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1968 GT/CS & HCS
2007+ GT/CS
1966-1967 HCS
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Stolen Mustang Recovered after 37 years
- Thread starter Perkchiro
- Start date
CougarCJ
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 17, 2006
- Messages
- 2,215
This is a C&P that has a bit more information.
It appears to have been a daily driver for most of those 38 years.
LOS ANGELES - A Los Angeles man is getting his stolen Mustang back — 38 years after it was stolen. The vehicle has an extra 300,000 miles and a different paint job, but Eugene Brakke's 1965 Mustang is evidently running just fine.
Brakke reported the car stolen to Burbank police in May 1970.
One month later, a Long Beach teenager named Judy Smongesky received the car as a high school graduation gift from her father, who had bought it at a Bellflower used car dealer.
Smongesky, who now lives in San Diego, said Thursday she had been driving and maintaining the car for nearly four decades, and only learned that it had been stolen when she recently prepared to sell it. San Diego police verified the car was hot.
"It's his car, even though he had it for four years and I had it for 38," Smongesky said. "He seems like a real nice gentleman, though."
Brakke found out Smongesky had twice rebuilt the engine and painted the Mustang from its old gold color to silver-blue.
"He wasn't too happy with that," Smongesky said.
The pair planned to meet up to transfer the car soon.
"It was hard but it was the right thing to do," Smongesky said. "I haven't really cried yet, but when he drives it away, I think I'll fall apart."
It appears to have been a daily driver for most of those 38 years.
LOS ANGELES - A Los Angeles man is getting his stolen Mustang back — 38 years after it was stolen. The vehicle has an extra 300,000 miles and a different paint job, but Eugene Brakke's 1965 Mustang is evidently running just fine.
Brakke reported the car stolen to Burbank police in May 1970.
One month later, a Long Beach teenager named Judy Smongesky received the car as a high school graduation gift from her father, who had bought it at a Bellflower used car dealer.
Smongesky, who now lives in San Diego, said Thursday she had been driving and maintaining the car for nearly four decades, and only learned that it had been stolen when she recently prepared to sell it. San Diego police verified the car was hot.
"It's his car, even though he had it for four years and I had it for 38," Smongesky said. "He seems like a real nice gentleman, though."
Brakke found out Smongesky had twice rebuilt the engine and painted the Mustang from its old gold color to silver-blue.
"He wasn't too happy with that," Smongesky said.
The pair planned to meet up to transfer the car soon.
"It was hard but it was the right thing to do," Smongesky said. "I haven't really cried yet, but when he drives it away, I think I'll fall apart."
rvrtrash
Well-known member
- Joined
- Apr 25, 2003
- Messages
- 3,662
I can't believe she licensed it year after year and Calif. DMV didn't run a cross check on the VIN. What about the cops? Even back in the '70's, you'd think someone looking for a stolen car would look in the records to see if it was registered under a new name. I think the lady should keep the car she's had all those years and the state should pay the original owner for his loss. Sounds like they're as much to blame as the thief.
Steve (I woke up early and I guess I'm a little irritable)
Steve (I woke up early and I guess I'm a little irritable)
CALIF GIRL
Well-known member
- Joined
- Oct 10, 2004
- Messages
- 644
Sounds like it was VIN switched. She found the secondary VIN and thought something was up, found out it was stolen.
BroadwayBlue
Well-known member
Here is a little more info on how they discovered it was stolen...
http://www.knbc.com/automotive/15653897/detail.html?rss=la&psp=news
knbc.com
Stolen '65 Mustang Found -- 37 Years Later
POSTED: 9:48 am PDT March 20, 2008
UPDATED: 6:27 pm PDT March 20, 2008
SAN DIEGO -- When Judy Smongesky graduated from high school in 1970, her father gave her a truly cool present -- a 1965 Ford Mustang.
Thirty-eight years down the road, it turns out the Smongesky's prized ride was actually hot.
This week, San Diego police confirmed the City Heights resident's nagging suspicions by informing her that her beloved car was stolen.
They also broke the news that they had found the Mustang's rightful owner, she said.
Smongesky, 55, has since spoken with that man, Eugene Brakke of Los Angeles, and the two plan to meet soon to discuss what to do about the awkward situation.
Brakke "seems willing to work something out," Smongesky said Thursday morning.
Her father, now 80 and living in Los Alamitos, bought the gold coupe from a used-car dealer in Bellflower to give to his then-18-year-old daughter for her graduation from high school in Long Beach, where they then lived.
Smongesky "loved" the Mustang and enjoyed driving it until about 1990, when she "retired" it because it was no longer running very well, she said.
