Lawsuit alleges KC sold cars being held

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- A federal lawsuit alleges Kansas City never notified a used car dealer before selling several of his vehicles.

John Hinz filed the lawsuit against the city, the Police Department and the Board of Police Commissioners, the Kansas City Star reported. The suit also alleges there have been about 50 instances in the last four years where the city sold cars without the rightful owners' knowledge and consent.

Hinz reported five stolen vehicles to Kansas City police in 2013. Police recovered the cars and placed them in the city's tow lot during an investigation. But the city sold the vehicles two months after the theft case's dismissal in 2014.

Hinz alleges the city didn't notify him about the dismissal or the sale. The lawsuit states police knew Hinz owned the vehicles and a police tow report showed the cars weren't abandoned.

The Attorney General's Office said Hinz didn't properly title the vehicles.

Kansas City auctioned off more than 5,300 vehicles for a total of $2.3 million last year, according to city data.

The city's policy is to give the vehicle's last registered owner 30 days after a written notice to retrieve it. The city will sell the vehicle and keep the proceeds if the owner doesn't recover it, according to the lawsuit.

Hinz's suit alleges the city's database doesn't identify individuals with true ownership of the vehicle and valid titles, even if the owner hasn't registered the vehicle.

The Board of Police Commissioners can only be sued for particular instances dictated by state statute, but the lawsuit doesn't cover one of them, said Attorney General Josh Hawley on behalf of the board. He also said the lawsuit doesn't show a pattern of unconstitutional misconduct.