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Man Tracks Down Classic Camaro Stolen 16 Years Ago

By Stephanie Rabiner, Esq. on October 26, 2011 | Last updated on March 21, 2019

Edward Neely of Jefferson, Mo. has his baby back. Or at least his stolen 1969 Camaro.

Nicknamed "Chelsey Pearl," Neely purchased the car when he was 18. In 1995, the car was stolen, and hadn't been seen since. That is, until he spotted it in an online ad.

Armed with a report from the Syracuse police, Neely hightailed it out to Utah last week, where the car was located. It's since been returned to its rightful home in Missouri.

Owner Brent Dockery had no idea that the car was stolen, reports the Deseret News. The VIN number had been altered. However, police were able to verify the vehicle after locating the original VIN in a door panel.

That was sufficient enough to transfer ownership to Edward Neely. Dockery may have purchased the car, but he did not legally obtain title to the stolen Camaro. Neely's rights never terminated.

There is still one more legal issue left. Dockery installed $10,000 in upgrades, according to the Associated Press. He wants to remove them from the vehicle.

If Neely does not agree, a court may order him to return the upgrades if easily removable. Otherwise, he might be on the hook for their value. This is because the upgrades are technically the property of Dockery. It would also be unjust to allow Neely to benefit from their presence.

This, of course, is all hypothetical. Edward Neely told the Deseret News that he'd like to get the stolen Camaro "back in shape." Could he mean original condition?

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