Mysterious Stories Of Stolen Cars Discovered Decades After They Went Missing
Imagine walking outside only to discover that your car has been stolen. It's every driver's worst nightmare and unfortunately, it happens often. The owners are often left with the responsibility of replacing their car or finding a new mode of transportation, which on top of that, could be pretty devastating if their car held sentimental value. Even when these stolen vehicles are reported to police, it could take months—if not years—to find the car again, if it is even found at all. These stories about stolen cars might be some of the strangest you'll ever read.
Something Hidden Underwater
Châlons-en-Champagne is a city in the Grand Est region of France, about 100 miles outside of Paris. There, a muddy pond was hiding something within its depths that had the French police completely dumbfounded.
A drought that hit the French city at the time had caused the pond's water levels to run low. On August 28, 2017, police were called to the scene when something strange started to reveal itself.
The Car Survived The Dunk
As it turned out, a Peugeot 104 was sitting at the bottom of the pond. Despite the fact that it was infested with crayfish, the car was surprisingly in good condition. They fished the car out of the pond and brought it to a local mechanic, who was impressed that the quintessential '70s French car was still intact.
"It still looks like a 104. The paintwork is still blue and there's still chrome on the bumpers," he told The Telegraph.
It Was There For 40 Years
"Even the seats are in surprisingly good condition, and they've kept their [color] – beige. You can still read the number plate," the mechanic added. With the plate still legible, the police put the number in their system and discovered that the Peugeot was reported stolen back in 1979—nearly 40 years before it was found!
They tracked down the original owner, who probably thought her car was a lost cause and was paid by her insurance company.
Not All Car Thefts Have Happy Endings
Even though the owner had moved on from her beloved Peugeot, she was likely pleased to learn that it was finally found. She went to the garage where it was being restored to see her car for one last time.
"She was surprised that we contacted her because even for her this was a very old story," the police told The Telegraph. But not all stolen car stories have such happy endings. One car in Oregon didn't have the same fate.
No One Wants To Walk Into This
On January 20, 1991, the unfortunate owner of a Porsche 924 walked out of the Southside Cinema in Medford, Oregon only to discover that their beloved car had been stolen. They reported the crime to the Jackson County Sheriff's Office, who began the search for the missing vehicle.
There's no saying what must have gone through the owner's mind at the time. But one thing is for sure: someone had taken something extremely valuable from them.
The Porsche Was Special
The owner of the car must have felt devastated, whether they spent a hefty amount of cash on the car or if it was given to them as a gift. Either way, there's no denying that a Porsche 924 is one special car.
By 1991, the Porsche 924—the first Porsche with a fully automatic transmission—was no longer in production and as such, by the time this car was stolen from its owner, it may have been considered a vintage car.
They Searched Everywhere For It
A Porsche 924 has a distinct look to it, so you'd think that the police would've had no problem finding it. Unfortunately, that simply wasn't the case. They searched far and wide for this person's car with no success.
For two whole decades, the car was lost in oblivion. It seemed that finding this Porsche was a lost cause and eventually, the owner likely forgot about it. But by some miracle, the sheriff's department got quite a strange call years later in 2017.
A Hiker Happened Upon A Wreckage
26 years passed while the car remained missing until November 28, 2017, when the Jackson County Sheriff's Department received a call about a strange sighting along a rural hiking trail.
A hiker was walking his dog, who veered off the path to wreckage not far from the trail. To the hiker, it seemed that this crash could have occurred recently. So he did the only logical thing and called the police.
The Police Rushed To The Scene
When the hiker saw the wreck himself, he noticed that the car was overturned. It was likely that this incident may have been more deadly than it seemed. The police rushed to the scene to check it out for themselves, not only to potentially save a life but to also see if there was a crime committed.
As it would turn out, a crime was indeed committed and the police were surprised about what it was.
