bad_meetz_evil
01-19-2006, 08:22 PM
http://static.sky.com/images/pictures/1371569.jpg
A car stolen when it was brand new has been found and will be handed back to its rightful owner - 37 years later.
The Corvette sports car vanished from Alan Poster's garage in New York on January 22, 1969.
He gave up all hope of finding it years ago and subsequently moved to California.
Then, out of the blue, state authorities contacted him to say his long-lost vehicle had been spotted being loaded on a container ship bound for Sweden.
A Swedish man had paid $10,000 (£5,700) for it from a man in Texas, who had bought it in New Mexico. Neither of them had realised the car had been stolen.
Since Mr Poster's insurance had not covered him at the time of the theft and he was never compensated, he is entitled to get it back.
"When the California Highway Patrol contacted him, he said it was a miracle," said US Department of Homeland Security spokesman Mike Fleming.
"He's very excited about it."
The Corvette, which was originally painted blue with a matching interior, is now silver and red inside. It is missing the petrol tank, has a new engine and gearbox and no longer runs, Mr Fleming said.
He added that after the car was found to have been stolen, detectives in New York spent a month sifting through about 10,000 archived stolen car reports to find the original owner.
A car stolen when it was brand new has been found and will be handed back to its rightful owner - 37 years later.
The Corvette sports car vanished from Alan Poster's garage in New York on January 22, 1969.
He gave up all hope of finding it years ago and subsequently moved to California.
Then, out of the blue, state authorities contacted him to say his long-lost vehicle had been spotted being loaded on a container ship bound for Sweden.
A Swedish man had paid $10,000 (£5,700) for it from a man in Texas, who had bought it in New Mexico. Neither of them had realised the car had been stolen.
Since Mr Poster's insurance had not covered him at the time of the theft and he was never compensated, he is entitled to get it back.
"When the California Highway Patrol contacted him, he said it was a miracle," said US Department of Homeland Security spokesman Mike Fleming.
"He's very excited about it."
The Corvette, which was originally painted blue with a matching interior, is now silver and red inside. It is missing the petrol tank, has a new engine and gearbox and no longer runs, Mr Fleming said.
He added that after the car was found to have been stolen, detectives in New York spent a month sifting through about 10,000 archived stolen car reports to find the original owner.