Man in UK Gets His Car Stolen, Only to Accidentally Buy It Back

Car Stolen from Driveway in February

36-year-old Ewan Valentine, who lives in Solihull, UK, was stunned to discover on the morning of Friday, 28 February 2025, that his black 2016 Honda Civic Type R had vanished from his driveway.

Photo courtesy of Ewan Valentine via BBC

Following that, he reported the theft to the police and notified his insurance company regarding the incident.

Trying to move past the issue, he then began searching for a replacement of the same model.

He Found One That Looked Just Like His

After searching, Valentine eventually came across a similar-looking vehicle being sold about 70 miles (112.65 kilometers) away. By chance, the car he found was from the same year, had the same colour, and it even had the same Remus exhaust system he had added to his stolen one.

He paid £20,000 (approx. S$34,778) for it and brought it home.

While the number plate, vehicle identification number (VIN), and mileage were different, it looked very similar to the one he had lost.

Small Details Made Him Suspicious

After bringing the car home, Valentine noticed a few strange coincidences. According to the BBC, he found items that he remembered having in his car before it was stolen. For example:

A tent peg

Tent Pegs. Photo for illustration purposes only. Courtesy of Amazon

Some pine needles from a Christmas tree

Pine needles from a Christmas tree. Photo for illustration purposes only

A Mars bar wrapper

To make matters more suspicious, when he checked the built-in GPS, his home address, his parents’ address, and his partner’s parents’ address were listed.

“I nearly crashed, to be honest, because I was in shock… My hands were shaking; my heart was pounding.”

Honda Garage Confirmed It Was His Stolen Car

Wanting to be sure, Valentine brought the car to a Honda garage in Solihull. A technician used the physical key from his original smart key to unlock the car.

Photo courtesy of Ewan Valentine via Road and Track

The technician also saw that the VIN had been changed, which confirmed the car was indeed Valentine’s stolen one.

Police Investigation and No Arrests Made

Valentine reported the situation to the police. It is believed that the car was stolen with the intention of selling it to a particular buyer by a group of thieves. Unfortunately, so far, no one has been arrested.

It is also reported that the investigation is paused for now.

Insurance and Refund Issues

Along with the police involvement, Valentine is now dealing with his insurance company. He told Road and Track that the process has been slow, and the insurance company is unsure how to handle the situation.

Valentine is still hoping to get a refund and his deposit back for his car. While waiting, he is currently driving his partner’s car.

Featured photos courtesy of Ewan Valentine.