hey guys, I need to know if anyone here can tell me who the registered owner of a vehicle is.  I have a name, addy, VIN, etc....just need to know who's name is on the title.

The story: A buddy of mine from my unit got pretty fucked up while we were overseas.  He comes home: wife is gone, belongings are gone, truck is gone...just gone.   I have no idea whats going on until I get home and re-unite with him.  

He has lost MOST of his short term memory.  Had a faint idea that he was married, had a home, truck, etc.  I am pretty much his only friend/family down here (that we know of) and need to help him out.

We want to report the vehicle stolen but that would be "filing a false police report" if it's registered under HIS name.  We know where the wife lives now, I have the addy, #, etc but the truck magically vanished and she refuses to talk to him or anyone involved with him.

She knows he is fucked up and is playing games on him.....i will not allow it to happen.

I honestly have ZERO clue what wrong happened between them....we were never that intimate.

I DO KNOW that she has always been shady.  has aliases, etc...just a shady character overall.

Really, i don't know what to do...he has asked for my help and i will do everything i can to straighten this out.  WHAT SHOULD WE DO?

Your not going to find an LEO to run the plate for you, they could get in deep sh!t for giving you that info..

Anyway, if the truck was registered in HIS name and the truck is not where he left it, HE should file a stolen vehicle report. Thats not filing a false report, whats false about it?

Edited to say:  Have him or help him, find the title. If she took the title and it was in his name, have him get a dup. title from DMV.

Have you called the local PD?

They should treat that as an 'assist person' call and try to help him out if he is in the medical condition you describe.

Call the local police where your buddy is living.  Preferably have an officer come and speak face-to-face with you and your bud.  If you have a correct VIN the officer can get all the info.  The problem may come depending on laws of your state.  If you're in a "community property" state, the wife can pretty much do whatever she wants with the truck and there's nothing criminal, your bud would have to go after her in civil court system.  Bottom line-call the police and they'll explain your options.  Then call a lawyer.

Quoted: Have you called the local PD? They should treat that as an 'assist person' call and try to help him out if he is in the medical condition you describe.

+1

he has no idea if it was in his name or hers.  He told me he called the PD but they disregarded him b/c of his lack of knowledge on anything about the situation.

I guess I will have to call and try to explain it.

I semll BS, why try to con people into doing your dirty work...?

Quoted: he has no idea if it was in his name or hers.  He told me he called the PD but they disregarded him b/c of his lack of knowledge on anything about the situation. I guess I will have to call and try to explain it.

um its called go down to the station with your buddy and settle things out, he should have known calling them would have done nothing

IIRC, there are web sites where that kind of information is available for a fee and perfectly legal. But I have to say, my B.S. meter is starting to show some movement.

you "semll" BS?  

what is dirty work about checking a VIN # ?  Oly, do not insult my integrity.  I don't know you, you don't know me.  I had my "WTF" questions as well....these are the cards we've been dealt right now.  Can you contribute..i am all ears

I was advised to find out the exact name on title (i will furnish the 2 names that it could be).

ANYWAY, thanks to all for the insight.........we will make a trip out to the PD and try in person.

Quoted: you "semll" BS?   what is dirty work about checking a VIN # ?   I was advised to find out the exact name on title (i will furnish the 2 names that it could be). ANYWAY, thanks to all for the insight.........we will make a trip out to the PD and try in person.

Information in NCIC and LEADS is restricted to official law enforment use. It is not to be released to the public. Violation of the rules can result in the offending agency losing it's access privileges. If you go to the P.D. and they give you that information, they are in violation even if they open a case. Ironic since like I said, much of the same info is available on the net.

As far as B.S. goes, one should always be a little suspicious of people searching for that kind of information. It's difficult to access for a reason.

If you're in a "community property" state, the wife can pretty much do whatever she wants with the truck and there's nothing criminal, your bud would have to go after her in civil court system. Bottom line-call the police and they'll explain your options. Then call a lawyer.

Yup.  I work at a police/sheriff/fire/911 dispatch center in Indiana.  We get these calls constantly "My wife took a car registered in my name".  Nothing can be done criminally, and the only police report that can be done is a missing person report.  
If he decides to file for divorce, AND they can locate her, then the judge can order property returned/split.  
Sorry that had to happen, but that's the way the system works.

Quoted: If you're in a "community property" state, the wife can pretty much do whatever she wants with the truck and there's nothing criminal, your bud would have to go after her in civil court system. Bottom line-call the police and they'll explain your options. Then call a lawyer. Yup.  I work at a police/sheriff/fire/911 dispatch center in Indiana.  We get these calls constantly "My wife took a car registered in my name".  Nothing can be done criminally, and the only police report that can be done is a missing person report.   If he decides to file for divorce, AND they can locate her, then the judge can order property returned/split.   Sorry that had to happen, but that's the way the system works.

then you his buddies friend can steal it back from here if he wanted to

Quoted: Call the local police where your buddy is living.  Preferably have an officer come and speak face-to-face with you and your bud.  If you have a correct VIN the officer can get all the info.  The problem may come depending on laws of your state.  If you're in a "community property" state, the wife can pretty much do whatever she wants with the truck and there's nothing criminal, your bud would have to go after her in civil court system.  Bottom line-call the police and they'll explain your options.  Then call a lawyer.

Pretty much exactly what to do.

Quoted: hey guys, I need to know if anyone here can tell me who the registered owner of a vehicle is.  I have a name, addy, VIN, etc....just need to know who's name is on the title.

In NY, the "registered" person only owns the plates. The titled person is the actual owner of the car. They can be two different people.
As others have said, its restricted information.
If your buddy is having that much of a memory problem and so unable to function, he should be hospitalized and probably have someone designated as his guardian til he is competent to handle his own affairs.
If his wife has the car and it was acquired during the relationship, its community property and will be divided between the two parties in court should they decide to divorce and cannot agree on division of property on their own.

Have you seen the movie 'Memento' (www.imdb.com/title/tt0209144/)?  I would be leery of accepting help from the police.

try your DMV too, that is an easy way to see who is on the title..  and if you are nice, you may get a copy or a peek..

FMO

Quoted: Have you seen the movie 'Memento' (www.imdb.com/title/tt0209144/)?  I would be leery of accepting help from the police.

Do you give ALL of your advice based on a MOVIE? Tell your friends to sell their cars then; they can just have themselves beamed around the globe...its in a  movie, after all.

Quoted: Have you seen the movie 'Memento' (www.imdb.com/title/tt0209144/)?  I would be leery of accepting help from the police.

your are making judgements on the police based on a movie???

This guy sounds like he does need a guardian or a public administrator.  If  he or the family can get him declared incompetent, then the administrator or guardian can probably get all the information and go after them.  Depends on the state.  Also if it's a service connected disability, the VA may be able to help. Frankly if he is that screwed up he shouldn't have been discharged (this tickles my BS meter a little)  the other thing is that he has rights under the Soldiers and Sailors Relief Act that may trump some of the state laws.  

Did he ever  fill out a Power of Attorney Designation before he deployed?  If yes, and I'm pretty sure his unit would have insisted on it (I don't think you can force a guy to do it, but this sound like one of the horror stories they tell to get you to do it.) And they usually hint that somebody other than the spouse might not be a bad idea.  His unit or the Military Attorney that asissited with it may have a copy.    That person may be able to take actions based on the P of A.

Also, if she is getting ahold  of his pay through access to the direct deposit pay account, get him to change the account to one she can' access.  that may get her attention faster than anything else.

Unfortunately as "just a friend" you likely don't have a lot of legal standing unless you can get apointed his guardian.