Owner to Get Back Motorcycle Taken in 1971
By Associated Press
Tue Apr 11, 8:03 PM
LONG BEACH, Calif. - Authorities recovered a motorcycle that was stolen in 1971 and plan to return it to its original owner this week.
The 1970 Yamaha was about to be shipped overseas to a Finnish man who bought it for $1,725 on eBay in September, authorities said Monday. During the shipping process, the vehicle identification number turned up in the database of the National Insurance Crime Bureau.
Long Beach police still had the theft report and tracked down the original owner, Phillip McKeen, who lives in New England. Police officials plan to return the 360cc bike to McKeen on Wednesday.
"Incredible," said McKeen, an American Airlines pilot. "It's as if a friend you hadn't seen for 30 years walked back into your life but hadn't aged a day."
The 35-year-old bike has just 9,380 miles on the odometer.
Neither the Finnish buyer nor the seller, a Visalia resident, were suspected of wrongdoing, authorities said.
A similar case unfolded in January when a Corvette that had been stolen in 1969 was recovered as it was about to be shipped to Sweden through the Port of Los Angeles, said Mike Fleming of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
