Mother fights to get daughter's car back months after she thought it was stolen

WILKINSBURG, Pa. — An unbelievable ending to one woman's frustrating search for a car, taken from outside her house.

11 Investigates has learned the same thing could happen to you.

Jan Casson’s daughter's car disappeared from outside her home back in May.

She thought it was stolen and even filed a report with police, but 11 Investigates confirmed it was taken not by a criminal, but by the city of Pittsburgh.

While Casson's daughter finished her degree at Penn State, her Hyundai Elantra had always sat feet away from her mother's house.

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"I'm upset that my daughter's car was stolen and she worked so hard to have it and go to college, so I'm out to catch a thief," Casson said.

The car was parked on the Pittsburgh side of Mooseheart Street, which straddles the border with Wilkinsburg.

Casson went to Wilkinsburg police, where officers called Pittsburgh and several towing companies before reporting it stolen.

But Casson kept digging, learning the car wasn't stolen at all but towed by the city of Pittsburgh after it was determined to be abandoned.

"It's heart-wrenching because it was sitting on the street and I had no notification, no chance to appeal, no chance to move the car into the garage and it was taken," Casson said.

A source with Wilkinsburg police confirmed Casson's story, adding the car wasn't even officially removed from the stolen-vehicles list until last week.

11 Investigates has learned if a car is deemed abandoned, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is responsible to send a letter to the owner letting them know the vehicle was towed.

More than two months later, Casson still hasn't received that letter and it will cost hundreds of dollars to get the vehicle back from Mac's Auto Service, which has a towing contract with the city.

"No one in authority has the answers,” Casson said. “Everyone is just mystified about the whole situation."

State Representative Ed Gainey's office confirms they're also working with Casson to see why it's taking the state so long to contact her about the car.

Pittsburgh Public Safety and the Department of Transportation have not yet responded to our questions about their policies.

Cox Media Group