Microbus turns up 35 years after theft

November 6, 2009 in City

Shawn Vestal shawnv@spokesman.com, (509) 459-5431

Tags: autos car theft Volkswagen van

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection in California discovered this 1965 Volkswagen van in a shipping container destined for the Netherlands and found it was reported stolen in 1974 in Spokane. Photo courtesy U.S. Customs and Border Protection
(Full-size photo)

Investigators are still trying to figure out how the van made it from Spokane in the midst of Expo ’74 to the Los Angeles seaport last month, though they assume it changed hands several times. The van was reported stolen from an auto upholstery shop on July 12, 1974; authorities have not been able to find the original owner, whom they would not identify.

The operators of a custom restoration business in Arizona were the latest to have possession of the van, which they refurbished and planned to sell overseas along with three restored VW Beetles, said Michael Maleta, an auto theft investigator with the California Highway Patrol.

He said the custom shop, which he would not identify, is also considered a victim in the case. The legal owner of the van is Allstate Insurance Co., which paid off the owner back in 1974, and the Highway Patrol turned over the van to the company this week.

Customs agents came across the van Oct. 19 in a shipping container at the Los Angeles-Long Beach seaport complex. When they ran the vehicle identification number they discovered it was still listed as stolen.

Maleta said federal officials at the border check vehicles against the National Insurance Crime Bureau database, which includes all old stolen-car cases. Most police databases remove stolen cars from “active” status after five years – after which stolen cars may be sold and resold to buyers who can register the vehicles with state agencies, he said.

In 1974, the van’s owner apparently was trying to spiff it up – taking it to a detail shop and then the upholstery shop in the 1600 block of West Second Avenue from which it was stolen, according to the police report.

Maleta said the van had been restored to pristine condition. The value of a 9-year-old VW van back then would have been in the hundreds of dollars.

“Now it’s probably worth 27 grand,” he said. “It’s a beautiful van.”

Megan Brunet, a spokeswoman for Allstate, said the company has been digging through old records trying to find the original policy and theft claim. She said the company could not identify the original owner, under its privacy rules.

“Trying to find paper files from that far back can be pretty challenging,” she said.

She said the company will likely have the van appraised and go through the process of getting a replacement title before selling it at auction.

Two comments on this story so far. Add yours!

philipgregory on November 06 at 9:43 a.m.
If the custom restoration business had a title they should get it back. If not, their tough luck for dealing with a stolen vehicle.

But, if the law allows a stolen vehicle to be bought and sold after 5 years I would assume that Arizona business did have title, and should still.

As usual nobody at SR really reads these stories to see if they make sense…

Flag as inappropriate
SELiner on November 07 at 6:49 a.m.
The Washington State DMV will have the listing of the orginial owners because it needed a tag back then. VW of America will also have the listing of the orginal owners too because of servicing and warranty work done on the vehicle.

Allstate should also consider selling it back to the original owners at the same price they paid the policy owners minus any interest. This VW van might be of some sentimental value to the original family and would give the “good hands people” some brownie points in these economic hard times. Best Wishes!

Flag as inappropriate

You must be logged in to post comments. Create an account or log in below.

November 6, 2009 in City