Did you ever think that there would be a way to bring back the “good times”?  Well, apparently you can in Hartford, Connecticut.

If you are “older” you might remember Kawasaki’s marketing jingle; “Let the good times roll”!  And in Hartford, they can roll more than 27 years later.

The story goes like this.  Twenty-seven years ago, an unidentified Waterbury, Connecticut man had his 1990 Kawasaki KX dirt bike stolen.  Snapback to 2020 and Hartford, Connecticut police receive a call about a motorcycle “tearing” through Hartford’s Bushnell Park.

Police were able to capture the bike’s rider and inventory the machine.  Once stopped police checked the dirt bike’s  VIN number and engine number,  and ran the particulars through the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).  The NICB told police that the bike was indeed stolen.  Twenty-seven years ago.

At least the bike looks like it’s in pretty good condition! Photo credit: Hartford Police

Police research

The identification was quite a feat.  The thieves had nearly obliterated the bike’s VIN.  But police were able to utilize NICB and manufacturer records to determine who the owner was.  The Hartford police contacted Waterbury police and were then able to locate the owner’s information.

Hartford police say that finding and returning stolen motorcycles is a somewhat common occurrence for them.  The steps that they took to ensure that this man got his motorcycle back are arduous but much appreciated by the bike’s true owner(s).  In fact, the Hartford police say that they return “dozens” a year.

Hartford is not a small town.  It has a population of about 125,000 people.  It takes significant effort for police to find, research, and return stolen bikes.  Especially one stolen 27 years ago.  Bravo!  Congratulations to the original owner and to the Hartford police for taking the time to return someone’s long lost property.

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