Hot car hell
Question
My car was stolen recently, but I've tracked it down and discovered that the owner had no idea it was nicked when he bought it. What's more, it's since had a new gearbox installed. Can I get it back, and will I incur any court fees?
Answer
If you made a claim on your insurance for the theft of the car, and they paid out, then the car belongs to the insurance company. This means it would be up to them to decide what to do with the car now you have tracked it down.
Right now, you would be advised to tell both the company and the police where the car is to be found. This way, the insurance company can recover their property and the police will be able to speak to the purchaser in the hope of finding the thief.
Even if you didn't make an insurance claim it's still a good idea to contact the police and get them to deal with the situation. This is because direct contact with the purchaser could cause conflict, leaving your safety at risk.
It's possible that even though the person bought a stolen car he may have 'good title' which means it is considered free from all legal claims - and you will not be able to get the car back. If you decide that you want the car returned you would be advised to seek specialist legal advice because this area of law can be very complicated.
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Question answered by CAB
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