Man found an abandoned truck that turned out to be stolen in 1990 and helped recover it 34 years later
- Stolen truck abandoned and lay in place in the US for 34 years
- The crime occurred in 1990
- A content creator discovered it using a drone and Google Maps
Published on Apr 07, 2025 at 9:39 AM (UTC+4)
by Amelia Jean Hershman-Jones
Last updated on Apr 04, 2025 at 3:04 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
This stolen truck was abandoned and lay in place in the US wilderness for 34 years.
It was stolen from its owner in 1990.
Now, a content creator has discovered it using a drone.
In fact, he was able to recover it from the ravine and share details with the authorities. Talk about closure for a cold case.
DISCOVER OUR SUPERCAR AUCTION SITE – View live auctions on SBX Cars
Stolen and abandoned truck discovered
Lying undiscovered in a ravine, it was stumbled upon by a California-based content creator, Desert Adventures, who is best known for searching for abandoned cars with Google maps and his drone.
Referring to himself as an ‘abandoned car explorer’, he’s said to have discovered more than 4,000 missing cars and other vehicles since he started his somewhat niche project in 2015.
To solve this case, it appears that he first used Google Maps before honing in on the specifics with his DJI camera drone.
Sadly, he didn’t share the specifics of what the car was, who owned it, or where it was discovered but we hope that the TikToker was finally able to bring some closure to the owner and victim of the crime.
How he locates the cars on Google Maps
Spotting abandoned cars using Google Maps isn’t as easy as you might think for the anonymous car enthusiast.
It’s not like finding a hidden car in an image.
The cars in his proverbial crosshairs are often located in hard-to-reach areas, which is a process that requires patience and skill.
Despite the challenge, he enjoys the thrill of the hunt and shares the entire process with his followers.
@desertadventures_ This truck was stolen in 1990 and recovered 34 years later #adventures #underwaterdrone #fyp #drone #exploring #abandonedcar #abandonedplaces #djidrone #missingpeople #coldcases ♬ Your Decision – Alice In Chains
He also works to uncover the story behind each car and how they came to be left there.
The mystery of it all keeps his followers intrigued, too.
In a similar discovery, an abandoned DeLorean was also found on Google Maps in West Virginia.
His hobby has become something of a meaningful mission over the years.
Whenever he locates vehicles with identifiable information, like a readable license plate, he reports them to the authorities, sometimes even helping to locate missing people.
DISCOVER SBX CARS: The global premium car auction platform powered by Supercar Blondie
All Supercar Blondie contributors undergo editorial review and fact-checking to ensure accuracy and authority in automotive journalism. After gaining her BA Hons in French and English at the University of Nottingham, Amelia embarked on a vocational diploma from the National Council for the Training of Journalists (NCTJ). This led to numerous opportunities, from interning at Vogue to being on the small team that launched Women’s Health magazine in the UK, which was named the PPA Consumer magazine of the year for three years running. As Health, Beauty and Fitness editor, Amelia personally received a Johnson & Johnson Award and was shortlisted for both PPA and BSME titles. Since then, Amelia has created content for numerous titles and brands, including the Telegraph, 111 Skin, Waitrose, Red magazine, Stylist, and Elle, as well as being Head of Content at Vitality and Editor in Chief at INLondon magazine. “My superpower is translating technical jargon about the mechanical workings of a supercar into a relatable story you’ll want to share with your friends after you’ve read it.” After joining the SB Media family as a senior journalist in September of 2023, Amelia’s role has evolved to see her heading up the SEO output of the editorial team. From researching the most ‘Google-able’ key terms to producing evergreen content - it’s been a time of hard work, growth, and success for the editorial team and the Supercar Blondie website. “I like to think of myself as a ‘method journalist’. In other words: I live and breathe whatever I am writing about. When writing about fitness, I trained as a personal trainer, and as a beauty editor, I completed an ‘expert’ in scent diploma with the Fragrance Foundation. “During my tenure at Supercar Blondie, however, I did something I never thought possible: I passed my driving test at the age of 36. One day I’d love to train as a mechanic to better understand what happens under the hood, too. “My sweet spot is providing readers with a ‘takeaway’ (read: something new they didn’t know before) after reading every one of my stories. While I don’t claim to be an expert in the automotive world, I know the experts and bodies in the field to rely on to provide our readers with an informative and thought-provoking story every time they visit the site.”
