Stolen Car, Signed Title and Bill of Sale in Car

[StolenCar]

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

Long story short:

I met a person to let him test drive my car for sale. I made 2 HUGE mistakes, I let him drive the car alone, and I forgot I left the title and bill or sale in the car.

The title is in my dad's and my name. He had signed the title, I did not. I had printed out a Bill of Sale, and had already signed it, but my dad did not sign.

I've already filed a police report. They found the car and released the guy because he had a signed title. I'm not sure what to do now.

I went ahead and applied for a new title, and should have it tomorrow, so the old one should be void.

Looking for advice on any direction to take. Thank you. I know I made horrible decisions, but I want to get my car back.

Edit: Forgot to mention I found my car for sale on Craigslist 3 hours after it was stolen, asking $1k less than what I supposedly sold it for.

 

[justalayman]

you have your car back, right? what else do you want?

If the DA sees this as criminal, they will press charges.
Oh, you don't have your car.

Let's see. The guy has a title signed by one of the owners and a bill of sale signed by you. I bet if you pay the guy the amount of money on the bill of sale, he'll sell the car back to you.


Kind of hard to argue he didn't pay you when he has a receipt.

 

[StolenCar]

Right, he still has the car.

I never signed the title, I hope that means something.

Would it be smart to hire a lawyer in this situation? I'm hoping they could check his bank records to see if he withdrew money. My girlfriend was with me so I have a witness. Don't know if that means anything.

 

[justalayman]

Right, he still has the car.

I never signed the title, I hope that means something.

Would it be smart to hire a lawyer in this situation? I'm hoping they could check his bank records to see if he withdrew money. My girlfriend was with me so I have a witness. Don't know if that means anything.

I am a bit surprise the police did what they did based on your story. I suspect they simply do not believe you.

I would try the police route again. Maybe they misunderstood something you said.

short of that, your best bet would simply be to sue the guy. I don't know what the $ amount is. Hopefully it will fit in small claims court. That would save you the cost of a lawyer.

 

[xylene]

I never signed the title, I hope that means something.

If the title is in your dad's name you would never sign the title at all.

In fact you would not sign the bill of sale.

 

[justalayman]

If the title is in your dad's name you would never sign the title at all.

In fact you would not sign the bill of sale.

from the OP's first post:


The title is in my dad's and my name. He had signed the title, I did not. I had printed out a Bill of Sale, and had already signed it, but my dad did not sign.

 

[Zigner]

from the OP's first post:


The title is in my dad's and my name. He had signed the title, I did not. I had printed out a Bill of Sale, and had already signed it, but my dad did not sign.

Then I guess the question is this: How, EXACTLY, is the title worded?

 

[justalayman]

Then I guess the question is this: How, EXACTLY, is the title worded?

irrelevant


the intent was to sell the car. As prep for that, dad signed off so he didn't have to be there. OP didn't sign it so what happened wouldn't happen.

a receipt is a receipt. It simply states that somebody got some money from somebody else. It likely said in exchange for the car. Dad didn't have to sign that and unless he actually received the money from the buyer, it wouldn't really be proper to sign it.

So, OP's only argument is: he didn't sign the title which would support the claim the transaction had not been completed. Obviously the receipt supports the opposite.

OP is stuck with admitting he was dumb and wrote out a receipt prior to actual delivery of the money and did not sign the title because he never did receive the money.

buyer is stuck with claiming the lack of signature on the title was simply an error.


the one thing: buyer cannot sell the car (legally (ya, I know, like that means anything)) without OP's signature AND actually obtaining a title in his own name.


So, if it was me; I would have somebody play buyer and attempt to buy the car. Then figure out how the buyer/now seller was attempting to deliver the title to the newest buyer.

Depending on that, maybe just obtain proper address and verify name and sue in civil court or with testimony the buyer/now seller was illegally representing himself as the OP and willing to sign OP's name, contact the police again and attempt top convince them the truth of the situation.

 

[Zigner]

Irrelevant to the conversion. Not irrelevant as to why the police didn't do anything

 

[xylene]

OP didn't sign (the title) so what happened wouldn't happen.

Explain why the OP would sign the title (and the bill of sale) of a car that per the op the title was solely in dad's name

 

[justalayman]

Explain why the OP would sign the title (and the bill of sale) of a car that per the op the title was solely in dad's name

you missed it again?

The title is in my dad's and my name.

 

[justalayman]

Not irrelevant as to why the police didn't do anything

OOHHHH, I gotcha.

doh!!!!!

slow brain today I guess.

 

[StolenCar]

As stated above, the title is in both my dad's and my name. I never signed the title.

I now have in my hands a duplicate title, so the car should not be able to be titled again (doesn't mean it can't be sold).

A detective told me the person I supposedly sold the car to (for $5,000), listed it on Craigslist for $2500 and sold it to a 2nd person. The 2nd person had it listed for $4000 (the ad I found). This all occured within 3 hours of the car being stolen.

I tried calling the detective back, but was forced to leave a message. I asked if I could set up a face to face meeting to explain the story.

 

[Zigner]

The title to my truck is in both my wife's name and my name. Either of us could sell it without the other person's signature.

Again, EXACTLY how is the title worded?

As stated above, the title is in both my dad's and my name. I never signed the title.

I now have in my hands a duplicate title, so the car should not be able to be titled again (doesn't mean it can't be sold).

A detective told me the person I supposedly sold the car to (for $5,000), listed it on Craigslist for $2500 and sold it to a 2nd person. The 2nd person had it listed for $4000 (the ad I found). This all occured within 3 hours of the car being stolen.

I tried calling the detective back, but was forced to leave a message. I asked if I could set up a face to face meeting to explain the story.

 

[justalayman]

As stated above, the title is in both my dad's and my name. I never signed the title.
.

how are the names listed on the title?

Is it:

Jack Doe John Doe


Jack Doe or John Doe


Jack Doe and John Doe

* the names have been changed to protect the guy that did a really dumb thing from public embarrassment although all his friends already know what actually happened.