It Turned Out To Be The Stolen Porsche
Upon further investigation, it appeared as though the car had been on its side for quite a while. Police checked the tags on the license plate which were dated back to 1991. Looking through the DMV records, they confirmed that it was in fact the car reported missing from the Medford cinema more than two decades ago!
They've finally found the car but now they had to figure out why it was overturned in the woods.
There Were Unanswered Questions
There were plenty of questions that were yet to be answered. Because there was no way of knowing just how long the car had been in the woods, they didn't know how it got there or who might've driven it there.
Police had to come to their own conclusions. "Heavy forest debris indicated the vehicle had been there for a significant period of time. The registration tags expired in 1991," the sheriff's report read.
Another Finding Was Cause For Alarm
The police got closer to the car to see if they could find any more clues. It appeared that the car had been abandoned, so there was no way they could track down the burglar who had stolen it in the first place.
But then, police found something right next to the car that was cause for alarm. Indeed, scattered next to the overturned car were bones. At that point, it appeared they might've had a different crime on their hands.
The Bones Didn't Lead To A Culprit, But A Victim
Upon discovery of the bones, the police had their forensics team take a look right away. To their relief, they were not human bones but in fact, bones that once belonged to a deer.
Perhaps whoever was driving the Porsche ran into a deer on the side of the road and crashed, flipping the car over into the woods. The driver must have miraculously gotten out of the vehicle and left. But with no evidence of a culprit, the police planned their next course of action.
The Case Was Inconclusive
Though the police were eventually able to locate the stolen car, the case was ultimately inconclusive. They even tried to contact the original owner, to no avail. They had no other choice but to move on but they still had to find a way to remove the vehicle from the forest.
"The position of the vehicle at the base of a cliff made it nearly impossible to see from the road above... The vehicle's location on steep, rugged terrain presents logistical and environmental concerns for removal," the report read.
It Happens All The Time, Apparently
Not surprisingly, this is not an isolated case. Stolen cars all over the world have turned up decades later and they were often found by some of the most unsuspecting people. It's precisely what happened to a couple of kids from California one day.
In 1978, two kids in Los Angeles were playing outside of their home. Perhaps they were playing a game of pirates, on the hunt for some lost treasure because that day, they made an unforgettable discovery.
They Felt Something Strange In The Mud
Two kids who lived on West 119th Street in southern Los Angeles were playing in the mud outside of their home when they came across something that didn't feel natural to the earth beneath them.
They immediately flagged down some officers that happened to be nearby, Sergeants Joe Sabas and Dennis Carroll of the Lennox sheriff's substation. "They told Sabas and Carroll it felt like the roof of a car," a report in Los Angeles Times read.
It Was A Ferrari In Mint Condition
The following week, the detectives dug up something completely unexpected: a green 1974 Ferrari! The Ferrari Dino 246 GTS was buried in the kids' backyard but it was a complete mystery as to how it got there. The car was in near-perfect condition and worth at least $70,000.
Investigators found out that the car belonged to Alhambra resident Rosendo Cruz, who reported the car stolen in 1974 just two months after he bought it.
They Couldn't Figure It Out
"But no one seems to know how it could have been buried without attracting attention in the neighborhood... Neither the present tenants nor the home's owners knew anything of the vehicle, investigators said, so the case of the buried Ferrari remains a mystery," read the LA Times report.
For his part, Cruz was reimbursed by his insurance company since he probably thought he'd never see his Ferrari again. But as it would later turn out, the car wasn't there by accident...
Intentionally "Stolen"?
Rosendo Cruz's missing car was noted by police as a "righteous theft." Farmers Insurance sympathized with Cruz and paid him out a total of $22,500. But come to find out, this is exactly what Cruz intended all along.
Reporters who've been obsessed with this story over the years have tracked down the car—which is still around today—only to discover that the Dino Ferrari was a victim of a sneaky case of insurance fraud.
They Completely Forgot About It
A reporter for Jalopnik tracked down the car and one of the original cops who were called to the case back in 1978. According to retired detective Carroll, there was a snitch involved who told them how the car really came to be under someone's backyard.
