Maybe bought stolen vehicle...now what?

Maybe bought stolen vehicle...now what?

greenguard@comcast.net (dpip)	2/13/2004 2:40:04 PM
I purchased a dirt bike for my daughter recently and the seller did not have a title. He gave me the bill of sale he had for when he bought it and said we can do a lost title search with DMV. When I went to register with DMV they said I needed a VIN ID check with the CHP. I talk to CHP and the officer says I might have really stepped into it here. I take the bike down on Friday, what should I expect/prepare for? Is there a chance it isn't stolen?



cj.green@worldnet.att.net (Christopher Green)	2/15/2004 6:22:45 PM
greenguard@comcast.net (dpip) wrote in message news:<np9q20ht9erk55qgs4oeppk0l3292s6kt0@4ax.com>... I purchased a dirt bike for my daughter recently and the seller did not have a title. He gave me the bill of sale he had for when he bought it and said we can do a lost title search with DMV. When I went to register with DMV they said I needed a VIN ID check with the CHP. I talk to CHP and the officer says I might have really stepped into it here. I take the bike down on Friday, what should I expect/prepare for? Is there a chance it isn't stolen? Went through that with a vehicle that had a stripped VIN some years ago. CHP would be within their rights to impound the bike as soon as they find a problem (for example, the last legal owner was not the party you bought it from). But they prefer to work with an innocent purchaser who can make it clear that he bought the bike in good faith and who clearly isn't going to turn around and sell it to somebody else before they can settle the matter. If the bike really was stolen, they may have to impound it and return it to the rightful owner. You'd be SOL: you'd have a case against the seller, but that and a dollar may be worth a cup of coffee. -- Not a lawyer, Chris Green



Gerald Clough	2/15/2004 6:23:02 PM
dpip wrote: I purchased a dirt bike for my daughter recently and the seller did not have a title. He gave me the bill of sale he had for when he bought it and said we can do a lost title search with DMV. When I went to register with DMV they said I needed a VIN ID check with the CHP. I talk to CHP and the officer says I might have really stepped into it here. I take the bike down on Friday, what should I expect/prepare for? Is there a chance it isn't stolen? I'm not sure you're interpreting the meaning of "a VIN ID check" properly. In Texas, we're often called upon to meet the requirement that a peace officer confirm the VIN in similar cases. There's no particular reason to believe it's stolen. And "stepped in it" likely just means that the officer has considerable experience hearing people's problems of vehicles bought without having the title. Here, you could find yourself trying to run down the last registered owner to get them to release the title to you, which is commonly done by having them execute a limited power of attorney, so that you can obtain a replacement title in their name and then sign it over to yourself. -- Gerald Clough "Nothing has any value, unless you know you can give it up."

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