A relationship turned litigious when Redditor "Jimothyisyouruncle" discovered that his girlfriend turned his car restoration project over to the scrapyard behind his back.
While sheltering in place at her boyfriend's house, the girlfriend took matters into her own hands after she was strictly told not to park her car in his garage dedicated to his $11K 1967 Impala that had been deconstructed.
The Original Poster (OP) was furious and is now pursuing legal action despite the girlfriend's family and friends calling his prized possession a "stupid old piece of junk."
"I'll try to keep this short," promised the OP.
"I had a 1967 Impala 4 door that I bought in Feb 2019. A couple months ago I bought my first house that had a 2.5 car garage."
"I moved the car in and started tearing it down for a complete restoration. I had the body in one bay and the chassis in another, plus the whole garage filled with parts."
"About two months ago my girlfriend came to live with me during this whole crisis and the whole time has hated that car. She wants to park in the garage but I have 2 acres of land with a lot of nice places to park under shady trees or hell even in the barn if it has to be inside."
"I tell her tough luck its my house and its not like I can just throw it back together real quick."
Conveniently for the girlfriend, the OP was called away on business.
"Anyways I was out of town for a couple days on a business trip for the small local company I work for. When I got back, my girlfriend was all smiles."
"Making me food all the time, doing all the chores, all that. I though maybe she just was happy to have me home but then I realized that I didn't see her car in it's usual spot."
"I asked her where she parked so I could make sure I mow that area and keep it clean and she said not to worry because she parked in the garage."
"I asked how and she told me to go check it out. Turns out that while I was gone she hired some people to come over and move everything related to that car, including the drivetrain, body, and chassis and all parts, and take it to the local dump/scrapyard."
"I was absolutely dumbfounded."
In an instant, the girlfriend became the defendant.
"I had spent over 11k on that car including new parts, services, and the car itself. I told her that I was going to be taking her to court for that and she brushed me off like I was being dramatic."
"I told her that its done between us and to pack her things and leave. I admit I was a really angry but I did end up getting a lawyer, and as I have all the receipts for all that money spent and I have her on my house's security cam footage letting the guys in and watching them take it all I think I can win."
"Her family and friends are absolutely blowing me up saying its just a stupid old piece of junk and that she cannot pay back all that money I spent, and that I should just let it go."
"But I have been putting all my time, effort, and money into that car for a year and a half now and goddammit if I am not going to get justice for what she did."
The drama continued in several updates when Redditors advised the OP to file a police report.
But first, the girlfriend's mother had a bone to pick with him.
"I got a call from her mom about 20 minutes ago and she told me that i was ruining her daughter's life over a stupid car."
"I told her she ruined her own life. I've been gathering documentation and stuff and I'm about to head down to the police station and file a report, as suggested by lots here."
Aftera going to the police "last night," the OP was told to return in the morning.
"[I] just got back and filed an official report against her for grand larceny and grand theft auto."
"i showed them all the receipts i had for the car and the footage of her letting the guys come and take it as well as the title for the vehicle in my name."
"they said they will be in contact with all 3 parties (me, ex gf, and junkyard guys) soon and they will hopefully be able to recover some or all of the car. just have to wait now."
Later, he shared some good news and also discovered the junkyard had a shady business history.
"THEY FOUND MY GODDAMN CAR!! The junkyard guys apparently were in the middle of hiding it when the police came to ask them questions."
"it was on a forklift and they were gonna put it on top of a pile of cars that was hidden behind more piles of cars."
"they said it was theirs and they had the title, but obviously didnt have the title for it and since they matched the vin on the chassis and body to the vin on my title, it was obviously mine."
"I know at least one person there has been arrested, i think he was in the camera footage i talked about earlier but idk if it was the boss or whomever or even his specific charge, they also told me they would be looking into this specific junkyard for any other vehicles reported stolen."
"they said they haven't been able to get in contact with my ex just yet but they're working on it."
"im just so glad they found my car. luckily i made quite an album of pictures detailing me tearing down the car and so i can use that to prove what parts they had were mine so i can hopefully get most or all of it back."
"police haven't let me take it back home yet as they say it is evidence or something so hopefully i can get it back eventually. thank you all so much for the support and advice! SHES GONNA BE ALRIGHT."
The OP asked AITA (Am I the A**hole) for suing her girlfriend after getting rid of his precious passion project.
Anonymous strangers on the internet weighed in by declaring:
- NTA - Not The A**hole
- YTA - You're The A**hole
- ESH - Everyone Sucks Here
- NAH - No A**holes Here
This Redditor, whose comment was denoted by the eye-catching "Ignite" award, wrote:
"NTA - sue her a**. Sue her for the cost plus a few extra thousand for the time and money."
"Have her prosecuted for theft, destruction of private property and have the guys that came to get it prosecuted for receiving stolen goods. Nail them all to the wall." – diabolicaldeb
When another Redditor said the guys who claimed the auto parts couldn't be blamed for being lied to by the girlfriend who claimed she lost the title to her father's car, " diabolicaldeb" replied:
"Taking a car that the title was 'lost' makes them kind of shady."
"I've had cars sent to the scrapyard and if I didn't have a title in hand they refused to take it. (This is her story. When the guys saw what they were getting, I'm sure they were jumping up and down inside, unless they know nothing about cars.)" – diabolicaldeb
The classic vehicle is apparently a holy grail in the automotive world.
"Dude, that car is legendary, it's been the car in a 15 series show called Supernatural, where he smashes it like 4 times and rebuilds it."
"They knew what they were getting. It's a f'king unicorn." – hallgod33
"Omg yes. A 67 Chevy impala is literally my dream car because of this reason. I saw the title and sh*t my pants." – YetiMaster273
"This was my thought. Anyone with half a head in the car world knows all about the treasure that is an impala from the 60s even more if it's a 67."
"There is no way that junkyard didn't know what they had stumbled into." – Arntor1184
Redittors went full throttle in lambasting the OP's girlfriend.
"On the topic of your ex, show no mercy. This entitled brat destroyed something important and expensive to you. NO MERCY." – Soxfan21
"I'm pretty sure that gf didn't care if they were shady or not, given that she doesn't give a f'k about anyone or anything else except herself." – themarajade1
"Oh hey! Don't forget to call the police and report it stolen. She effectively stole this vehicle from you and committed fraud along the way." – therapistofpenisland
The good news is, at least he will be reunited with his mechanical baby.
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