Stolen Corvette Returned After 33 Years [PHOTOS]: 71-Year-Old Michigan Owner Can’t Believe It, 47,000 Miles On Corvette In Good Condition
Travelers Today By Althea Serad
Updated: Jun 26, 2014 12:16 PM EDT
Stolen Corvette returned after 33 years may probably happen to people only once in a blue moon, but it still does happen. A stolen Corvette returned after 33 years to its 71-year-old owner in Michigan happened 7 a.m. on Wednesday. According to reports, General Motors even offered to personally return the vehicle to its original owner's home.
The stolen Corvette returned after 33 years was reportedly a 1979 Corvette stolen in Detroit on Jul. 1981. The owner of the 1979 Chevrolet Corvette, George Talley of Michigan, never thought he would be able to see it again after he filed a police report reporting it missing.
Talley said, 'I made a police report, and I haven't seen it since July of 1981.'
Early morning Wednesday, the story of the stolen Corvette returned after 33 years was reported on WJR's "Paul W. Smith Show," reports the Sun News Network.
Talley told his local ABC affiliate, 'I've always liked Corvettes. It was attractive. The ladies like 'em.'
Apparently, so did thieves three decades ago. The last time Talley saw his silver-gray C3 '79 Corvette was when he parked it on Jefferson Avenue 1981. However, as fate would have it, the car and its owner would eventually be reunited with Talley's stolen Corvette returned after 33 years.
Friday last week, Talley, who is now 71 and retired, got a call telling him of his stolenCorvette returned after 33 years. The sports car was reportedly recovered in Hattiesburg,Mississippi and that it was still in pretty mint condition. Authorities said the stolen Corvette returned after 33 years was due to a dubious vin number which helped them track it.
According to USA Today, Talley was watching the "Judge Greg Mathis Show" on TV when he received the call of his stolen Corvette returned after 33 years. authorities said he could come anytime to pick his long-lost car home.
Talley recalls of his stolen Corvette returned after 33 years, 'I was sitting at home last Friday looking at Judge Mathis, and I get a call from AAA telling me you have a Corvette in Mississippi, come and get it. And, uh... I said, 'what?''
WXYZ Detroit reports that Talley was told the car still has 47,000 miles on the odometer and that it has been placed at the Hattiesburg police station. Talley told an ABC affiliate of his stolen Corvette returned after 33 years, 'I've heard it was running, it had 47,000 miles on it.'
Despite this good news of his stolen Corvette returned after 33 years, the retiree was however concerned about how he would be able to fetch it from the station. He said, 'I woke up this morning. I've got to get on the phone and find a trucker or somebody to bring it back' - or go get it or something.'
It seems that it is Talley's lucky week as General Motors, his former employer, heard the story of his stolen Corvette returned after 33 years on the radio this morning. Apparently, the company was moved enough to offer Talley that they would have the 'Vette picked up and delivered to him without him having to worry about anything.
It was GM's General Motor's Executive Vice President, Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain Mark Reuss who heard the radio segment regarding the stolen Corvette returned after 33 years. A Corvette aficionado himself, Reuss made the offer during The Paul W. Smith show on News/Talk 760 AM WJR radio Wednesday morning.
Reuss said on the show, 'I listened to you this morning. We just had to do something.'
Of course, Talley, who used to work at GM's Milford Proving Grounds, was ecstatic upon hearing the news.
He said, 'I was worried.' To which Smith responded, 'Well. Nothing to worry about now. The Corvette is on its way safe and sound.'
Stolen Corvette returned after 33 years was found by the Mississippi police through a VIN.
Travelers Today By Althea Serad
Updated: Jun 26, 2014 12:16 PM EDT
Stolen Corvette returned after 33 years may probably happen to people only once in a blue moon, but it still does happen. A stolen Corvette returned after 33 years to its 71-year-old owner in Michigan happened 7 a.m. on Wednesday. According to reports, General Motors even offered to personally return the vehicle to its original owner's home.
The stolen Corvette returned after 33 years was reportedly a 1979 Corvette stolen in Detroit on Jul. 1981. The owner of the 1979 Chevrolet Corvette, George Talley of Michigan, never thought he would be able to see it again after he filed a police report reporting it missing.
Talley said, 'I made a police report, and I haven't seen it since July of 1981.'
Early morning Wednesday, the story of the stolen Corvette returned after 33 years was reported on WJR's "Paul W. Smith Show," reports the Sun News Network.
Talley told his local ABC affiliate, 'I've always liked Corvettes. It was attractive. The ladies like 'em.'
Apparently, so did thieves three decades ago. The last time Talley saw his silver-gray C3 '79 Corvette was when he parked it on Jefferson Avenue 1981. However, as fate would have it, the car and its owner would eventually be reunited with Talley's stolen Corvette returned after 33 years.
