Buick Roadmaster 1955 Stolen at Portland Oregon Saturday, August 25, 2012

Mark A Johnson, officer
U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Port Angeles
Washington
98362

Dear officer Johnson,

I write to bring your attention to the theft of a vehicle, stolen from Matthews Memory Lane Motors. 2608 SE Holgate, Portland Oregon 97202.

This vehicle was acquired from the vendor on Saturday, August 25, 2012, by use of fake travelers cheques, represented to have been drawn on a Canadian bank.

The Bank named on the cheques, The Commercial Bank of Canada, no longer exists and is believed to have ceased operations in 1868.

Please see the attachments above for scans of the sales agreement and the fake travelers checks.

The sale price of the vehicle was USD $63,500.00

When last seen, on Saturday, August 25, 2012, the individual responsible, stated that he was taking the vehicle across the border to Vancouver, BC, Canada.

This individual used the name Mario Astore, and the address of The Shangri La Hotel, 1128 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC, V6E0A8 http://www.6717000.com/shangrila/info-68.html

He provided a phone number, 604-673-7707, that turns out to be the fax number of The Rosewood Hotel, 801 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC. http://www.travelweekly.com/Hotels/Vancouver/Rosewood-Hotel-Georgia-p4267950

Staff at these hotels have never heard of this person.

He has communicated by email from mario.astore@yahoo.ca which is a Canadian based address.

Please see the attachment above, a scan of the last email communication in which the seller attempts to engage the individual in dialogue over the matter.

The [UTF-8?]seller’s story about the bank wanting 10 weeks to clear the checks, is a ruse to try to get the individual to respond.

Photos of the actual vehicle, on display at Portland, prior to being stolen, can be seen below.

1955 Buick Roadmaster convertible

Exterior color: White with white convertible top

Interior color: blue and blue tutone

Vin number 7B3067871 displayed on a bright aluminum tag attached to the driver’s door pillar just below the upper door hinge. Visible in a photo below.