I had a fair bit of excitment today.

[FordGT90Concept]

I witnessed someone abandoning a vehicle in my drive way (watched them drive in, sit there for about 50 minutes, unscrew the license plates, and leave in another vehicle). The moment the licence plates came off, I called 911. I already talked to the sheriff, whom is now gone, but the car is still sitting out there. :(

I believe that is the first time I ever called 911. :|


And yes, I had the licence plate numbers and description of the abandoned vehicle, the vehicle they left in, and description of the driver of the abandoned vehicle. If they didn't take the plates off, I wouldn't have called it in. I hope justice is served.


The weirdest thing is I am certain at least the driver saw me numerous times watching him (you'd think he'd be smart enough not to commit a crime in front of a witness). Also fishy is that they never got out of the car until their ride showed up. You know, to check the engine, transmission, etc. It's like they new they were going to abandon it the moment they pulled into the drive way. Which, they shouldn't have done because they are blocking access to my residence. There is a highway in front of my house with wide shoulders. They didn't move it out of my driveway until they were about to leave. Yes, it was misty and a tad chilly without a jacket, but still? :confused:

Needless to say, odd. Just when you think you got people figured out, they do something to surprise you.

[1Kurgan1]

I don't understand, why would they remove the plates? They must have stole it and left it, but whats the plate removal do? Also what kinda car was it?

[El Fiendo]

Someone on the side of the highway waiting warrants all police officers to stop and see if everything is alright. Cops always pull over up here if someone is out on a highway on the shoudler. Someone waiting in a driveway looks like they're at home so if they're in trouble they aren't stranded. Less suspicious.

Likely its stolen and they had removed the original plates making it harder to track. Put on some plates from a different vehicle, as long as it doesn't have the bad plates but matches a description the police won't pull it over. They might check the plates on it and find it doesn't match the cars description, but police wouldn't do that. They can't search every plate for every car that matches a description, so they look for description and plates to match.

[FordGT90Concept]

I don't understand, why would they remove the plates? They must have stole it and left it, but whats the plate removal do? Also what kinda car was it?
Intention to abandon the vehicle so Law Enforcement has to pay for the removal. Needless to say, it failed. The officer found what he needed to in the car (VIN number I assume) so he didn't need the license plates.

If it was stolen, I hope they call me back. I got more info in addition to the license plate (which I gave them) of the "accomplice" vehicle.


The abandoned vehicle (still sitting out there), is a 1988/1989 Chevrolet Astro EXT. Gray in color with LT trim package. The rear windows have privacy glass. I highly doubt it is worth much but it does look in good condition.


The vehicle already caused oncoming traffic to slow for two halves a house to go by (wide load). This is a wide-/heavy-load route, by the way. I've seen some monster boats on the road as well as other large parts (mills, mining dump trucks, etc.). Iowa law says the state must notify the owner and the owner has 24 hours before it is removed. The damn thing is very distracting sitting right outside the window to the left of the TV. I couldn't concentrate at all on watching The Presidents. :(


Someone on the side of the highway waiting warrants all police officers to stop and see if everything is alright. Cops always pull over up here if someone is out on a highway on the shoudler. Someone waiting in a driveway looks like they're at home so if they're in trouble they aren't stranded. Less suspicious.

Likely its stolen and they had removed the original plates making it harder to track. Put on some plates from a different vehicle, as long as it doesn't have the bad plates but matches a description the police won't pull it over. They might check the plates on it and find it doesn't match the cars description, but police wouldn't do that. They can't search every plate for every car that matches a description, so they look for description and plates to match.
The sherriff tagged the antenae of the car before he left. It was a county sherriff that answered the call.

Yeah, when I told him the second plate number, he said it was a Toyota Celica (if memory serves). I told him I didn't think the plate was Iowa but I described it. Before he left, I looked up plates online and it looked like Minnesota. I shouted it to him and he repeated it back. I just hope all the information is straight but I'll hold on to the info in case they need it.


There was two people in the abandoned vehicle and at least one in the vehicle they left in. The driver of the abandoned vehicle was large, 20-40s, had a beard, had a red shirt, and latin in skin color (tan). One of the other drivers was black, also large and about the same age. It may have been the person in the abandoned car or the vehicle they left in. There's for sure at least one person I didn't get a good look at.

[niko084]

Well...

If it's not stolen it was left on your property, legally if they come pick it up you can charge them storage fee's up to the legal limit, not sure what your states laws on it are, in MN it's like $55 a day.

Also in MN at least after 30 days has gone unpaid you can legally file for force title, turn and sell it :)

Interesting to say the least though.

[FordGT90Concept]

Edit: the front license plate is gone: rear is still there. In Iowa, the front and rear must have a plate. Probably worth a warning. More if it isn't removed within 24 hours: IA DOT (http://www.iowadot.gov/Mvd/ovs/abandoned.htm#Abandoned Vehicle Definitions - 321.89)


It is on a state highway so technically not on my property. It was on my property for about 50 minutes before being moved to the highway. I doubt I'll ever have the name of this individual and I don't think I want it. So long as it is removed soon, I'll be happy enough. It got in the way of a trash truck (couldn't pull over as far as they could have) but it didn't pose any problems besides that.

It'll definitely be towed very soon if they don't come and get it. This is a wide- and heavy- DOT route.

[FordGT90Concept]

Update: someone (not a tow truck) pulled it away about half an hour ago. Hopefully the ordeal is sorted and doesn't happen again for a very, very long time. It practically ruined my day. :(

[MT Alex]

In Montana part of our registration fee is a "junk vehicle" tax. You can just call the County and they will come pick up your clunker. Despite this fact, say if you didn't want a County official nosing around your property, people do excatley as you are saying, except they make sure to remove both plates. When a Hypo (highway patrol) finally sees that it is abandoned (this can take days, Montana is big and there aren't many cops:p) he will post it with a three day sticker. After three days, it is towed. End of story.

[FordGT90Concept]

I have no idea why they only removed the front plate. Nothing in Iowa law permits it or recommends that you do.

I think if I didn't call it in, one of the DOT escorts with that half-house would have called it in a few hours later and told the Sheriff to get it off the road. County Sheriffs occassionally go by (might be off-duty too) but that's about it.