77' CAMARO WAS STRIPPED FOR PARTS!

QUESTION: DO I HAVE A CASE? DO I NEED A LAWYER?
STATE: CALIFORNIA
STORY: MY MOTHER'S BOYFRIEND LET ME PARK MY 77' CAMARO ON HIS (HIS LANDLORD'S) PROPERTY WHILE I LEFT STATE FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS. I HAD A NON-OP ON IT. A MONTH DOWN THE ROAD HE SAID HIS LANDLORD WANTED IT MOVED. I COULDN'T HAVE IT TOWED SO THEY JUST PUSHED IT OUT OF THE WAY. A SHORT TIME AFTER THAT HE BOUGHT HIS SON A 77' CAMARO. HE ASKED IF HE COULD JUST USE MY CAR FOR PARTS. I SAID "NO WAY". HE DID IT ANYWAYS. NOW I HAVE A SKELETON OF A CAR. THEY TOOK EVERYTHING (INCLUDING THE BLINKERS!) THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS HAD BEEN SPENT FIXING UP THIS CAR, AND NOW IT IS JUNK. THE CAR IS MINE BUT IT WAS PARKED ON HIS (HIS LANDLORD'S) PROPERTY. IT IS NOW ON MY PROPERTY IN CALIFORNIA. CAN I MAKE HIM PAY FOR ALL OF THE DAMAGE?

Jaime said:

QUESTION: DO I HAVE A CASE? DO I NEED A LAWYER?
STATE: CALIFORNIA
STORY: MY MOTHER'S BOYFRIEND LET ME PARK MY 77' CAMARO ON HIS (HIS LANDLORD'S) PROPERTY WHILE I LEFT STATE FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS. I HAD A NON-OP ON IT. A MONTH DOWN THE ROAD HE SAID HIS LANDLORD WANTED IT MOVED. I COULDN'T HAVE IT TOWED SO THEY JUST PUSHED IT OUT OF THE WAY. A SHORT TIME AFTER THAT HE BOUGHT HIS SON A 77' CAMARO. HE ASKED IF HE COULD JUST USE MY CAR FOR PARTS. I SAID "NO WAY". HE DID IT ANYWAYS. NOW I HAVE A SKELETON OF A CAR. THEY TOOK EVERYTHING (INCLUDING THE BLINKERS!) THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS HAD BEEN SPENT FIXING UP THIS CAR, AND NOW IT IS JUNK. THE CAR IS MINE BUT IT WAS PARKED ON HIS (HIS LANDLORD'S) PROPERTY. IT IS NOW ON MY PROPERTY IN CALIFORNIA. CAN I MAKE HIM PAY FOR ALL OF THE DAMAGE?

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My response:

Don't sweat the small stuff. A '77 wasn't all that hot anyway. Now, if it was a '67 or '68, we'd be talking about homicide, and full metal jackets.

But, let's get real. It was a '77 . . .

IAAL

It was a Chebby, too. It is not like it was a Pontiac or anything.

It sounds to me like you were asked to move the car off of private property, and did not. If it was my property and you did not move the car (especially a Chevy), I would be a bit miffed.

It also sounds like you got permission to put the car there from someone who DID NOT EVEN OWN THE LAND! That would be like ME telling you that you can park it there!

Hey IAAL, why do you suppose he had to leave the state for a couple of months?

I was writing to you people to get advise on what I should do. I thought this was a "legal advise" page. Doesn't quite seem that way to me. If you have some real advise for me please reply, if not keep your rude remarks to yourselves.

OK, in a censored mood, the way I see it is this...

Apparently you entrusted the car to your mother's boyfriend. Is this true or not?

Therefore you created a bailment with him. He, in turn, did not take reasonable care to ensure that nothing happened to the vehicle. The car was stripped while he was entrusted with it's care...no?

The other oddity is that you were requested to move the car, and failed to do so. Don't you feel some level of responsibility for failing to remove the car when you were asked to? Do you think it is reasonable that the owner of the property allow it to sit there AFTER you were asked to move it?

If you are convinced that you were victimized here, call the local police and report that your car was stripped. Name those who are suspected of stealing the parts, and let them handle it as a crime.

Tim C

Thank you for your reply. The man was a good guy but the fact is that he stole, and now I do not have transportation for work. I am just hoping I can get the money back that I spent on fixing it up.