Stolen VW Van Recovered After 35 Years

Customs officials in Long Beach where surprised to find a mint condition 1965 Volkswagen van in a container bound for the Netherlands last week. They were even more surprised when they found out that the van had been reported stolen...in 1974.



The van was taken from an auto upholstery shop in Spokane, Washington state but was never recovered by the owner. All hope of finding the van had been abandoned and the owner's insurance company had paid out allowing him to pursue other vans for sale.

The insurance company Allstate are now the proud owners of a classic VW camper van.

"Allstate paid her $2,500 or so to settle the claim," he said. "Now it's worth $25,000. . . . It's in pristine condition. It looks like it's brand new. So Allstate wanted it."

The man transporting the van had bought it in good faith and had no idea that it had once been stolen.