Detroit Police Found Woman's Car The Day It Was Stolen, Couldn't Be Bothered To Tell Her For Half A Year

If you're fortunate enough to have your stolen car found quickly, you can usually get it back with minimal damage or loss of items inside. That's what should have happened for Sharon Crane, whose car was stolen out of her driveway in Ferndale, Michigan. Although Detroit police recovered the car the day it was stolen, nobody bothered telling Crane until six months later, reports WXYZ.

A neighbor's surveillance camera captured the whole thing. On September 14, 2025, a car pulled up in front of Crane's home. Someone got out, got into Crane's 2015 Hyundai Sonata, and immediately drove away. Hyundais and Kias from this era are particularly easy to steal, which likely explains how the thief got away so quickly. Crane did everything she was supposed to; she notified police, who promptly came over and took a report. She told her insurance company, who waited a month in case the car was recovered, then declared it a loss and wrote Crane a check for $8,900.

Fast forward to March 2026. Ferndale police called Crane and told her that her Hyundai had been found in Detroit, just two miles from her home. That should have been good news, but the Detroit police report was dated September 14, 2025 — the same day it was stolen. It sat in a Detroit impound yard ever since it was reclaimed by police, rather than being returned to Crane.

The Hyundai is still in good condition. Crane's personal belongings are even still inside. However, she is no longer the legal owner. Her insurance declared it a loss, which means the insurance company now owns it. Neither Crane nor her insurance had any idea it was already sitting in a Detroit impound lot, or they would have made different decisions. If the police departments had communicated effectively, it would have been a relatively simple matter for Crane to get it back in September. From WXYZ:

7 News Detroit reached out to DPD. A spokesperson said systems and processes are in place to make sure owners are notified the moment a vehicle is recovered. The department is looking into this situation to see how it was handled.

Crane's only chance to get the car back now is to buy it at auction, bidding against anyone else who might want it. While $8,900 could buy a decent older car that is far less prone to theft than a Hyundai or Kia, there's also a lot to be said for keeping a car that you already know is in good condition, rather than taking a chance on a car that's new to you and might have hidden issues.