About 12 years ago, a neighbor of Smongesky's expressed interest in buying the garaged hard-top coupe, but balked after looking it over and concluding that it was stolen.
Dubious but concerned, Smongesky called the police, who sent senior- volunteer officers to investigate. They looked the car over and reassured Smongesky that her neighbor had been mistaken.
Recently, though, Smongesky grew suspicious herself while restoring the Mustang and realizing that it had two different vehicle-identification numbers, one on the firewall, the other on the driver's side door.
"And I just had a feeling in my heart that I needed to clarify this before I put any more money up," she said.
Smongesky, a 35-year San Diego resident, said she hopes to be able to keep the Mustang -- now repainted silverish-blue -- but realizes that, ultimately, it's up to Brakke, who reported it stolen in 1970.
"Of course, he could always take the car as is, right now, and then I'm out of a car," she said.
Smongesky said her father was as surprised as she was to hear that he'd unwittingly bought a stolen car for nearly four decades ago. Still, he adopted a philosophical attitude.
"He said, `Well, Judy, just chalk it up to experience,"' she said.
http://www.knbc.com/automotive/15653897/detail.html?rss=la&psp=news
knbc.com
Stolen '65 Mustang Found -- 37 Years Later
POSTED: 9:48 am PDT March 20, 2008
UPDATED: 6:27 pm PDT March 20, 2008
SAN DIEGO -- When Judy Smongesky graduated from high school in 1970, her father gave her a truly cool present -- a 1965 Ford Mustang.
Thirty-eight years down the road, it turns out the Smongesky's prized ride was actually hot.
This week, San Diego police confirmed the City Heights resident's nagging suspicions by informing her that her beloved car was stolen.
They also broke the news that they had found the Mustang's rightful owner, she said.
Smongesky, 55, has since spoken with that man, Eugene Brakke of Los Angeles, and the two plan to meet soon to discuss what to do about the awkward situation.
Brakke "seems willing to work something out," Smongesky said Thursday morning.
Her father, now 80 and living in Los Alamitos, bought the gold coupe from a used-car dealer in Bellflower to give to his then-18-year-old daughter for her graduation from high school in Long Beach, where they then lived.
Smongesky "loved" the Mustang and enjoyed driving it until about 1990, when she "retired" it because it was no longer running very well, she said.
About 12 years ago, a neighbor of Smongesky's expressed interest in buying the garaged hard-top coupe, but balked after looking it over and concluding that it was stolen.
Dubious but concerned, Smongesky called the police, who sent senior- volunteer officers to investigate. They looked the car over and reassured Smongesky that her neighbor had been mistaken.
Recently, though, Smongesky grew suspicious herself while restoring the Mustang and realizing that it had two different vehicle-identification numbers, one on the firewall, the other on the driver's side door.
"And I just had a feeling in my heart that I needed to clarify this before I put any more money up," she said.
Smongesky, a 35-year San Diego resident, said she hopes to be able to keep the Mustang -- now repainted silverish-blue -- but realizes that, ultimately, it's up to Brakke, who reported it stolen in 1970.
"Of course, he could always take the car as is, right now, and then I'm out of a car," she said.
Smongesky said her father was as surprised as she was to hear that he'd unwittingly bought a stolen car for nearly four decades ago. Still, he adopted a philosophical attitude.
"He said, `Well, Judy, just chalk it up to experience,"' she said.
Copyright 2008 by KNBC.com and KNBC (NBC4 Los Angeles). All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
hcsstang
Well-known member
Several years ago at the Carlisle show a man was looking for a Shelby that was stolen from him. He saw a car that had the same features on that he done to his car. He called the police but the guy that had the car had all of his papers in order and he was from Canada. After a couple of years I was reading mm and they had an article in the magazine. Well he got his car back. The vin # was changed saying that it wasn't an orginal Shelby.
Midnight Special
Well-known member
BroadwayBlue
Well-known member
Definitely a good end to the story.
The only thing that gets me though is that she is planning on selling the car right? So she is going to make out OK on the deal.
Shouldn't she have sold the car to him for a good deal?
The only thing that gets me though is that she is planning on selling the car right? So she is going to make out OK on the deal.
Shouldn't she have sold the car to him for a good deal?
GT/CS S Code
Well-known member
Further to this story ....
Well, this story even made the local papers up here in Canada, but somehow the original owner's 65 Mustang "turned into" a Cobra Mustang .... and a later Cobra II by the photo at that! Now that's absolutely magical .....
Funny how these things get twisted around in the media!
Well, this story even made the local papers up here in Canada, but somehow the original owner's 65 Mustang "turned into" a Cobra Mustang .... and a later Cobra II by the photo at that! Now that's absolutely magical .....
Funny how these things get twisted around in the media!
