Photo: screenshot from KATU
It turns out that not all stolen classics have the same ending as George Talley and his 1979 Chevrolet Corvette. If you recall, that Corvette was finally recovered after 33 years and returned to the 71-year-old Detroit resident, but one couple in Portland, OR is learning that stolen vehicle recoveries don’t always have a fairytale ending… or at least a quick one anyway.
In 2001, Rick and Jackie White had their 1970 Plymouth Barracuda stolen right out of their garage. Similar to Mr. Talley, their car was eventually found, which in their case was when a storage facility sent them a bill last month for storage and repairs totaling $4,328 saying the bill needed to be paid or the car would be auctioned off. This is where the story gets truly bizarre, though. Before the Whites could be reunited with their ‘Cuda, another person claiming ownership had come to pay the bill and pick the car up.
According to news channel KATU, that man who currently has possession of the car says he bought it “many years back” with a bill of sale. The car is still titled by the Oregon DMV by the Whites, who also happen to be the original owners. Even though the Whites know where their car is, local police aren’t able to get a warrant to retrieve the ‘Cuda since the three-year statute of limitations has expired. At this point, we’re sure the Whites are more concerned about just getting their car back rather than prosecuting the man, whether he is or isn’t in the wrong.
Police are still trying to sort through the situation, and we hope that the Whites get their gorgeous Barracuda back soon. If nothing else, this story does highlight the risk of buying a car with only a bill of sale instead of a title. Head over to KATU.com for the full story and news report.
According to news channel KATU, that man who currently has possession of the car says he bought it “many years back” with a bill of sale. The car is still titled by the Oregon DMV by the Whites, who also happen to be the original owners. Even though the Whites know where their car is, local police aren’t able to get a warrant to retrieve the ‘Cuda since the three-year statute of limitations has expired. At this point, we’re sure the Whites are more concerned about just getting their car back rather than prosecuting the man, whether he is or isn’t in the wrong.
Police are still trying to sort through the situation, and we hope that the Whites get their gorgeous Barracuda back soon. If nothing else, this story does highlight the risk of buying a car with only a bill of sale instead of a title. Head over to KATU.com for the full story and news report.
Google News