Friday last week, Talley, who is now 71 and retired, got a call telling him of his stolenCorvette returned after 33 years. The sports car was reportedly recovered in Hattiesburg,Mississippi and that it was still in pretty mint condition. Authorities said the stolen Corvette returned after 33 years was due to a dubious vin number which helped them track it.
According to USA Today, Talley was watching the "Judge Greg Mathis Show" on TV when he received the call of his stolen Corvette returned after 33 years. authorities said he could come anytime to pick his long-lost car home.
Talley recalls of his stolen Corvette returned after 33 years, 'I was sitting at home last Friday looking at Judge Mathis, and I get a call from AAA telling me you have a Corvette in Mississippi, come and get it. And, uh... I said, 'what?''
WXYZ Detroit reports that Talley was told the car still has 47,000 miles on the odometer and that it has been placed at the Hattiesburg police station. Talley told an ABC affiliate of his stolen Corvette returned after 33 years, 'I've heard it was running, it had 47,000 miles on it.'
Despite this good news of his stolen Corvette returned after 33 years, the retiree was however concerned about how he would be able to fetch it from the station. He said, 'I woke up this morning. I've got to get on the phone and find a trucker or somebody to bring it back' - or go get it or something.'
It seems that it is Talley's lucky week as General Motors, his former employer, heard the story of his stolen Corvette returned after 33 years on the radio this morning. Apparently, the company was moved enough to offer Talley that they would have the 'Vette picked up and delivered to him without him having to worry about anything.
It was GM's General Motor's Executive Vice President, Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain Mark Reuss who heard the radio segment regarding the stolen Corvette returned after 33 years. A Corvette aficionado himself, Reuss made the offer during The Paul W. Smith show on News/Talk 760 AM WJR radio Wednesday morning.
Reuss said on the show, 'I listened to you this morning. We just had to do something.'
Of course, Talley, who used to work at GM's Milford Proving Grounds, was ecstatic upon hearing the news.
He said, 'I was worried.' To which Smith responded, 'Well. Nothing to worry about now. The Corvette is on its way safe and sound.'
Stolen Corvette returned after 33 years was found by the Mississippi police through a VIN.
It was only two years old when it was stolen, but after 33 years the police have found a Michigan man’s 1979 Chevrolet Corvette nearly 1,000 miles away.
The car’s 71-year-old owner, George Talley, got a call from AAA this past Friday telling him his ‘Vette was in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, WXYZ reports.
It was originally stolen from a Detroit street in July 1981, and a recent investigation into a phony VIN number led authorities back to Talley on Wednesday.
The car has racked up a few miles over the years, its odometer now showing 47,000, but Talley was told that it runs and is in generally good condition.
When he first heard the news, the retiree had no idea how he’d get it back home, but after his story was told on WJR radio Wednesday morning he’s going to get a little help.
General Motors Executive Vice President Mark Ruess happened to be listening in, and called the show offering to have the car shipped back to Detroit for Talley.
Turns out Reuss, in his position as GM’s head of global product development oversees the work done at the automaker’s Milford Proving Grounds, where Talley once worked.
It’s the second bit of high-profile classic Corvette public relations that GM has pulled off in this year, after it offered to help restore several cars destroyed by a sinkhole at a Kentucky museum dedicated to the model.
Corvette stolen in Detroit 33 years ago found in Mississippi, set for return to ‘shocked’ owner
More than three decades after George Talley kissed his stolen 1979 Corvette goodbye the 71-year-old got a phone call last week announcing its incredible recovery.
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Wednesday, June 25, 2014, 10:06 PM
- A
- A
- A
|
- SHARE THIS URL
WXYZGeorge Talley of Detroit is all smiles while recounting the astonishing phone call from Michigan State Police announcing the recovery of his stolen 1979 Corvette, more than three decades later.
If these wheels could talk.
More than three decades after George Talley kissed his stolen 1979 Corvette goodbye the 71-year-old received an astonishing phone call that simply left him floored.
The classic silver sports car, stolen on a Detroit street in the summer of 1981, was finally recovered last week in Mississippi.
"I said, 'This isn't no joke. They wouldn't be joking with me because I don't think they have time to play with me,'" Talley told the Detroit Free Press of his phone call from Michigan State Police. "I was shocked."
GENERAL MOTORSTalley's silver Corvette, a similar one pictured, was recently found in Mississippi, still running but with 47,000 miles on it. It's now being shipped back to him, compliments of General Motors.
Incredibly the vehicle was found still running but with 47,000 miles on it.
As if his news couldn't get better, after Talley's former employer, General Motors, heard his astounding story, they offered to ship it back to him for free.
"I was worried," Talley said of his initial concern of how he would transport it back.
Stolen Corvette Returned 30 Year Later
Stolen Corvette Returned 30 Year Later
Instead, GM's Executive Vice President Mark Reuss assured him that everything would be taken care of.
"The Corvette is on its way safe and sound," he recalled Reuss' words.
An investigation into the vehicle’s theft is reportedly still underway.
