MOODUS, CT (WFSB) -
State police recovered a Moodus teenager's dirt bike; however, the storage company is asking for a fee more than the motor vehicle is worth.
Sean Flannery's dirt bike was stolen from his shed in March.
"I noticed there wasn't a lock on the shed," he said. "I opened up the shed and the bike was gone."
Sean Flannery's father, John Flannery, said he never expected the dirt bike to be recovered.
On June 24, a teenager in Hartford was involved in a high-speed chase and he was arrested for speeding on Sean Flannery's dirt bike. Hartford police discovered the bike was stolen and reported it to state police.
The bike was stored at Reno's Auto Body for months as it racked up fees. When John Flannery was finally notified about the bike's location, the company was going to charge $762.53 to release the bike back to its rightful owners.
The $762.53 is three times what Sean Flannery originally paid for it. The storage fees continue to pile up, and as of Monday, it would cost the family more than $2,600 to get the bike back.
"They wanted so much more for it, it's not even worth it," said Sean Flannery.
The state trooper told John Flannery that he went on a two-week vacation and did not realize the email about the stolen dirt bike in his email.
"State police denied any responsibility and said they can't be responsible for costs incurred as a result as a theft of our property," John Flannery said. "That's not why we have costs. We have costs because the state didn't notify us for a month that it was there."
Eyewitness News talked with the Connecticut State Police, who said the delay was with the Hartford police and the family is responsible for the costs to get it back.
"There's no accountability," John Flannery said. "It's so maddening that the state police don't share our concern that when people get their stuff stolen that they should get it back to us."
Reno's said in a show of good will that they would wipe out the $2,600 storage fee if the Flannerys will provide information that proves they are the true owner and pay a towing. The Flannerys have agreed to that offer.
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