Crime

Texas Man Finds His Stolen Car on eBay — 42 Years After Its Theft

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A man whose prized sports car was stolen 42 years ago recovered the vehicle after spotting it on eBay, authorities said Sunday.

Robert Russell told the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department that he never gave up searching for the 1967 Austin Healy after it was stolen from his Philadelphia home in 1970.

Russell, a 66-year-old retired sales manager, scoured the Internet for years looking for his car, while also keeping an eye out for similar looking Healeys on the streets, NBC10 Philadelphia reports.

Russell recently spotted what he thought was his car on eBay and, after checking the vehicle identification number on the website and with the one on the car’s title certificate, found they were a match, the department said in a news release.

Texas Man Robert Russell Finds Car Stolen 42 Years Ago on Ebay

In this image provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department the stolen car sits on small transport trailer as it is delivered to Robert Russell 's home in Texas. (AP Photo/Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department)

“Ever since eBay showed up, I’d check it periodically,” Russell said. “I checked it on Friday, May 11, and there it was.”

He immediately contacted the dealership, Beverly Hills Car Club, and informed them of the situation — bluntly too.

“I hate to sound indelicate,” Russell told the dealer, “but you’re selling a stolen car.”

Russell, who now lives in Texas, then contacted the department in May and Detective Carlos Ortega tracked down the car in East Los Angeles.

“Detective Ortega located the stolen Austin Healey at the dealership listed in the eBay ad, and confirmed that the car was the same vehicle reported stolen by Mr. Russell,” the department said.

After working with Philadelphia police to resolve vehicle identification issues, the department told Russell he could pick up his car.

Texas Man Robert Russell Finds Car Stolen 42 Years Ago on Ebay

In this image provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Bob Russell, center, and his wife standing next to Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department East LA Auto Theft Detective Carlos Ortega. (AP Photo/Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department)

Texas Man Robert Russell Finds Car Stolen 42 Years Ago on Ebay

In this image provided by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department Mr. & Mrs. Russell with car back in their Texas garage after it was delivered to Robert Russell 's home in Texas. (AP Photo/Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department)

He has since brought it back to Texas. His hometown wasn’t immediately available.

Russell told deputies that he bought the vehicle for $3,000. It’s now valued at $23,000.

He said “he continued his search for the vehicle, not for its monetary value, but because it had sentimental value to him and his wife,” the department said.

While it is certainly a happy ending for Russell and his beloved car, the dealer who was duped into buying the stolen car is reportedly out $27,000 plus what it cost them to ship it to California.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Comments (57)

1 2
  • battles
    Posted on July 16, 2012 at 9:59am

    According to this Inflation Calculator
    http://www.westegg.com/inflation/

    What cost $3000 in 1970 would cost $16654.02 in 2010. He got about $150/year interest off the theft. I think that comes to 5%/year.

    Report Post » battles  
    • Movinfr8
      Posted on July 16, 2012 at 1:27pm

      In 1970, a new corvette cost 5K. Run that thru the calculator, and try buying a new one for 30K.
      Good luck

      Report Post »  
  • palmettopalflorida
    Posted on July 16, 2012 at 9:45am

    Although I was never financially able to afford an A.H., 42 years ago it was my dream-of-dream automobile. Closest I ever got was owning the Factory Shop Repair Manual, which moved with me for many years, both foreign and domestically. Many, many were the evenings I’d spend memorizing every detail of this beautiful sports car. Finally I had to rid myself of the manual since it only served to tormentingly remind this single Father of several children that I’d never realize that rather selfish dream, when mortgages had to be paid and little ones had to be clothed and fed. Good for Bob, good for them, both! I guess, also, good for my children, as well, that they had a Father that did not sacrifice their well being for my own desires and was able to clearly evaluate how truly worthy dreams are made and fulfilled. But, still, it would have been nice to have been able to afford it all. Such is life.

    Report Post »  
  • Angry-Elf
    Posted on July 16, 2012 at 8:51am

    Sounds like a restoration miracle, check out Proverbs 6:31…
    I wonder what ever happened to my ‘74 Alfa Romero Spyder Veloce?
    Please Lord if you would….

    Report Post » Angry-Elf  
  • RightPolitically
    Posted on July 16, 2012 at 8:43am

    It’s a great story of perseverance and determination. Glad he got it back. I wonder why the dealership didn’t get a “red-flag” on the VIN number?

    Report Post » RightPolitically  
    • stumpy68
      Posted on July 17, 2012 at 7:26am

      My bet would be it wasn’t added to the list when
      such things were computerized.

      Report Post » stumpy68  
  • jettson
    Posted on July 16, 2012 at 8:41am

    There ae a lot of stolen things on Ebay. There the biggest front in the country. This should be looked at continuously. Ebay is helping the thieves.

    Report Post » jettson  
    • deloclem
      Posted on July 16, 2012 at 2:07pm

      There certainly are a lot of stolen items on ebay. My son-in-law found the tailgate of his Ford pick up for sale on ebay and it was still on the truck. He knew it was his because the license plate was in the picture. Somebody drove by, took a picture and put it on ebay.

