Five years ago my -68 BSA Spitfire Mk. IV was stolen while I was restoring it.

I started with the engine because it was the most expensive part to restore. It was quite depressing when I discovered that the rest of the bike was gone.

I have owned this bike since 1976 so it meant a lot to me and I just had to get it back. Thinking for a couple of days what to do, I decided not to report the theft to the Police. I thought if I report it I will never get the bike back.

So I have waited five years for one of two things to happen. Either someone traced the bike and came to me to get a bill of sale or someone faked a bill of sale and got it back on the road.

Two weeks ago I discovered that the bike was back on the road and was put up for sale!

I called the "owner" and presented myself as an interested buyer. Asking a bit around about the bike, I soon was sure it was my bike. The engine was a -71 Lightning with Spitfire specifications and he had bought a new tank and sidecovers. Since I have the original engine, tank and other small parts, this was quite natural.

So I got hold of a copy of the official registration papers and went to see the "owner".

The bike was absolutely superb.

Presented with the fact that the bike was mine, the "owner" claimed that he had bought it from "someone" in what we call "good faith" and that he had spent a lot of money getting the bike back in shape.

However, during our telephone conversations I had a strong impression that he was not as innocent as claimed, but since I am a very reasonable person, I made him an offer.
"You can keep the engine and I will give you a sum of money for the rest and we can forget the whole thing".

Considering the offer for a moment he said OK and we agreed that I should call him the next day to discuss the details.

When I called him the next day, he said that he had changed his mind. He would take the bike apart and give the frame back to me.

Then I turned the whole thing over to the Police.

Last friday (21. May -99) the Police Officer handling the case called me and told me that I would get the bike back as is and that I could consider the money spent on it as a compensation for the five years. And as soon as some technical investigations had been made, I would get the bike back ASAP.

This is a picture of a -66 Mk. II Spitfire