Shoplifting, Larceny, Robbery, Theft CA - Do I have to pay to get my car that was stolen out of impound?

[lionlion81]

My girlfriend's car was stolen in Los Angeles on Friday night. Miraculously, the thief was pulled over for reckless driving. It transpired that he didn't have a license and the car was towed. He claimed that the car was "his mother's" and since we hadn't yet noticed that the car was missing, it hadn't been reported stolen, so they let him off.

Now the guy is NOT in custody and the LAPD not only won't let my girlfriend file a report stating that the car was stolen, but they claim that they have no contact information for the thief. Even worse, they won't let us get the car out of impound because there's a 30 day hold on it because it was towed for being driven without a license! They just gave us the number of a detective assigned to the case, who hasn't called us back.

Any advice would be wonderful.

 

[CdwJava]

My girlfriend's car was stolen in Los Angeles on Friday night. Miraculously, the thief was pulled over for reckless driving. It transpired that he didn't have a license and the car was towed. He claimed that the car was "his mother's" and since we hadn't yet noticed that the car was missing, it hadn't been reported stolen, so they let him off.

Now the guy is NOT in custody and the LAPD not only won't let my girlfriend file a report stating that the car was stolen, but they claim that they have no contact information for the thief. Even worse, they won't let us get the car out of impound because there's a 30 day hold on it because it was towed for being driven without a license! They just gave us the number of a detective assigned to the case, who hasn't called us back.

Any advice would be wonderful.

Did your girlfriend KNOW the thief? How did he get the keys to the car and take it? If they are not accepting a stolen vehicle report I suspect it because they smell something funky emanating from the story.

The registered owner has a legal right to an impound hearing. If that is your girlfriend, she needs to contact the agency and cite section 22852(c) of the California Vehicle code which states that they must convene a hearing within 48 hours of the request. She can make her plea to them at that time.

- Carl

 

[lionlion81]

Did your girlfriend KNOW the thief? How did he get the keys to the car and take it? If they are not accepting a stolen vehicle report I suspect it because they smell something funky emanating from the story.

She doesn't know him -- at least she doesn't think she does, as we still don't know who stole it, other than the fact that was he was black (my girlfriend's Hispanic, so they're not related like he claimed when was pulled over). It looks like he was at a party thrown by my girlfriend's roommate and that he stole her car keys from inside the house, then used them to get into the car; I guess the funkiness wafting from the story could be the fact that the guy had a set of keys for the vehicle when he was pulled over.

Thanks for the advice on the hearing! We're on it.