      Report Post »  
  • pdw
    Posted on July 16, 2012 at 8:39am

    I do not understand the Statute of limitations runs out in 7 years so why did they have to give the car back? Must be another law somewhere as the thief cannot be prosecuted. It is nice that they got the car back. Looks like who ever stole the car either wanted it as a collectors Item or who ever he stole it for did. If it had been stolen in the Baltimore-D.C area it would have been overseas within a few days. When I lived in D.C. there was a system where they hired school children to steal cars, they told them what cars they wanted and offered $500 for each car. There was a big bust at one of the schools but that did not stop or make the system go away. When you live in an area where there is lots of rich who take vacations overseas there always will be thieves who will pay delivery people for information to when houses will not be attended. But now it seems everyone has an alarm system so that does slow things down until they find out how to bypass those systems as thieves never give up a change to steal big ticket items.

    Report Post »  
    • LameLiberals
      Posted on July 16, 2012 at 9:01am

      “Criminal” statue of limitation may have run out of putting the person who stole the car in jail – but NOT on getting the property back.

      Report Post »  
    • deloclem
      Posted on July 16, 2012 at 1:58pm

      He had the title. It was easy to prove that the car was never sold or transferred to another owner.

      Report Post »  
  • Noah_fing-whey
    Posted on July 16, 2012 at 8:05am

    The interesting thing about this story is that Ron Paul used to own an identical car! The only way we can solve the problem of the theft of 1967 Austin Healys is to elect Ron Paul president!

    Report Post »  
  • mopman64
    Posted on July 16, 2012 at 8:01am

    Who’s Mario and why should we care?

    Report Post »  
  • HYPNOTOAD
    Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:40am

    I read a couple of years ago about a guy who had his VW van stolen years ago. It finally showed up for sale and the cops gave it to the insurance company who paid him for his loss many years ago. That’s how it works.

    Report Post » HYPNOTOAD  
  • idarusskie
    Posted on July 16, 2012 at 12:32am

    You do not know if he had theft insurance. Besides its not the money its the sweet times he and his honey had n the car.

    Report Post »  
  • RossPoldark
    Posted on July 16, 2012 at 12:10am

    Wow, congrats to the fellow for being so persistent. How lucky. Yes, I bet he will return the $3000 check to his insurance company, but can you imagine that the car is worth $20000 more than when he purchased this? LOL.

    Report Post »  
  • marine249
    Posted on July 15, 2012 at 11:27pm

    One comment.

    Found in EEEEast L.A.

    Report Post »  
  • MAX0O1
    Posted on July 15, 2012 at 9:27pm

    CHESSE guys just be happy for the guy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Report Post »  
  • The-Monk
    Posted on July 15, 2012 at 9:22pm

    The car dealer should have asked, “Where’s the Carfax?”

    Looks like it’s been restored. This guy is soooo lucky. Talk about a mid-to-late Life bonus….

    Report Post » The-Monk  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on July 15, 2012 at 9:39pm

      Hey MONK, LPL, Didn’t think of that. What gets me is that the VIN should have still been in NCIC. It‘s surprising that it was not discovered earlier since it still had it’s VIN plate intact. I‘m sure it passed through a number of ’owners’ who registered it. Sounds like a magnificent SNAFU deprived of his car all these years.

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on July 16, 2012 at 2:32am

      Hi RJJ,

      Stolen in 1970…. no computers…. just paper and microfiche files. Probably sat in some guys garage or warehouse for years. Then he had a mechanic friend get a new title (I forget what that’s called, abandoned for non payment of repairs) had it restored and tried to sell it for big bucks.

      The owners vigilance paid off in the end. I wish he would run for office. He’d probably go over every Bill with a fine tooth comb.

      And please, no replies from the RP crowd about how Dr. Paul reads every word of every Bill.

      Report Post » The-Monk  
    • Kupo
      Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:36am

      Actually the reason that the VIN wasn’t in the NCIC was because of a typo. Yep, the clerk who was filing it or whatever screwed up a single number on the VIN number.

      http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20120716/NATION/207160349/Man-finds-his-car-eBay-42-years-after-stolen?odyssey=mod%7Cnewswell%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE%7Cs

      Report Post » Kupo  
    • Kupo
      Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:38am

      And LOL at inserting Ron Paul into this story.

      L-O-L

      Report Post » Kupo  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on July 16, 2012 at 7:14am

      MONK, In ‘73 an office where I worked in Tampa was connected to our home office in Atlanta via the phone lines with a rudimentary computer that was installed in it’s own desk. That’s because it took up almost all of the space in the desk. It worked by type out only through an IBM Selectric II. The NCIC has been operational since 1967. The first time that I used it back in the ’70s it was all paper print out as well.

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • Msgt Ret
      Posted on July 16, 2012 at 9:35am

      NCIC did not exist 42 years ago….

      Report Post » Msgt Ret  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on July 16, 2012 at 3:44pm

      @Kupo

      Thanks for the update.

      @RJJ

      Well, it looks like Kupo has the answer why the police never figured this out.

      Report Post » The-Monk  
  • TexOkie
    Posted on July 15, 2012 at 9:18pm

    So if he had insurance, filed a claim and was paid for the loss does not the car actually belong to the insurance company? Just saying.

