Hot Rods Stolen car... But I have title?

No he didn't. "Both check out fine, clear notarized title that has sellers signiture and my name (havent taken them to tag office yet) "

 

the whole story sounds fishy. That's why ive quit letting anyone I don't know look at my vehicles. All the Vins are covered with duct tape. A deputy showing up with a wrecker and no court order of removal sounds funny. Just because some one is a LEO does not make them knowlegable about the law. If they are your cars and you own them you can do anything you wish with them. including moving hiding or whatever. I wouldn't have let that deputy past my gate without a search warrant. Of course my oldest son is a Lawyer.

 

Benno said exactly what I am thinking, this guys is scamming you. How did he find you and how did he get your phone number ? Maybe someone on here knows from experience where the hidden vin numbers are, compare those to your tags and if they match, take photos for proof.

Something smells here, I think the guy scored some titles and is trying to capitalize on them.

Don

 

He also said he hasn't been to the tag office.....so it sounds like his name is written in as buyer but it still hasn't been transferred to his name. So....as far as the state knows it still belongs to the last registered owner.

 

If those were running & driving cars, would that be tantamount to the LEO telling you can't drive them? Wouldn't he have to have offical, legal paperwork to tell you not to drive something you own? At this time you own those cars, so seems to me you should be able to do with them what you want, including securing them under lock & key, out of public view.

 

.....................................I got it now. I assumed he had the titles in his name even though the cars weren't tagged. There's still more to this story yet to unfold.

 

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Oh, Shit! The mounty is a friend or relative of the voice on the phone. The mounty had no paperwork to show you demanding release of the cars, but had a tow truck with him? There's a fistful of red flags flying on this, and by the time you read this post, you should have the cars stashed somewhere, regardless of what that "deputy" told you. It moght be that his buddy is using him, without telling him the whole story either.
Here's your biggest problem at the moment; You allowed the "deputy" to copy down your VINs, and take pics of your titles, without a warrant. He and his "buddy" now have the info to pull the scam rug out from under you.
I'm sure in retrospect, you are seeing the red flags, and I'll concede that it's a tad difficult to keep your head on when a "deputy" sheriff is issuing orders and throwing his "weight" around, but get them under wraps, get the titles in your name, and force the legal issues.
Be at the courthouse at opening in the morning......maybe you can save this from going south on you.

Roger

 

the titles being transfered to him AND notarized gives him legal ownership for the most part. he is breaking north carolinas rule of 10 day transfer but since he has a shop it'd be easy to claim he's held off transfering titles until he decides their fate. i've done it dozens of times here with no effect.

But yeah first things first verify all vins match 100%. Second if barney shows back up he needs a court order to take possession of the cars. If he doesn't have that call the sherrif yourself and refuse to release them to anyone but him due to concerns for your property. I'd also move them inside or at the very least to a fenced area. sounds like some fishery is about.

 

Another prime example of why you should get a title transferred when you buy a vehicle.
Dont jack around and think you have everything under control, All the previous owner has to do is go into the DMV and have another title made (file for lost title,It is in his name still)if you dont follow through with the notarization like you were suppose too.

 

Check the VIN on the top of the driver's side frame rail under the driver's seat.

They are hard to find but I've managed to find both with the body in place using a mirror, a flash light, and brush on the two '57 wagons I have owned.

I've also learned first hand it's much harder and much more $$$ to legally undo things, even if the law is on your side, than to prevent them from happening in the first place. If the cars were mine, they would be moved to a safe location and no one else would see them without a warrant.

 

I'm no lawyer, but to me it sounds like the other party may have had his cars stolen, and thinks you have his. Lock yours up, put them inside, chain them together move them, whatever, and get the titles in your name.(keep copies of all the paperwork you have) I have had 2 of my cars sold from under me, one at a shop waiting for work, one at my house while I worked. I Relocated my Henry J, and sent the gentleman with the car trailer packing when he came to get my 59 El Camino. Never heard from either party again.

 

Do NOT AND I REPEAT DO NOT GIVE UP ANYTHING WITHOUT A WARRANT IF YOU HAVE TO GET ARRESTED TAKE THE ARREST AND SEE THE JUDGE IN THE MORNING OR MAKE BAIL AND HANDLE IT IN COURT DO NOT LET LEO(LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER) GET NEAR YOUR CARS WITHOUT PROPER PAPERWORK LIKE A WARRANT......also who did you buy cars from ? Did somone sell you cars that were not legally thiers to sell?

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The guy that reported them stolen claims that the guy I bought them from werent his to sell, but the titles were in the sellers name one being from 1968 and the other from 1973... I am meeting with the sheriff in the morning concerning this and the sedan is currently locked up inside the shop with a car cover on it and the wagon (which has no rear end) is sitting on blocks and chained to a concrete pad I have set in the ground I typically keep my trailer chained to... Now I hope no one steals my trailer. lol

Also going to send off titles in the morning as long as the state has not blocked them...
Thanks for the help guys... The cars are sitting at my shop not at a residence a business and it is visible from the road...
I will soon be installing a gate and fence...

 

You may want to look at the notarization to see if their commision has expired, here in ky "I think" you only have 30 days to get it transferred or the notary is no good, I think someone earlier in this thread said 10 days in NC.
I hope it all works out for you.

 

I do like your style......

 

Before the new title is issued to you, DMV will run it though theft and make sure there are no outstanding reports on those VINs before issuing you a title.

You can call a local inspector and he can do a quick check for you. When I bought my Buick for GA, they did that for me.

 

Early on it sounded like you implied that the man you bought them from was an old timer.
Makes me wonder if your accuser isn't a member of the family that thought he was going to inherit these cars some day.

