Bought car from dealer who then reported it stolen!!

Bertybert

Hey, would really appreciate some sound knowledge / advice. I bought a car from a dealer 5 weeks ago - paid the deposit by switch, then the balance in cash when i picked it up. Apparently the guy at the dealers has done a bunk with the cash i gave him and a few others too. The owner of the dealership reported the car i bought as stolen only this week (5 weeks after i bought it). The police have taken it off of me and have said they doubt i'll get it back. I will get some legal advice, but am going insane trying to work this out. I have a proper receipt on their headed paper etc, i had spoken to the owner of the dealership while purchasing the car - phonecalls about when i could pick it up etc, so he knew i was buying it. Can i get my car back as it wasnt stolen when i bought it and i have a receipt. Should the police be chasing the guy who has done a bunk with the money and leave me alone with my car back on my drive??? Totally puts you off buying anything!!!
Any advice would be much appreciated! :mad:
Many thanks.

motorguy

Surely this is a case of fraud and not theft?

ie, the person within the dealership stole the money that was used to pay for the car, as opposed to he stole the car then sold it to you?

I think you should find a GOOD local solicitor immediately - i think this one is going to be down to semantics. It sounds like the dealer is trying to say the cars were stolen from him, then sold so that he can recoup the cars involved, as opposed to reality which is that the money that paid for the cars was stolen which means he cant recover the cars?

bengalknights

Who has the V5c?

Sounds like the owner should have reported his employee not the cars

1jim

I would have thought that you own the car
You paid a deposit to the garage, you paid the balance to the garage, the garage presumably have sent of the details to dvla to say you are now the registered keeper. You have a receipt for the car which presumabably passes title of the car to you, check on the back there are probably terms and conditions that say they ( the garage) owns the car until you have paid, which you have done.

The fact that the garages employee has stolen money off the garage is not your fault. I would see a solicitor straight away! I agree with pgilc1 the owner of the garage is trying it on......

But I think it sounds like you have a good case, presuming that
you went to the garage to buy the car,
the salesman was employed at the garage at that time,
that the car was on the forecourt and was listed for sale,
that you bought the car from garage (not the salesman if that makes sense)
That you obtained a receipt to confirm sale of car to you from the garage

If the salesman stole their money.... Is stopped being your money when you handed it over and they gave you the car in exchange.... Then they need to pursue the salesman to reclaim the money not you.

I would write a letter today, send recorded delivery, explaining that you dispute the ownership of the car and that you are giving notice to instigate legal proceedings to reclaim your car unless the car is returned to you within 7days and that in the interim that they must not resell or otherwise dispose of this car and that if in the event you need to instigate legal proceedings to reclaim your car you will seek judgment for costs and consequential losses

1jim

Another thought is to contact the police and ask to speak to a senior officer, you may have grounds to make a complaint to the police, arguably the car has been stolen from you and the police offers have assisted in this process...... To be fair though I would ask to speak to a senior officer, explain that you bought the car from the garage, show receipts of deposit and the balance being paid, explain that the car belonged to you when you paid the garage for it and that if the employee has stolen the money then it has been stolen from the garage not you and ask for a review of this case, you just might get a senior officer to agree, they may be able to do something to help...... But I would still send the letter to dealership as above

reehsetin

agree get a solicitor,

Do you really really need that car considering this? e.g. if something went wrong tomorrow that they were responsible for could you trust them to act properly.
Personally I would ask for all of the money back that you paid taking them to small claims if needed, if you have no car you should get a refund.

Premier_2

Bertybert wrote: »

Hey, would really appreciate some sound knowledge / advice. I bought a car from a dealer 5 weeks ago - paid the deposit by switch, then the balance in cash when i picked it up. Apparently the guy at the dealers has done a bunk with the cash i gave him and a few others too. The owner of the dealership reported the car i bought as stolen only this week (5 weeks after i bought it). The police have taken it off of me and have said they doubt i'll get it back. I will get some legal advice, but am going insane trying to work this out. I have a proper receipt on their headed paper etc, i had spoken to the owner of the dealership while purchasing the car - phonecalls about when i could pick it up etc, so he knew i was buying it. Can i get my car back as it wasnt stolen when i bought it and i have a receipt. Should the police be chasing the guy who has done a bunk with the money and leave me alone with my car back on my drive??? Totally puts you off buying anything!!!
Any advice would be much appreciated! :mad:
Many thanks.

So you say you paid in cash to the dealer?

Simply show the dealer receipt to the police and you'll be given your car back.

Simples :cool:

Delivery_Driver

Whatever you decide to do, do it fast before the dealer resells the car.

arcon5

Go to the dealership with your receipt and green slip and refuse to leave without your car! I can't really see what grounds to police have to recover the car if you are now the legal owner, as you purchased it through their staff from their premises and made payment to them.

Their issues are with the thieving employee, not you.

I also wonder how the police would respond if you went and reported the vehicle as stolen, providing them with proof of ownership.

Otherwise a sharply worded letter from a solicitor might have them reconsider their position.

s_b

the police would have had to arrest me before i gave the car up
owner of business knew you were buying the car]
his salesman has stolen the money
youve used the salesman as an employee of the owner
to me the owner should be arrested for saying car stolen

Notmyrealname

bengalknights wrote: »

Who has the V5c?

What difference does that make? The V5C does not indicate ownership, merely who is the registered keeper. It tells you this in big letters in a big red box on the front of the V5C.