In 1982, a young Marine stationed at Cherry Point, N.C. suffered a loss: his prized Mustang was stolen. This was no ordinary Mustang; it was a 1965 Shelby GT-350. The Marine soon deployed and never saw that car again—until 2007 when a National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) agent contacted him with news that his Mustang was located in Maryland.

In the intervening years since it was stolen, the Mustang's true identity—its VIN—had been painstakingly altered and matched with a fraudulent title. It was then sold to an unsuspecting buyer who eventually put a new $12,000 Shelby engine in it.

See an NICB video on this Mustang investigation and images of the vehicle here.

The duped owner was contacted in 2007 by the Maryland State Police and an NICB special agent asking to inspect his Shelby. As you can imagine, he was absolutely dazed when they informed him that his prized possession was, in fact, stolen property.

That young Marine from 1982—now a professional airline pilot—was overjoyed when he was notified that his dream car had been recovered and was in excellent condition. In a classy gesture of goodwill—he was not legally required to do so—the pilot gave the former owner a check for $12,000 for the engine.

Whether or not one owns a Shelby Mustang, everyone should take steps to protect their vehicle from theft. Although vehicle thefts have been declining in recent years, if it happens it can be financially devastating and just an all-around hassle. NICB urges motorists to follow its “layered approach” to auto theft prevention. By employing these simple, low-cost suggestions people can make their vehicles less attractive to thieves.

Source: NICB

Special Reports /

NICB Reunites Owner with Stolen Shelby GT-350

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