Long Lost Yamaha Returned To Owner

[longbeachgary]

Stolen motorcycle to be returned after 35 years
From staff and wire reports

LONG BEACH — A Yamaha motorcycle stolen in Long Beach in 1971 has been recovered and will be returned to its original owner this week, authorities said.
The 1970 Yamaha was due to be shipped to Finland after it was purchased on eBay in September, according to a statement Monday from the Department of Homeland Security. However, the vehicle identification number turned up in the database of the National Insurance Crime Bureau during the exporting process.

Long Beach detectives still had the theft report and tracked down the original owner, Philip M. McMeen, who now lives in New England.

"It's quite incredible," McMeen said Monday night in a telephone interview from his home. "It's something I really never expected. … It's like having a long-lost friend that all of a sudden shows up and hasn't aged."

The 1970 Yamaha has hardly aged. After 35 years, the 360cc motorcycle only has 9,380 miles on the odometer, according to the DHS.

McMeen said he often flies into Los Angeles as an American Airlines pilot, but he'll be flying in as a passenger today so he can take possession of the motorcycle from the Long Beach Police Department during a Wednesday morning ceremony at the LBPD's tow yard on Willow Street.

The Yamaha was purchased by a resident of Lahti, Finland, on eBay, for $1,725 in September, according to the DHS statement. There were 21 bids for the bike, which was being sold by a resident of Visalia, in California's central valley.

The case is similar to that of a stolen 1968 Corvette recovered in January after it was discovered missing for 37 years as it was being shipped to Sweden from the Port of Los Angeles, said Mike Fleming of the U.S. Customers and Border Protection. The Yamaha was also seized in January by CBP officials at the Port of Los Angeles, according to the DHS statement.

The Corvette's owner, a New York City resident when it was stolen in 1969, was located living in Northern California, Fleming said.

With the Yamaha, neither the Finnish resident or the Visalia seller were involved in any wrongdoing, according to the DHS statement.

McMeen said he had been in touch with customs, Long Beach police, the California Highway Patrol and NICB officials after learning that his bike was recovered, and he was impressed with how they worked together.

"I take a lot of comfort (knowing that) not only did they get the bike, but knowing how these guys work hard to protect the ports," he said. "That's an important job, a lot more important than recovering the bike.

[cudaosix]

wow thats amazing!

[Tbone800b]

That is incredible. I read the story about the corvette a while back. I'm sure both owners are glad to get them back. Even generations later.

[Chuckster]

That's a pretty cool story!

[BamaBob]

That's a cool story. Only 9,380 miles on the odometer - not ridden much during all those years, huh?





http://www.smileycentral.com/sig.jsp...p=ZSYYYYYYDKUS

[CowboyBob]

Unreal!!!

[rbentnail]

Unbelievable!! If only they could find my sanity.....

[The Vol-can]

Originally Posted by rbentnail

Unbelievable!! If only they could find my sanity.....

This assumes there was something to lose in the first place?

[Tod]

Originally Posted by Penguin

This assumes there was something to lose in the first place?

...and was even worth keeping track of.

[NYcruiser]

Pretty crazy

[windrider18]

That's a really cool story I love when things like that happen.

[2WheelFun]

Very unusual story!

[CTRider]

I wonder if the buyer on E-Bay gets screwed out of his money, though. That would be my greatest fear is something I buy used turns out to be stolen property.

[ispeed77]

wow !