Apparently, Cruz had paid a couple of guys to steal his Ferrari, sell the parts and drop the body in the ocean. Instead, they tried to preserve it but somehow forgot to dig it back up.
A Cross-Country Corvette
In 1968, a Chevy Corvette was stolen from Alan Poster. He lived in Manhattan, and was devastated when his prized possession went missing. He had no idea that it would turn on thousands of miles away!
The worst part for Poster was losing his car, it was that he had never taken an insurance policy out on it, meaning he wasn't compensated financially for its loss. Thirty-seven years after his car went missing, it was found in Long Beach, California.
A Reunion Decades In The Making
At the end of the day, it turned out Alan's failure to have insurance worked in his favor. When the car was found, he was still listed at the owner. If he had been able to take out an insurance claim, this wouldn't have happened.
Even more amazing was the fact that by 2006 Poster was living in Northern California, where he had crafted a successful career for himself as a businessman. The reunion must have been fate!
A Dream Car
Kyle Cropsey grew up in New York and always felt most at home at the beach. As a teenager he also fell in love with vintage car culture, making his story all the more amazing.
When he found his dream car, he was already living the perfect life. The car that he would eventually come to own was the missing piece. He just had to be patient. Sometimes the best things in life come to those who wait.
It Happened Randomly
We don't know where Kyle was or what he was doing when he happened upon his dream car, but he knew he couldn't say no. After all, how could he not reach out to the owners of a 1971 Volkswagon Bus if they might be willing to sell it.
VW stopped making the iconic car years ago (although they are returning in 2020), and for Kyle, this one was perfect. He had to take his chance, even if nothing might ever come from it.
It Started With A Note
Kyle quickly jotted down a note to the owners of the car, letting them know if they ever wanted to sell their vehicle he was highly interested. He then glided the note into the door.
Expecting nothing would ever come of the note, Kyle took a picture of himself in front of the car. He was 16-years-old at the time and couldn't resist the opportunity. Luckily a friend was nearby, meaning he didn't have to take a selfie!
Time Passed By
For the next eight years, Kyle tried desperately to find and buy a Type 2 Minibus from VW but failed. To satisfy himself, he did but a similar van, but it couldn't compare to the real thing, so he continued to wait.
While he was waiting, the van's owner made a discovery in Oakland that would change Kyle's fate. The car he had coveted for so long was almost in his reach, but first, it had its own story to tell.
What Happened In Oakland
Sadly, during the years that passed, the owner of the Omnibus passed away. He left the vehicle with his son, Chris Mead, who was put in charge of taking care of his dear father's assets.
It was at this point that the note was discovered. Chris opened a book while sifting through some old items when a crumpled piece of paper slipped out. Chris read the note and figured his father had simply forgotten about it all those years ago.
A Hard Decision
Chris faced a difficult decision. The note presented him an easy opportunity to take care of the bus, but that's not what he wanted to do. It turned out the Minibus was his father's prized possession. He couldn't just sell it to anyone!
His father loved the bus so much he even named it; Matilda. In Chris' mind, his father loved the bus like it was his own child. What would he decide to do?
A Healthy Patient
Another thing Chris needed to consider before contacting Kyle was whether the car was in good enough condition to actually sell. Cornelius (his father), had driven Matilda so much that her odometer had run out of digits.
Cornelius loved his car though, and even though he drove it into the ground, he kept it in remarkably good shape. This may have been the reason Chris made his final decision. Matilda was old, but she deserved to hit the road again.
Another Potential Problem
Chris was definitely leaning towards selling the can to Kyle at this point, but still needed one question answered. After eight years waiting, would Kyle have lost patience and moved on?
Of course we know the answer already, but Chris had no idea. Kyle had tried to fill the hole in his heart with other cars no avail. Now Chris just had to pick up the phone and dial his number and the reunion of lifetime would happen!
