Turns out my bus was previously stolen

Previously we had a poster who was concerned about their van having been stolen and ringed and they had to beg to get the police and insurance interested. Even when they presented all the evidence and pointed the police at the ringers they'd bought it from, nobody gave a damn. Their only interest was that the chassis number ( that had clearly been moved from a legal wreck to a nice stolen van) was not on their stolen vehicle register. Hmm - well, it wouldn't be would it?

 

I had to transfer the chassis number to new surround steelwork once because the original steelwork was beyond saving - I cut the number out and welded it into the new - it looked like it could have been a ringer from the rear but it wasn't, honest guv! So you never know.

 

Mines the same. It had two new/secondhand rear corners from a US bus as the existing metal was so far gone or actually gone as in disappeared.

 

The bloke who put in my cargo floor could have welded an old VIN number into the back corner , finished it properly and you honestly would never have spotted the transplant . He was a VERY good fabricator - even when he'd dressed the sill closing panel it was invisible .

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I once had all the paint taken off round the chassis vin as the mot man was suspicious..

 

I discovered my beetle was stolen when I called heritage to order TMI seat covers. They told me the chassis number wasn’t a cabrio. I gave the person I bought it from a knock and she produced a file full of info on it. Turned out it was ringed before she bought it 25 years earlier . It sat in a police compound for 2 years while she battled with the insurance company. Over 4o years ago now, all adds to the history.

 

My understanding of this is the insurance dont want to claim it back , i would want that in writing from them . The police officer should be given a copy of the letter and in turn a report submitted to the force solicitor for a decision to be made as to who is now the rightful owner . The officer cannot make that decision , he has knowledge of a recovered stolen vehicle , he should have got you to undertake to keep the vehicle safe and to not dispose of it, if you dont agree he should have seized it from you as evidence then as above sent a report to the force solicitor . If the officer doesnt instigate the action he is failing the "owner" of the vehicle be it you, insurance or the person who had it stolen. Personaly , with information so far i would ask for a disclaimer from the insurance company who probably paid out to original keeper so technicaly they own it BUT you will probably provde proof that you paid worth for the vehicle so technically you also own it , thats for the force solicitor to decide and with a disclaimer from insurance thats what will probably happen , till then your in limbo . But good luck with it , its a worrying time for you. The dvla have no role in the decision as to who own the vehicle , they jusk keep a record of a chasis identification KEEPER history , not even necessarily the owners details

 

The chassis number has been partially welded over. Has this been destroyed? If I have a go with my Dremel, do you think I can take off enough weld for it to show again?

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Got a new V5C today. I have a new number plate finishing with a K and the paperwork shows the original VIN.

The DVLA of course did cock something up and put the colour down as purple, which was the previous colour, not the current. . Have requested that get changed.

Well at least the bus is still mine.

 

Great news!