Generally, when a car is stolen owners can expect to never see said automobile again. Well, in most cases. However, that was not the case when it came to Anaheim, California resident Modesto Fleming, who had her car stolen in 1976, only to have it returned recently.

Let us rewind a bit. Picture it: 1976, Fleming has her 1964 C2 Corvette stolen, where police couldn’t find it, thinking it was gone for good. Fast forward to earlier in 2016, and this is where the story gets interesting.

MSN advises that the now-owner (or so they thought they were) of the C2 took the Stingray to an auto show. Someone at the event was quick to point out that the Chevrolet Corvette’s VIN didn’t belong to the car; with the VIN ended up matching a 1964 Impala. A police officer further invested via the National Insurance Crime Bureau, and figured out the vehicle was stolen. The VIN was able to linked the care to the Anaheim P.D., to a report filed in September 1976. The officer quickly reached out to the police department, filling them in on what had happened. That department was able to find Fleming, who lived in Arizona now, and she was informed that after 40 years, her car had been found.

Great news about the car returning to its rightful owner last month … however, a more interesting news story as unfolded about the culprit who may have stolen the vehicle in the first place. It turns out, the man who brought the C2 to the auto show has owned the car since 1987, which was given to him by his wife. She originally purchased the vehicle from a car dealership that is no longer in business.

While the family who owned the car for two decades (not realizing it was stolen) will surely miss the car, it is good to hear that the vehicle is back with its owner.
All’s well that ends well.