Van Stolen In 1974 Resurfaces In Shipping Container

November 9, 2009 1:18 p.m. EST

Spokane, WA (AHN) - Custom agents in Los Angeles spotted a restored 1965 Volkswagen van inside a shipping container bound for the Netherlands-a van reported stolen in Spokane, WA, more than 35 years ago.

The van's mysterious journey began when it was stolen from an upholstery shop in 1974, but investigators believe it changed hands several times since then, the Spokane Spokesman-Review reported.

The most recent owner of the van was a custom restoration business in Arizona that was planning on selling it overseas along with a few other restored VW Beetles.

For now, the legal owner of the van is Allstate Insurance Co., which paid off the owner in 1974 after it was reported stolen.

In 1974, a VW van would've maybe been worth a few hundred dollars, Michael Maleta, an auto theft investigator with California Highway Patrol told the Spokesman-Review. In it's current fully restored condition, it's worth almost $30,000.