    Report Post »  
    • Bluzie
      Posted on July 15, 2012 at 10:30pm

      That is the first thing I thought of too, Tex. Wish the story would elaborate more on the details instead of the feel good fluff.

      Report Post »  
    • RRFlyer
      Posted on July 16, 2012 at 9:54am

      Nothing wrong with the feel good stuff. Why do all you people like to be depressed all the time?

      Report Post »  
    • Utahcatholic
      Posted on July 16, 2012 at 4:56pm

      I would say it is doubtful or he was stupid if he had no theft insurance on this car in 1970. He paid $3,000.00 for it and that was a good amount of money back then. Actually the 3K then is actually worth more in 1970 than the 23K is now……would you buy a 23K car and not put theft insurance on it. I bought a new house for 32K in 1972 and sold it for 439K in 2010.

      That being said, so happens I was an insurance adjuster back in 1970 and yes when a car is stolen and unrecovered or totaled in a collision, in most cases the insured is paid for the market or book value of the car and the salvage(in the case of a totaled car) or a recovered theft car belongs to the insurance company. When the claim is settled the title to the car is surrendered to the insurance company and it belongs to them.

      Report Post »  
    • Brooke Lorren
      Posted on July 17, 2012 at 12:35am

      Since he still had the title, he must not have settled with the insurance company in that way…

      Report Post »  
  • RJJinGadsden
    Posted on July 15, 2012 at 8:25pm

    Saw this last week on the news. Glad he got that car back and it will be worth more now than it was when it was just three years.
    LOL, the location and the car dealer’s name really caught my attention!
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMfYNqJgO8Y

    Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
    • The-Monk
      Posted on July 15, 2012 at 9:09pm

      Hi RJJ,

      Wow, what a story. I was looking for a 1967 Austin Healey Mark III 3000 back then and ended up with a 1967 TR4A instead. I wonder how much my old TR4A is worth now? It’s probably been crushed a long, long time ago. Those were the days! : )

      Report Post » The-Monk  
    • RJJinGadsden
      Posted on July 15, 2012 at 9:28pm

      Hey MONK, Oh yeah, I recall us talking about that, and my ‘67 Sunbeam Alpine. Those were the days, weren’t they?

      Report Post » RJJinGadsden  
  • starman70
    Posted on July 15, 2012 at 8:04pm

    A fitting end to the story. Congrats to the original owner. If he did get an insurance settlement, I bet he will return the money. He looks like an honest person.

    I hope the dealership can get their money back too.

    Report Post »  
    • MOLLYPITCHER
      Posted on July 15, 2012 at 8:13pm

      @starman
      I too am glad he got his car back, and hopefully he will return the money. I think most decent people would. But you can’t tell an honest person by the way they look. I’ve met people who “look” honest and have been ripped off because I trusted them.

      Report Post »  
    • Noah_fing-whey
      Posted on July 16, 2012 at 8:08am

      I hope you don’t vote.

      Report Post »  
    • Anonymous T. Irrelevant
      Posted on July 16, 2012 at 9:29am

      I hope Molly DOES vote. Sounds to me like she doesn’t just vote based on looks or skin color like a LOT of people did in 2008.

      Report Post » Anonymous T. Irrelevant  
  • watashbuddyfriend
    Posted on July 15, 2012 at 7:49pm

    Interesting story, to be left holding, again!

    Report Post »  
  • hi
    Posted on July 15, 2012 at 7:22pm

    Cool!

    Report Post » hi  
  • MAMMY_NUNN
    Posted on July 15, 2012 at 7:16pm

    The man is lucky it was still in one piece if it were stolen in Detroit it would be in pieces.

    Report Post »  
  • Angel_light
    Posted on July 15, 2012 at 7:13pm

    he is very lucky it did not get destroyed. it still looks in good condition

    Report Post » Angel_light  
  • chips1
    Posted on July 15, 2012 at 7:10pm

    I hope this isn’t the end of the story. Tracking down the person that sold it to the car dealer, etc. would be an interesting case. DMV will register anything if they get the money.

    Report Post »  
    • cemerius
      Posted on July 15, 2012 at 7:41pm

      I am sure the dealer will try to recover their pound of flesh and their lost 27k :)

      Report Post » cemerius  
  • stotlaat
    Posted on July 15, 2012 at 7:09pm

    : ) I despise thieves

    Report Post »  
  • RLTW
    Posted on July 15, 2012 at 7:09pm

    If Obama had a Austin Healys it would look just like that one. Are we sure as people who can’t do things without government, that this car does not belong to Barry and the choom gang.

    Report Post »  
  • xstone1970
    Posted on July 15, 2012 at 7:05pm

    Well if I wonder if he got an insurance settlement in 1970, because if he did he was compensated for the car and it would no longer belong to him, but rather his insurance company, and what about a statute of limitations on this? Just wondering, and if I was the dealership who was out $27K I would really be wondering!

    Report Post »  
    • Ducky 1
      Posted on July 15, 2012 at 7:22pm

      Had a similar case here and they were able to work it all out.

      Report Post » Ducky 1  
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