Purchased Motorhome - Months Later Reported Stolen - TEXAS/MISSISSIPPI

[dadintexas]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Texas

Back in March, I found an ad online for a nice motorhome, worth well over $30-40k however it was not running and the seller was behind on payments and did not have a title. He had it listed for $4500 and after checking out the VIN with police to verify it wasnt stolen I bought it for $2000 after negotiating a little. I bought it here in my home town of Dallas, TX. However the RV had Mississippi registration and the seller told me he was moving to TX and his uncle sent it with him to get rid of it because he couldnt afford it any more. So I had it towed to my house after I paid him for it. I got it running a few days later and fixed it up alot to make it useable to my liking. Well fast forward to now...I decided to sell it in mid June, so I posted it on craigslist for $15,000 with no title. On the same day I posted it, it was reported stolen in Olive Branch MS. I got a call from a detective in Dallas on June 20th, he informed me of the situation and said they think its an insurance job because it is in fact behind on payments but that he would have to recover it for now. After they recovered it, I called the detective in Olive Branch MS and explained my side, I told him even if it does have a lien, thats not up to the police to handle because thats a civil matter. He said that it is illegal to sell financed property in MS and that they would have to return the property to the leinholder.

Well my question is who would handle the sale of financed property charges, Texas or Mississippi? Do I have a claim on this Motorhome? How do I get it back if I do? Do I need a lawyer in Texas or MS?

A complicating factor is that the guy I bought it from was not the registered owner, he claimed to be the owners nephew. I asked him for the registered owners information and he didnt hesitate when he gave me his name so I believe the two are in fact connected and did knowingly sell this motorhome to me. But that needs to be proved.

I have a signed bill of sale, copy of drivers license front and back, photos of sellers car in front of the rv that show his license plates when I purchased it, I HAVE THE KEYS, I have insurance on it, towing receipt, and multiple VIN reports as well as an official state of texas vehicle report.

Any help is appreciated.

 

[Ohiogal]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Texas

Back in March, I found an ad online for a nice motorhome, worth well over $30-40k however it was not running and the seller was behind on payments and did not have a title. He had it listed for $4500 and after checking out the VIN with police to verify it wasnt stolen I bought it for $2000 after negotiating a little. I bought it here in my home town of Dallas, TX. However the RV had Mississippi registration and the seller told me he was moving to TX and his uncle sent it with him to get rid of it because he couldnt afford it any more. So I had it towed to my house after I paid him for it. I got it running a few days later and fixed it up alot to make it useable to my liking. Well fast forward to now...I decided to sell it in mid June, so I posted it on craigslist for $15,000 with no title. On the same day I posted it, it was reported stolen in Olive Branch MS. I got a call from a detective in Dallas on June 20th, he informed me of the situation and said they think its an insurance job because it is in fact behind on payments but that he would have to recover it for now. After they recovered it, I called the detective in Olive Branch MS and explained my side, I told him even if it does have a lien, thats not up to the police to handle because thats a civil matter. He said that it is illegal to sell financed property in MS and that they would have to return the property to the leinholder.

Well my question is who would handle the sale of financed property charges, Texas or Mississippi? Do I have a claim on this Motorhome? How do I get it back if I do? Do I need a lawyer in Texas or MS?

A complicating factor is that the guy I bought it from was not the registered owner, he claimed to be the owners nephew. I asked him for the registered owners information and he didnt hesitate when he gave me his name so I believe the two are in fact connected and did knowingly sell this motorhome to me. But that needs to be proved.

I have a signed bill of sale, copy of drivers license front and back, photos of sellers car in front of the rv that show his license plates when I purchased it, I HAVE THE KEYS, I have insurance on it, towing receipt, and multiple VIN reports as well as an official state of texas vehicle report.

Any help is appreciated.

You have enough to be a star witness for the prosecution in Mississippi.

 

[racer72]

Ah, the pitfalls of buying a vehicle that does not have a title. Why people would do this baffles me.

 

[latigo]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Texas

Back in March, I found an ad online for a nice motorhome, worth well over $30-40k however it was not running and the seller was behind on payments and did not have a title. He had it listed for $4500 and after checking out the VIN with police to verify it wasnt stolen I bought it for $2000 after negotiating a little. I bought it here in my home town of Dallas, TX. However the RV had Mississippi registration and the seller told me he was moving to TX and his uncle sent it with him to get rid of it because he couldnt afford it any more. So I had it towed to my house after I paid him for it. I got it running a few days later and fixed it up alot to make it useable to my liking. Well fast forward to now...I decided to sell it in mid June, so I posted it on craigslist for $15,000 with no title. On the same day I posted it, it was reported stolen in Olive Branch MS. I got a call from a detective in Dallas on June 20th, he informed me of the situation and said they think its an insurance job because it is in fact behind on payments but that he would have to recover it for now. After they recovered it, I called the detective in Olive Branch MS and explained my side, I told him even if it does have a lien, thats not up to the police to handle because thats a civil matter. He said that it is illegal to sell financed property in MS and that they would have to return the property to the lienholder [sic].


Well my question is who would handle the sale of financed property charges, Texas or Mississippi? Do I have a claim on this Motorhome? How do I get it back if I do? Do I need a lawyer in Texas or MS?

A complicating factor is that the guy I bought it from was not the registered owner, he claimed to be the owners nephew. I asked him for the registered owners information and he didnt hesitate when he gave me his name so I believe the two are in fact connected and did knowingly sell this motorhome to me. But that needs to be proved.

I have a signed bill of sale, copy of drivers license front and back, photos of sellers car in front of the rv that show his license plates when I purchased it, I HAVE THE KEYS, I have insurance on it, towing receipt, and multiple VIN reports as well as an official state of texas vehicle report.

Any help is appreciated.

Why Texas? It has no authority to enforce the criminal laws of Mississippi. No state has such extraterritorial jurisdiction.

The law apparently violated was Mississippi statute § 97-17-75 which makes it a felony to remove from the county, conceal, secrete, sell or otherwise dispose of mortgaged/pledged/encumbered goods without the consent of the lien holder.

And if I were you, because of the suspicious nature of this entire transaction, I'd stay the hell out of Mississippi in fear of being indicted as an accomplice!











1

You have about as much claim to ownership of the unit as I do to the Brooklyn Bridge.

 

[Zigner]

I don't believe for a SECOND that you are in the clear on all of this. You bought a $30,000-$40,000 motor home for $2k (even in a non-running condition) and you didn't even suspect that there was a problem? Then, you proceeded to conspire in the fraud against the lender AND the various states. Puhlease This deal was so dirty it left mud tracks across the country, and you didn't think twice about participating.