Stolen VW Microbus recovered after 35 years!

[njsteve]

Neat catch by customs. This happens all the time but usually with newer cars.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/11/06/....vw/index.html

And who was it on the website that didn't believe that NICB kept all sorts of records linked to VINs?

[x Baldwin Motion]

How often does the insurance company get a recovery that has improved value?!!

"While it was likely worth just a few hundred dollars when it was stolen, the VW is now valued at about $27,000, he said.
Allstate Insurance Company, which paid the original owner for the loss decades ago, now owns the van, he said."

[Verne_Frantz]

Steve, I would love it if you could answer Chris' question. My understanding is that the insurance company is bound to offer it back to the original owner for the same settlement he received after its theft. (possibly with interest). I have heard stories from a policeman friend who "worked the auctions" and said the cars he found went right back to the owner, even with a $50K restoration.
Verne

[njsteve]

If the insurance company paid the claim, the recovered car belongs to them to auction off or keep. I've never heard of a paid-out car getting offered back to the person who was already paid for the loss.

[Verne_Frantz]

Steve, Maybe the stories I heard were only if the owner refused to take the loss payment, and just left the theft search on-going. In that case, if it was recovered, it would legally be returned to him, I suppose.

[jannes_z-28]

I wonder why this hasn't been discovered before. Doesn't this come up when a car changes ownership?

As said before, this happes often but why doesn't no one find this out until the customs do a search in the records.

This could never happen over here.


Jan

[njsteve]

If for example the owner had collision coverage only, and was not covered for theft, the car would go back to him.

Motor vehicle departments dont have access to NICB but Customs does because part of their job is to specifically determine if the cars going out in containers are stolen or not.

[MultiMopars]

[ QUOTE ]
Neat catch by customs. This happens all the time but usually with newer cars.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/11/06/....vw/index.html

And who was it on the website that didn't believe that NICB kept all sorts of records linked to VINs?

[/ QUOTE ]


If you are referring to me, that is not correct.

I certainly understand the purpose of the NICB and what and how they do what they do. Their purpose is to work togather with law enforcement with regards to stolen cars and the parts that come from them. Their purpose is NOT however to police the old car hobby for rebodies unless their is a stolen car or parts involed in it.

But lets not beat this to death again.

[MultiMopars]

[ QUOTE ]
If for example the owner had collision coverage only, and was not covered for theft, the car would go back to him.

Motor vehicle departments dont have access to NICB but Customs does because part of their job is to specifically determine if the cars going out in containers are stolen or not.

[/ QUOTE ]


Well, that sounds like a HUGH GAPPING HOLE on the part of NICB. Typically a seasoned auto thief would be switching V.I.N.s to hide the identity of a stolen car, however most thieves are not real smart and may think that after a certain period of time it is safe to sell a whole stolen car with it's original V.I.N. If there is no red flag in the system checking for stolen cars is just crazy.

[njsteve]

Yes, it would definitely make sense to have NICB connected with the DMVs around the country. I have even begged them over the years to start some type of procedure where normal people could pay a fee, provide their VIN and get back the original selling dealership info and dealer code. That would be worth its weight in gold to Yenko and Baldwin Motion fans and other owners who suspect their cars were from famous dealerships. But alas, their answer was no.