I consider it theft if he took the van without the Owner's permission. It does not matter what adjacent landowners and old codgers said about it being abandoned. They were probably glad to see the eyesore removed from their desert view.
I have a piece of rural property that I rarely visit. There is stuff there that I am sure is considered junk to some people but it is still my junk. No one has a right to steal it just because it looks a certain way.
The situation is complicated further when the item taken is a vehicle that has a state issued title. How one gets around that without concocting a story is beyond me. Can Illinois revoke the title if statements made on the application are false? I dont know.
If I was the lady owner and knew that it was removed from my property, I would consult an attorney. It would be great if the attorney advised her to wait and let it get restored before calling out the calvary. There are lots of instances where cars were stolen and recovered years later after receiving restorations. They still get returned to the original owner and the restorer doesnt get squat. They are lucky they dont end up in jail for possession of or receiving stolen property.
I spoke to the guy at the Nats and yes he was a bit full of himself so it wouldnt bother me if he had to return the van to the lady owner.
