By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
SOUTHGATE — A Dodge Ram 5500 that a local man purchased through a California repossession auction now has to circumvent a paperwork maze after the pickup’s previous owner got out of prison and reported the vehicle as stolen.
On March 17, the new vehicle owner said he had paid $31,245 for the vehicle, and had it shipped from California to Michigan. He took the vehicle to a Southgate business to be detailed, then received correspondence from the Taylor Police Department that the vehicle was listed in the Law Enforcement Information Network as stolen. California Highway Patrol said the repossession company failed to notify law enforcement officials of the repossession.
The new owner gave Southgate police officials copies of his purchase information, and local police officers were trying to get California Highway Patrol to remove the vehicle from LEIN as stolen.