A 1953 Triumph motorcycle stolen in Omaha, Neb., in 1967 was recovered just as it was about to be shipped to Japan, and California Highway Patrol officers were working today to return the bike to its original owner.
The vintage British motorcycle had a stated value of $9,000 on its manifest papers when it was seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents at the Los Angeles-Long Beach port complex. It was being shipped to Yokohama, Japan, but no immediate arrests were announced.
Depending on the model and condition, some 1950s Triumph motorcycles are worth up to about $16,000.
The original owner, now 72, reported the motorcycle stolen out of his yard in Omaha in February 1967, according to Lee Harty of CBP. The motorcycle was turned over to the California Highway Patrol Wednesday.
