Stolen GMC Syclone Returned to Owner By Unknowing Buyer

by Chris Teague

Published: October 31st, 2023

stolen gmc syclone returned to owner by unknowing buyer

Buying things from private parties can be risky. Even if you’re sure that you’re purchasing a legitimate, genuine product, exchanging any amount of money with a stranger is no fun. One Texas man recently had a terrible experience buying what he thought would become his dream car, only to discover his new purchase was a stolen vehicle.

Jake Rowe found the GMC Syclone of his dreams in Odessa, TX, but the warning signs started popping up almost immediately. The first was the truck’s price, which at $4,200 was significantly less than most examples. That seemingly too-good-to-be-true price was just the beginning, as the seller also admitted that they didn’t have a title for the pickup, saying that the seller’s deceased husband lost it before he died. The seller told Rowe they’d gotten the truck as payment for clearing a property for the older woman after losing her husband.

Rowe got a bill of sale, called the widow, and ran the VIN to find that it was not reported stolen. His peace of mind didn’t last long. Once he got the truck home, Rowe checked Facebook to see it had been listed by a different person with a different price, and when he contacted that seller, he got the same origin story that his seller gave, only with a different widow’s name.

“I got the truck home, and got back on Facebook, and noticed the truck was listed by a different man with a different price. I reached out and asked how he got it, and I got the same story, but the lady’s name was changed. So I knew something was up,” Rowe told The Drive.

The Syclone Facebook group helped Rowe track down the truck’s origin story, which revealed the actual owner’s identity. They had no idea it had been stolen, but Rowe did the right thing and returned the Syclone to its rightful home. Police told him not to expect his money back, but members of the Syclone community started a GoFundMe to help out, which has raised more than $2,400 as of this writing.

[Image: Jake Rowe via Facebook]

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Chris Teague

Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.

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2 of 19 comments

Carsofchaos on Nov 04, 2023

After a while you stop feeling sorry for the victims. I mean seriously how many red flags did this guy need to see before he walked away from this "deal of a lifetime"? Way underpriced, no title, got it in payment for some work being done. Come on man!

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ToolGuy on Nov 15, 2023

$5,247 raised of $5,000 goal (Sep 15 2023)

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