 

Yes the notary is good, supposed to send title off in ten days, but if not its like a 5 or 10 dollar fine... It just pisses me off what people do... NO ONE WILL SEE THIS DAM CAR... bat rastards...

 

I believe this is the case... The guy that has reported them as "stolen" is the guy I bought it froms nephew... I spoke with him and he had no idea what he was doing and that he was going to go beat his hind end with a hickory switch...

 

Take the cars to a buddies garage that you can easily get into if the police officer needs to see the cars but is blocked by other cars so they can't get the cars out. Buys you time if they come to get them.

Oh yeah, and attorney up. Don't need to actually hire an attorney. Just talk with one, explain your situation and have his name ready when needed.

 

It just smelled like a bad stuation my father was involed in about 20 years ago
He saw an Indian 4 cylinder for sale ad and called the man ,they agreed on a price so long as the condition of the bike was as the man described.
I went with him to help load it.
By the time we got there the old mans son was there carrying on about how his dad had promised him the bike, the old man wouldn't say much but you could read him that he was being screwed over by his own son.
It spoiled the deal and sure my dad was upset about not getting the bike but, all the way home he kept talking about how a dirtbag could cheat his own father he just couldn't understand.

 

Yeah brother, I grew up thinking that the cops were supposed to always be the GOOD guys, and no I won't be writing about how they may be the BAD guys.....but, any stolen vehicle case, gets referred to a detective or lead investigative officer. This guy that came out, is a REPORTING officer and had no right to 1. tell you what to do with your property(if purchased in good intentions), 2. take pictures of your legal title documentation. It's one thing to SHOW the paperwork, but for him to take pictures of something easily available for fraud....YIKES !! Move the cars, at the least inside....but more so...AWAY from that property. He has no authority to TELL you do something without a court order or a warrant. You cannot get into trouble until you have violated one of those two. Do all the legal paperwork, as much as possible yourself, and advise both your lawyer of these proceedings, as well as your title office, and as well, your local police municipalities. Finally, your state title office, should have a fraud department, exclusively for these type of scenarios.....contact your state attorney's office, to find out whom to be referred to regarding your scenario. In these types of cases, posession is 9/10ths of the law....and that other 1/10th is getting all your legal paperwork iron clad, and as quickly as possible. NUMBER 1....fuck that guy wanting to see your VINs....and number two......even louder....FUCK BARNEY FIFE for coming into your problem and suggesting you to do what he says, instead of doing what your state title office is always prepared for. 99% of these guys have NO CLUE as to what is fully legal, and what is not. I APOLOGIZE IF I MAY SOUND MILITANT, OR DEFIANT....I assure you that I am not. Completely off thread situation for me, had me realize that one must do their due diligence as it pertains to the law. Once you are one hundred percent certain of your standing....law enforcement is only a witness...the expert should always be you. Good luck!

 

Nephew of the seller accuses you of stealing the cars?
Story is Getting better

 

Do the nephew and his uncle share the same name? He may have wanted the VINs to file for lost titles, if they do.

 

Now all this is starting to make sense, it is a family dispute and you got in the middle of it. BUT, if you bought it from the man whose name is on the titles, and the Nephews name is nowhere on any of it, he has NO claim to the cars. The name on the title is the only thing that matters.

I just watched a Judge Judy show where a lady bought a car but put it in her BF name because she didn't drive. They broke up and she wanted the car back. JJ said "Sorry, the car is in his name......he OWNS it."

Get those titles in your name tomorrow if you can and don't let anyone see them without a court document.

Don

 

Until this is resolved you're better off to just hold the open titles rather than give them up to the DMV office for transfer. The titles you have now show a long term chain of ownership and would be more useful to you than freshly issued ones from Raleigh. Unless you hold a dealer's license its not illegal to hold the car with an open title. Just a small penalty when you do take it in for transfer.

First thing you should ask the sheriff is what authority the deputy had to come to take the cars in the first place. You didn't mention him showing you any court order or claim and delivery papers, either one of which would authorize him to take possession. Sounds like he was acting based on the claim of this other clown and a pair of titles that don't match your cars. At that point, he had no authority whatsoever to tell you not to move the cars since he has zero evidence to indicate you're in possession of stolen property.

Since there's a deputy involved in this already, and since local law enforcement is notorious for trying to cover the ass of their office and the dumbshits they hang badges on, you should also go to the DA's office and tell them you want the dude who claims the cars are his investigated and prosecuted for attempting to take your property by false pretense. Somewhere along the line he's made false statements to the effect that he's the legal owner of these cars, and the courts get real pissed off at people who are dumb enough to try to use the legal system to help them commit a crime.

I wouldn't be spending any money on a lawyer right now. Its a whole lot easier to use the prosecutor's office to turn the tables on this asshole.

 

WHAT HE SAID. Hell yes.

 

Was talking to a friend over the weekend at the big swapmeet in Springfield and he has a somewhat similar story. He had his El Camino stolen 15 years ago, still has the title and the police report. Two weekends ago he spots his El Camino at a car show here in town. Notifys the cops, they tow the car to an impound lot. Now here's the kicker. The city attorney says that the new owner is probably going to end up with the car because its been 15 years and he spent a lot of money on it, even though he doesn't have a title for it yet, he has applied for a Kansas title I belive as thats where the car was bought the last time it was sold. Other attorneys have also said that my buddy might not get his car back even though he holds the title and has a police report of it being stolen. Absolutely fuk'd up.

 

Maybe the guy with the El Camino needs to show that city attorney the articles about the man whose '57 Chevy was stolen years ago, and returned to him fully restored.