car stolen 6 years ago....I've just found it !!!

[k13 wjd]

Right, quick summary.

 

Bought a old mk1 fiesta 6 years ago - it ran like new during a test drive. i paid cash. Drove away from the guys house, and it cut out straight away, and wouldnt restart. i told the guy i wanted my money back - but he got very irate, and abusive. So, i got a hand to push it round the corner, with a veiw to coming back with a trailer.....Came back a few hours later and it was GONE !!!

 

Reported it to the police - they really were not very interested, Didnt bother with contacting insurance company.

 

So, last week i was driving on a country road in the middle of nowhere - went past a little shed, and there it was !!! I still have the V5 with my name on it, and still have the KEYS !!!

 

What are my legal rights with a veiw to taking it back - can i just go and take it back ??? or do i need to get the police involved....No point in getting them involved IMHO - they will call for a VRS removal, and want to find who stole it. a VRS uplift is £200 - so i'd have to pay to have my own car back !

 

Any ideas ?

[JimmySpangle]

You bought it and paid for it correct? You did NOT make any insurance claim for it and have no had a refund correct?

 

If so it is still yours and yes you could just take it. However, I would simply tell the police you have spotted it, intend to sieze it back and would like them to attend to prevent a breach of the peace in case an innocent member of the public thinks that you are stealing their car! After all, could have been sold on 10 times since then.

 

Easy place to start is a phone call to DVLA to see if anyone has tried to register it.

 

Of course, this is all on the asumption that it wasn't stolen when you bought it!

[k13 wjd]

yeah, i didnt claim on my insurance....its was a second car as a project - and i wasnt going to loose NCB over it.

 

If it was stolen when i bought it, i'd have thought that surely when i put it into my name with DVLA then i'd have had a knock on the door from my local police ???

 

 

if it has been sold on since i bought it, but the whoever bought it didnt notify dvla, then am i correct in presuming its legally still my property ????

[2ltr16valve]

yeah, i didnt claim on my insurance....its was a second car as a project - and i wasnt going to loose NCB over it.

 

If it was stolen when i bought it, i'd have thought that surely when i put it into my name with DVLA then i'd have had a knock on the door from my local police ???

 

 

if it has been sold on since i bought it, but the whoever bought it didnt notify dvla, then am i correct in presuming its legally still my property ????

 

 

Give DVLA a call with the reg, an check your still the registered keeper.

 

[k13 wjd]

i will do that....And nip over to check the keys fit. it had fancy locks on it - like the kind you'd find on a steering lock...round hollow key.

 

Well modified too, 1740xflow with 40's on it.......Hopefully i'll get it back.

[mightymouse_69]

If it is the one... what an amazing stroke of luck!

 

Don't be too surprised if someone pops out to ask why you are trying to unlock 'their' car!

[k13 wjd]

Its got the same reg. number anyway........

[JimmySpangle]

Oh yes, whether it is registered to you or not is irrelevant. You bought it thus it is yours. Remember the keeper is only that, the keeper - not necessarily the owner - which is what you are.

 

I am basing this all on you having paid for the car, having a receipt for teh payment or proof of payment, the car being legitimately sold to you in teh first place and it being the sam car.

 

My gut feeling is the person you originally bought it from just sold it again. Maybe scrapped it?? I doubt if the keys will fit the drivers door or ignition, but probably will the passenger door.

 

Don't try and take it without the police being told. I would react very badly if you turned up here and started trying to get into what I believe is my car! You would too.

 

Cover yourself, get the police there with you.

[mightymouse_69]

Even if the keys do unlock it, that in itself is no 'test' that those keys are for that car.

 

My model of fiesta has appauling locks - great fun would be had at college by unlocking friends fiestas (with your car's key) and placing a note in the car... something along the lines of "XYZ was here" etc...

 

Ahh good days, back to the matter in hand, what with the matching reg numbers and subject to futher ID checks, it is probably likely this is the OPs car anyway.

[k13 wjd]

it had very very good locks fitted....i forget their name, but as i mentioned, they had a round hollow key, and a dead lock inside the door.

[kwaks]

Hold up, in this day and age someone has been paying road tax or sorning the vehicle, so presumably you are not the only one holding a V5 for it.

 

Plate may have been reissued, someone else may have bought it as your v5 was being prepared etc etc, let the authorities sort this one out, I pressume that when you bought it as a project then it wasn't worth much, don't think you can just walk up and take it if someone has restored it.

[k13 wjd]

it shows as uninsured....so i presume there is no MOT on it. i.ll speak to dvla.

[k13 wjd]

Solex locks....thats the one.

[buzby]

Do remember you cannot 'drive it away' legally. You'd be required to transport it. Whilst posession is often said to be 9/10th of the law, you could still be arrested for theft and have to prove in court you are the owner. If in Scotland, the person with he vehicle CAN have good title, and you are stuffed - so perhaps calling at the house to enquire about it first would be better (with a witness).

 

You could find out some of the background (innocently) and then reveal your real interest, and your plans to get it back and continue your project.

[k13 wjd]

handy then...that i happen to drive a huge recovery truck !

[JimmySpangle]

How do you know it shows as uninsured?

[2ltr16valve]

How do you know it shows as uninsured?

 

 

prob

 

ASKMID

 

seeing as it is technically his vehicle he can

[buzby]

Although even then it is only a 'guide' they only say 'Yes' it is insured or 'Sorry' they don't show it listed -not quite the 'Not Insured' result you might expect.

[mightymouse_69]

I would agree that it would be a bad idea to just take your recovery truck and reclaim the vehicle.

 

Even if we ignore the ins and outs of good title... there may be property in the vehicle which belongs to someone...

[k13 wjd]

I'm lead to belive that the house it resides at happens to belong to the brother in law of the person who i bought it from.

 

 

That sounds good enough for me.....

[mightymouse_69]

It would still be wise to make further investigations.

 

You could end up saving yourself a load of trouble.

[zaax]

I wonder what happened. People start these stories and don't finish them

[Jimbo-Jones]

Yeah i want to know if he got his car back too.

 

Hope so

[badfelafel]

Not as simple as it sounds...

In Scotland anyway - whilst title stays with the owner... if it has been modified, eg has a new engine, fancy wheels, new sound system etc - you do not automatically get them - they're not yours.

[JonCris]

yeah, i didnt claim on my insurance....its was a second car as a project - and i wasnt going to loose NCB over it.

 

If it was stolen when i bought it, i'd have thought that surely when i put it into my name with DVLA then i'd have had a knock on the door from my local police ???

 

 

if it has been sold on since i bought it, but the whoever bought it didnt notify dvla, then am i correct in presuming its legally still my property ????

 

If you didn't report it stolen at the time then for you to take it now would almost certainly be theft by you