1958 Jaguar Mk1 3.4 M/OD project

I do love a Jag, great find and will be (the much over used phrase) an epic job but well worth it. Nice choice of daily too I just sold my series 3 beautiful car, great ride, decent power reliable too when looked after I say go for it!

Right...it looks like my involvement with the Mk1 may be over.

On Saturday the Police turned up at my parents house where the car was stored. They have a police report from 2010 showing the car was stolen from the rightful owner. They gave me a crime number etc and said they could arrest me for handling stolen goods but wouldn't as they knew I had bought it in good faith. The car was stolen 5 years ago and the guy I bought it from was sold it by the people that stole it. It was originally advertised on Ovalchat so I'm guessing the thieves thought it would be long gone by now.

Anyway, the end result is I can't work on, touch, move etc the car and the work/money/time I've spent so far buying moving and storing the car is gone.
They're contacting the original owner, and if he's not claimed off his insurance he'll get his car back and I lose everything.

I feel terrible, thIs is an awesome car and someone somewhere has woken up one morning to find it gone. If they want it back, I'll help load and deliver it, but that still doesn't take the sting out of losing my dream car!

Well that is a mixed feeling right there, sucks for you to lose the car of your dreams... but the person that had it stolen is probably ecstatic... What about the person you bought it from, I'm guessing if the dude hasn't claimed off insurance (which I'm personally guessing they would have) the person in the middle is left with the money you gave them for the car??

I got caught up in a similar situation in 1997.

I bought a Cavalier CDI 2.0 Auto, complete with documentation and keys etc and some time later found that it had been stolen.

Per your experience, the police where very good about it and I was obviously not charged.

The car had gone through two other people and the police eventually charged the first person in the line with theft.

The insurance company had long paid out and were therefore the owner of a slightly tatty cavalier CDI, which frankly they did not want.

I had paid £2000 for it and they gave me the option to buy it from them for the absolute bottom book price, which was something like £1000. Figuring that if I did it would be legally mine, I did this, although it sucked badly to be paying £3200 for a crappy car like that.

It took a while for the car to drop off the stolen car register and I was stopped three or four times.

I eventually sold it to my Brother in Law, when it was then stolen (for the second time), he had a hell of a time claiming his insurance as the car had already been the subject of a total loss. All of the paperwork that I gave him on it came in handy and he was able to make the claim. Only for it to be recovered some time later.

My advice is to talk to the Police, talk to the person you got it off, see if between you you can trace the person that stole it and sold it on. Meanwhile talk to the insurance company and see if you can buy it back from them......

The Police won't tell me anything, although how they dealt with me and it so far has been spot on. Very polite and sympathetic, obviously knowing it's not my fault. They won't tell me the original owners name or the insurance company etc.

The guy I bought it off says a couple of guys arrived at his place (he's into classic cars) with the Mk1 on a flatbed and offered to sell it to him. No names, no addresses and no way of finding them. The trail stops with the guy I bought it from, and he didn't steal it.

Think I'm pretty screwed to be honest, just hope the original owner actually restores the car and doesn't hust sell ot on...although thats not really my decision or choice!

Interesting read, thanks for that. I guess I need to speak to the Police, try and figure out whats what and where I go from here. The previous owner must have been in touch though, as he rang the police last week after 5 years, after seeing the car online.

I'm unsure how I go about finding details out, previous owner, insurance company etc and really confused as to how I'd ever get a logbook in my name for the car or get it off the police register.

The green Jag is damn cool looking.
But it must have been pretty special looking in the rear view mirror bringing the Mk1 home.
Till the call came :-(

How did they trace it to you after all this time?

Ah right, good to know they still keep an eye out for these cropping up again, granted not for you.

It's a shame that genuine people like you get caught up in this yet the crooks get away with it time and time again. Least it's happened now and not once you've gone down your chosen path with it.