On a beautiful summer night in 1990 we had returned from an evening with our
children to celebrate Father’s Day when our 1966 Chevy Stepside pickup was stolen.
It  had been restored to like new condition.
We immediately reported it to the police but even with reports of seeing the vehicle
headed east of town it was never recovered.   Unfortunately the ID number was not
correctly placed on the NCIC system.  We always thought someday we might come
across the vehicle at a classic car show or sale.  We always carried the ID numbers and
kept the keys and title hoping someday to find it.   Ten years later our son was on his
way home and saw what he was certain was the correct vehicle.  It was approximately
22 miles east of town.  He stopped and walked around it and was positive it was the
truck.  He and I had taken it apart and reassembled it and knew every little item that
we had done to it.  We contacted the Pittsburg Police Department.  Under the direction
of Police Chief Mike Hall the department was immediately put to work. 
Detective Mark Bestor worked with Jeff Merriman, Investigator for the Jasper County, Missouri
Sheriff’s  Department and the vehicle was recovered.  What a feeling to put the key in the
ignition and have the truck start right up.

Sadly the truck was in poor condition but we were thrilled to have had such
co-operation of the Pittsburg Police Department and Jasper County Sheriff’s
Department in recovering the vehicle..

What a surprise when we heard there was nothing they could do other than recover the
vehicle since there is a statute of limitations.  I guess we had heard of statutes of
limitations before but never realized what an effect it has on the legal system.  We feel
that everyone should contact their representative to change this law.  Simply put, all a
thief has to do is steal something and hide it two years and he’s “home free”.  They
cannot be prosecuted at that point.  This seems like a ridiculous law.  We’ve tried to
think out the reasoning for this and can’t find one.  Our police department still had
the record of the theft so it surely isn’t a paperwork problem.  If someone is a thief it
seems that they are still a thief 10 years later.  Possibly they have changed their life but
they still should be responsible for the theft no matter when it occurred.  Each state
would have it’s own laws as to the length of time but if you feel this is a ridiculous law
please contact your state representative and talk to them about this and encourage
them to make the criminals responsible for their actions.

We would like to once again thank Pittsburg Police Chief Mike Hall, Detective Mark Bestor
and Jasper County Sheriff's Department Investigator Jeff Merriman
and all their staff for all their help in recovering this vehicle.