A Palo Alto classic car enthusiast got an unexpected phone call from Palo Alto police today informing him that his 1956 Ford Thunderbird stolen in 1976 had been recovered in Southern California.
Ronald Leung owns a rental car business and thought police were telling him one of his rental cars had been recovered but instead they told him that the car he spent more than two years restoring in the 70s only to have it stolen months later had been found.
“It’s like a shock. That was really great news,'’ Leung said.
According to Palo Alto Police Department spokesman Brian Philip, a woman in the Ventura County city of Moorpark had recently purchased the Thunderbird on eBay. When she attempted to register it the California Department of Motor Vehicles was unable to locate the Vehicle Identification Number listed on the car’s title.
She took the car to a local California Highway Patrol office where an officer located the correct VIN inside the engine compartment. The correct VIN was listed in the CHP database as belonging to Leung’s stolen car.
“We have stolen cars recovered all the time but I’ve never heard of one being recovered after 21 years before,'’ Philip said.
Leung, who spent many years working in law enforcement for the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, said he also believed the car would never be recovered.
“I was surprised that they recovered it. Usually if it doesn’t get recovered within four months it’s gone,'’ Leung said.
Leung bought the “Sea Spray Blue'’ Thunderbird in 1974 for $1,500.
“It was rough when I got it. I restored it over two, two-and-a-half years,'’ Leung said.
Leung also repainted the car white.
“Those colors they used back then were an acquired taste,'’ Leung said.
The car was stolen two or three months after the restoration was complete from the parking lot of the auto body shop he owned at Forest and High streets in Palo Alto, according to Leung.
Leung intends to travel down to Southern California next week and retrieve his car and it will not be for sale on eBay any time soon.
“I’m going to keep it. It’s going to be passed to the kids,'’ Leung said.
Original Story
IN THE EBAY CAR BUSINESS, ESPECIALLY IN THE ANTIQUE AND CLASSIC CAR BUSINESS, THE BUYER SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE THE CAR INSPECTED BY A PROFESSIONAL BEFORE LAYING OUT ANY CASH.
IF THE SELLER RUNS AWAY FROM THAT PROPOSAL, THEN TURN THAT INFO OVER TO THE LOCAL PD AND LET THEM HAVE A LOOK AT IT.
I’VE BEEN LUCKY TO HAVE RECOVERED A FEW FROM TIPS FROM THE BUYING PUBLIC. ONE WAS A CORVETTE THAT 2 CORVETTE CLUB PRESIDENTS FROM CALI AND MICHIGAN CALLED ME IN FLORIDA ABOUT A FEW YEARS AGO. WHAT A GREAT CASE IT WAS TO RECOVER A CORVETTE STOLEN IN NEW JERSEY BACK IN 1972.
I GO TO EBAY FOR KICKS EVERY SO OFTEN TO LOOK FOR MORE SUSPICIOUS CARS….3 CHEERS FOR EBAY BUT BUYER MUST BEWARE AND CERTAINLY BE WEARY OF THOSE SO CALLED “MATCHING NUMBERS” CARS….
By FLA AUTO THEFT COP. October 10th, 2007 at 1:03 pmWouldn’t the guy it was stolen from be paid off by his insurancewhen it was stolen? After all, he was a cop! Now he has a thirty thousand dollar car. WOW.
By joe. September 30th, 2007 at 8:37 pmMy math says 1976 was 31 years ago not 21.
By kblackav8or. June 28th, 2007 at 5:24 pmcaveat emp·tor (ĕmp’tôr’) pronunciation
n.
The axiom or principle in commerce that the buyer alone is responsible for assessing the quality of a purchase before buying.
[From Latin caveat ēmptor, let the buyer beware : caveat, third person sing. present subjunctive of cavēre, to beware + ēmptor, buyer.]
By iryshman. June 25th, 2007 at 4:42 pmSucks to be the woman who bought the car. Wonder if they can track the sellers back to the guy who ripped it off? That would be funny if he got caught.
By 19mach69. June 22nd, 2007 at 10:12 pmCarfax doesnt work for older cars. they need the early 80s VINs that are 17 didgits to work.
By Steve. June 21st, 2007 at 7:50 pmHow could she have used car fax when she couldnt even locate the vin number in the first place
By miketorino. June 21st, 2007 at 6:44 pmWhat about the poor woman that just bought the car? I mean thats gotta suck, I hope she used carfax….
By Luv70sFords. June 21st, 2007 at 4:12 pm