Kyle Had A Problem, Too
Getting in contact with Kyle turned to be the easy part. Kyle couldn't believe that the note he left eight years ago was suddenly being responded to. In the time that had passed, however, he hadn't settled into a lucrative career.
Chris had an asking price of $1,500 for the minibus, which wasn't going to be easy for Kyle on a teacher's salary. His funds were limited, but he wanted to strike a deal if it was at all possible. Would it be?
The End Of The Road
Despite asking for $1,500 for Matilda, Chris also wanted to honor his dead and sell the car to a person who would love it. That person was obviously Kyle, so Chris decided to gift him the car!
Kyle was stunned by the selfless act. He celebrated by splashing Matilda with a fresh coat of paint. Today, the two still keep in touch about the car and all the new adventures Kyle is taking her on.
The Cat Got Away
When Ivan Schneider was 35-years-old his life seemed to be going perfectly. He had just become a trial lawyer, taken out a lease on a Manhattan apartment, and even bought his dream car: a convertible Jaguar.
Almost as quickly as he bought the car, however, it went missing. Decades passed with Schneider believing he would eventually be reunited with his "baby." Sadly, that dream started to fade over time. The something amazing happened in 2014.
The Phone Call Of A Lifetime
Schneider had lost hope in being reunited with his Jaguar in 2014. He was 82-years-old and living in Miami Beach when the phone call came in. After 46 years, his car had been found on a shipment to the Netherlands.
Schneider couldn't believe it, "I feel wonderful. It's a miracle. I never thought 'd see the car again," he told The Orange County Register. Even more incredible, Schneider's Jaguar wasn't the only car recovered!
How They Found The Car
Along with Ivan's car, authorities recovered four other missing vehicles' two Mercedes, a Corvette, and a Camaro. After finding the cars, officials were then tasked with returning the to their rightful owners.
To track down Ivan, officials traced the cars identification number. Because it had been reported stolen, they got a hit on their search. No one knows who stole the car or what happened to it in the years that passed, but today it almost feels like none of that matters.
Stolen Or Not?
Sometimes a car is reported as stolen when it is exactly where the owner left it parked. In Frankfurt, this is exactly what happened when a man reported his care missing in 1997 after what failing to find it on the street.
While we can't assume what made the man forget where he parked his car, it would be easy to guess he had a few too many rounds at the bar. He must have been in shock 20 years later when police called him.
Where He Parked
The car had been left in a garage and was seemingly abandoned when workers reported it to police. They were inspecting the building before demolishing when they came across the curious vehicle.
Police then drove the man to his car to be reunited. Unfortunately, not all reunions have happy endings. After an inspection of the vehicle it was determined to be unsafe to drive. With no money to fix it up, the man let authorities deal with the car. They quickly announced it was going to be scrapped.
A Rare Treasure
Bob Russell was the proud owner of a rare 1967 Austin Healy 3000 when it was stolen. He had purchased the car for $3,000 and planned to own it for a long time.
Sadly, it was gone in the blink of any eye. What happened to his Healy? Did he forget where he parked it? No. In the case of Russell, his rare treasure had indeed been stolen, and it was pretty shocking where it was found!
Four Decades Missing
The search for Russell's missing Austin Healy lasted for over four decades. He left no stone un-turned. Even when police continued to turn up nothing, Russell refused to give and up kept looking.
Then, when the internet came into existence, everything changed. Russell had a whole new world at his disposal to hunt for his car. He began searching eBay, hoping that one day his car might show up. Then, "I checked on Friday, May 11, and there it was. The fact that the car still exists is improbable."
A Fight For The Return Of His Car
Russell's Austin Healy was being sold through a deal on eBay, and it wasn't easy to convince them that the car wasn't actually for sale. First he had to prove the VIN number from his old car matched the one listed.
Russell then had to find all his old documentation to prove ownership as well as provide sworn testimony by friends. At the end of the day it was all worth it as this small town Texas man got to get behind the wheel of his dream car one more time!
