Stolen truck returned to Calgary owner in ‘unusable’ condition after 4-year mix‑up

A Calgary man is demanding answers after finally getting his stolen truck back, four years after it disappeared, and discovering it in what he describes as unusable condition.

Joseph Bradette’s truck was stolen from northeast Calgary more than four years ago.

Although the vehicle was eventually recovered, Bradette says it was mistakenly released to the wrong person at an impound lot due to a clerical error. He only regained possession of it this week, and what he found stunned him.

“The motor is blown. The transmission is blown. The thing veers all over the place. The brakes don’t work,” Bradette said. “I feel dejected, because this vehicle was supposed to be maintained as a stolen vehicle up to the point of myself receiving it.”

A police report Bradette shared indicates that an administrative mistake allowed someone else to claim the truck.

In a statement to CityNews, Calgary Police said they are “actively reviewing how the vehicle was released to someone who was not the owner and whether any criminal activity occurred involving the vehicle after it was initially reported stolen.”

Police did not comment on the truck’s current condition, but Bradette says the damage speaks for itself. He estimates repairs would cost around $40,000.

Compounding his frustration, Bradette says he never received an insurance payout for the original theft and has already spent hundreds of dollars trying to sort out the situation. He also questions how the vehicle could have been re‑registered while still flagged as stolen.

“I want to find out why the registry even allowed this vehicle to get re‑registered when it was indeed flagged as a stolen vehicle,” he said.

In a statement, the province advised that Bradette should contact police if he believes a crime may have occurred.