He had to wait nearly three decades, but a man who reported his 1973 Chevrolet Camaro stolen 27 years ago in Orange County finally got his car back Wednesday.
When someone tried to register the Camaro recently, authorities discovered that it was a stolen car and tracked down Robert Andrews, who had reported it stolen in Santa Ana in July 1983, the California Highway Patrol reported.
CHP Officer Travis Ruiz said an insurance claim was never filed for the stolen Camaro's replacement value, so authorities determined that Andrews was still the legal owner.
The Camaro, which still runs, "doesn't look too bad," Ruiz said. It had been painted black, and its interior is in good condition, Ruiz said.
Ruiz said the car had been stored in a woman's yard for at least 10 years, apparently abandoned there by relatives. When it was sold recently, the new owner tried to register it, and it was still listed in Department of Motor Vehicles records as a stolen car, he said
The investigation led to Andrews, who was living in Nevada, and he was notified that he could pick up his car at the CHP's West Los Angeles Area office in Culver City.
