicle's ownership back through interviews and registration documents.

"I'm going to try my best to find the crook," he said.

Groovy.

Maleta said Spokane police couldn't find the owner.

"Allstate paid her $2,500 or so to settle the claim," he said. "Now it's worth $25,000. . . . It's in pristine condition. It looks like it's brand new. So Allstate wanted it."

Bummer.

Guder · Post by **Guder** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 8:10 am

Noice!

I sometimes allow a little dream that my old Bonnie will crop up in a similar fashion.

Sisyphus · Post by **Sisyphus** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 9:01 am

Guder wrote:Noice!

I sometimes allow a little dream that my old Bonnie will crop up in a similar fashion.

What's the frame number?

WeAintFoundShit · Post by **WeAintFoundShit** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 10:03 am

Not nice at all.
This fucking restorer put in a shitload of work for a van that he made worth twenty five THOUSAND fucking dollars, and fucking ALLSTATE comes in and swoops it because it paid out a $2,500 claim in 1974.

Some dude just lost twenty five grand so a fucking multi-billion dollar corporation could have another spec on some computerized spreadsheet somewhere from selling the thing at auction. That's fucking BULLSHIT.

ninemileskid · Post by **ninemileskid** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 10:44 am

So we should get to keep other peoples stuff as long as we shine it up?

Post by **DerGolgo** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 12:01 pm

And the insurance company wins, what a surprise. 900% profit over 35 years, that works out to what, 25% per annum? That's a nice little earner that is. And that's not even taking into account the premiums the owner paid before the theft.

If they have half an advertising brain, they'll locate the owner and giver her back her ride.

SomeMook · Post by **SomeMook** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 2:49 pm

Life ain't fair huh? You don't say...

Pattio · Post by **Pattio** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 4:28 pm

If the name of the restorer manages to get around thanks to this story, he might stand to gain business from the exposure. The cops praise the vehicle glowingly, and they find stolen vehicles all the time.

WeAintFoundShit · Post by **WeAintFoundShit** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 4:36 pm

ninemileskid wrote:So we should get to keep other peoples stuff as long as we shine it up?

Not necessarily, but there should be adequate compensation one way or another.
It's not like the restorer stole the van. Likely it came with a good Arizona title and all. There's a statute of limitations on what people can do to insurance companies. There should be a statute of limitations as to what insurance companies can do to people.

Guder · Post by **Guder** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 5:05 pm

It's hellaciously nice that the vehicle was recovered.

Now it needs to be aggressively investigated for each change of hands. The first shady transaction should be on the hook for the damages, either original theft or bought without papers, or whatever washed it.

I'll try to dig out my VIN when I get home.

ninemileskid · Post by **ninemileskid** » Fri Nov 06, 2009 5:24 pm

WeAintFoundShit wrote:
ninemileskid wrote:So we should get to keep other peoples stuff as long as we shine it up?
Not necessarily, but there should be adequate compensation one way or another.

If I'm reading the article correctly there was adequate compensation 35 years ago.

Look at the other side of the coin, you insure your vehicle for whatever it's worth, let's say 5,000. It gets stolen and the insurance company pays you off, they give you 5K. A year later it's found, stripped and burnt, worth about $300 for scrap. Should the insurance company come after you for $4700?

MATPOC · Post by **MATPOC** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 6:41 am

This kind of thing happens with scooters once in a while, MunkeySpankster got a scoot from someone who got it from someone... spend some time and money fixing it up and ... found out that it was stolen from one of his clubmates few years back!

Few similar stories on scooterBBS

I guess it's a good idea to run the VIN before you sink 25 grand in to reastoration

ninemileskid · Post by **ninemileskid** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 7:39 am

MATPOC wrote:This kind of thing happens with scooters once in a while, MunkeySpankster got a scoot from someone who got it from someone... spend some time and money fixing it up and ... found out that it was stolen from one of his clubmates few years back!

Few similar stories on scooterBBS

I guess it's a good idea to run the VIN before you sink 25 grand in to reastoration

If I had a nickel for every Craiglist bike without a title but "I know the guy's brother-in-law" story......

ejworthen · Post by **ejworthen** » Sat Nov 07, 2009 9:04 am

ninemileskid wrote:
WeAintFoundShit wrote:
ninemileskid wrote:So we should get to keep other peoples stuff as long as we shine it up?
Not necessarily, but there should be adequate compensation one way or another.
If I'm reading the article correctly there was adequate compensation 35 years ago.

Look at the other side of the coin, you insure your vehicle for whatever it's worth, let's say 5,000. It gets stolen and the insurance company pays you off, they give you 5K. A year later it's found, stripped and burnt, worth about $300 for scrap. Should the insurance company come after you for $4700?

Exactly. The women was compensated for her loss when she settled the claim. Just cause it shows up years later and is worth $25k doesn't mean a thing. If the van was not stolen from her what are the chances this same scenario would have plaid out this way.

I do feel bad for the restorer, but it is ultimately his responsibility to know what he is buying. Still sucks though.

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VW bus stolen 35 years ago is found in shipping container

VW bus stolen 35 years ago is found in shipping container