Hi all, I am (or was) the owner of a Yale glc050vxnvse088 until it was stolen about five years ago. I had financed the unit as a refurbished model and it was paid off completely. I should mention I'm in California. Yesterday I was about my normal business at the storage facility I have a unit at and I came upon the forklift I couldn't believe it, same exact stickers and unique identifiers. I snapped a few photos also took one of the serial number. I'd like to take the next step in getting it back but I misplaced my certificate of ownership unfortunately in the past few years. My question here is does anyone know anything about state licencing (I'm in California) and if they have records regarding who owns the forklift, I'm guessing the serial number has to be connected to my business name somewhere I just need the proof so I can have something to show when I try to reclaim my property. Any help is greatly appreciated.
It seems to me that whatever paperwork you had when you purchased it, including finance documents is your best bet to prove past ownership. I know nothing of California laws, but unless there is some sort of equipment license required by the state, or property tax license, I wouldn't think the state would have any record of it. Surely you turned it in to law enforcement when it was stolen, and that police report would have the vin on it. Whatever law enforcement agency that you filed the report with will have record of it. I would think that it had to have been insured since you financed the purchase, did you not file a claim on the theft?
Everything Oxbow said, Only addition- Some banks make a UCC filing on any equipment that's owed money on. But I think those need to get renewed, and may not have been, once you paid it off. But its one more avenue. Also, the current "owner" may not be the guy that stole it. In fact, most likely not. There's no titles when that stuff changes hands, and its been a long time ago, so just tread carefully about trying to get it back.