text: When George Talley’s 1979 Corvette was stolen more than three decades ago in Detroit, he thought it was gone for good. 
   
   Apparently not. 
   
   Last week, the silver sports car was found in Mississippi. And after hearing Talley’s story on the radio this morning, General Motors, his former employer, offered to pick up the Corvette and deliver it to him. 
   
   Michigan State Police Lt. Michael A. Shaw said via e-mail Wednesday afternoon the car was recovered after the Michigan Southwest Commercial Auto Recovery unitwas contacted by the Secretary of State regarding two 1979 Corvettes. The Secretary of State said an individual tried to register the vehicles under the same VIN number. 
   
   “SCAR identified the first one in the Holland area back in October,” Shaw said. “The second vehicle recently resurfaced in the state of Mississippi.” 
   
   Mississippi Bureau of Investigation officials said the car was located at a residence in Columbia, Miss. “The investigation is ongoing regarding the vehicle’s history and whereabouts during the past three decades,” the MBI said in a statement. 
   
   Shaw said SCAR worked with the Mississippi police and the National Insurance Crime Bureau to trace the vehicle back to Talley. The investigation revealed that Talley’s claim was never paid by his insurance and he remains the owner of the car. 
   
   Talley said when he received an initial phone call from his insurance company notifying him that the car was found, he thought it was a joke. But when the Michigan State Police called, he couldn’t believe his luck. 
   
   “I said, ‘This isn’t no joke. They wouldn’t be joking with me because I don’t think they have time to play with me,’” Talley said. “I was shocked.” 
   
   The last time Talley, now 71 and retired in Detroit, saw his beloved car was when it was parked on Jefferson Avenue in July 1981. Then the car disappeared. Talley reported the incident to police, but never thought he’d see his car again. 
   
   Talley said he’s a Corvette lover and has owned four different models. 
   
   “They looked into it, but didn’t recover it and nothing happened and 33 years passed,” Talley said. “It was a great thing that the MSP and Mississippi State troopers, they did their job and found it.” 
   
   ■ Related: Stolen Mustang returns home, 20 years later 
   
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   Talley was told the car still runs, has 47,000 miles on it and is at the Hattiesburg police station. But he was concerned about how he would fetch it. 
   
   “I woke up this morning,” Talley said during an interview with Paul W. Smith on WJR Wednesday. “I said, ‘I’ve got to get on the phone and find a trucker or somebody to bring it back’ — or go get it or something.” 
   
   Meanwhile, GM’s Executive Vice President Mark Reuss had heard the radio segment and offered to pick up Talley’s car. 
   
   “I listened to you this morning,” Reuss said on the show. “We just had to do something.” 
   
   Talley, who said he worked at GM’s Milford Proving Grounds, was happy to hear the news. 
   
   “I was worried,” he said, referring to how he was going to get the car back. 
   
   “Well,” Smith told him. “Nothing to worry about now. The Corvette is on its way safe and sound.” 
   
   Talley said GM told him they would notify him within the next few days to let him know when the car will arrive. 
   
   “GM is paying for all of that, which is beautiful,” Talley said. ||||| (WXYZ) - When George Talley tells an old story, there’s a good chance he’ll mention his old rides. 
   
   "I’ve always liked Corvettes. It was attractive. The ladies like ‘em,” said George. 
   
   But so did the thieves, and George learned that the hard way. The last time he saw his ‘79 Corvette, it was parked on Jefferson Avenue 33 years ago. 
   
   "I made a police report, and I haven’t seen it since July of 1981,” said George. 
   
   George often wondered about the one that got away. That is until recently. 
   
   "I was sitting at home last Friday looking at Judge Mathis, and I get a call from AAA telling me you have a Corvette in Mississippi, come and get it. And, uh… I said, ‘what?’” 
   
   Authorities say a dubious vin number helped track the Vette three decades later. And the car is still in pretty good shape. 
   
   "I’ve heard it was running, it had 47,000 miles on it, and right now, it’s at the police station in Hattiesburg,” said George. 
   
   As of Tuesday it’s still up in the air whether George would ship it or bring the car back himself. That all changed Wednesday morning when General Motor's Executive Vice President, Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain Mark Reuss announced that he was offering to bring the Vette home - at GM's expense. 
   
   The offer came during The Paul W. Smith show on News/Talk 760 AM WJR radio. 
   
   "It’s a lucky day. When I get that car here in that driveway, we’ll go from there,” said George, before learning of the offer.
target: – Last time George Talley saw his beloved 1979 Corvette, it was parked on Jefferson Avenue in Detroit in the summer of 1981, reports WXYZ. He'd long ago given up hope of ever getting the stolen car back, but then came a call out of the blue from authorities in Mississippi who found it via a false VIN number. Better yet, it seems to be in decent shape, with only 47,000 miles. Talley, now 71 and still the rightful owner, told the tale on a Detroit radio station today, his only lament being that he had to figure out how to get the car shipped to Michigan. Enter GM exec Mark Reuss, who happened to catch the show, reports the Detroit Free Press. The company is going to pick up the car for its former employee and ship it back free of charge. (A 1957 Chevy stolen 30 years also recently made its way home.)