Man accused of stealing custom Impala from Tim Allen
Tim Allen's beloved 1996 Impala was stolen. Perhaps that is why he is signing autographs from this SUV. Image: Alan Light/Flickr/CC BY
A man accused of stealing Tim Allen’s custom 1996 Chevy Impala is under arrest. However, he says he didn’t steal the car. He says it was left for him to drive by Allen, who is his adoptive father. Allen seemingly is unaware of the relationship, however.
The adopted son of Tim Allen?
Police reports say that 34-year-old Faustino Ibarra stole Allen’s beloved Impala from his garage in Los Angeles and, before you can say rapid car loans, drove it to Denver, Colo.
After cruising around the Mile High City for a while, he was finally apprehended by police, who were on the lookout for the vehicle.
Things got strange when the police started questioning the alleged thief.
Ibarra told Denver Police that the car was not stolen from Allen. He said that, in fact, the actor was his adoptive father who had left the keys in the car for him.
“I’m trying to make it simple for you to understand. I didn’t break into his garage,” he told Denver’s FOX 31 News. “He left the door open and he left me the keys so I could get the car and take it to Denver.”
Or maybe not
According to FOX 31, no recorded evidence of such an adoption could be found. In spite of that, Ibarra was making plans to move in with Allen.
He further told FOX 31, “I emailed my dad the morning that I got the car in and everything is fine and I’ve got the car and it’s ready for you and we need to talk about me coming to live with you.”
Ibarra also told police he wasn’t concerned about how wacky it all sounded. He said, “I don’t care how it sounds, I know who I am. He knows who I am. He knows who he is.”
According to Torque News, Allen’s publicist, Marleah Leslie, declined to comment on the police matter. That is not exactly a statement from Allen disclaiming any knowledge of or relationship to Ibarra. However, as Allen’s people presumably reported the car stolen, it doesn’t seem a large leap.
Ibarra is to be extradited by Los Angeles County to face charges of car theft. Police say stalking charges may be added as well.
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Offspring of a Corvette and Sedan De Ville
Tim Allen’s custom 1996 Chevy Impala SS was his transportation to Hollywood events, choosing it over limos and town cars. Chevrolet’s Jon Moss and Wheel to Wheel’s Jeff Beitzel collaborated with Allen to create his perfect ride. It packs a DOHC 32-valve Corvette ZR1 engine with 446 horsepower. On the rear of the car is the “Bimford Tools” logo. Bimford is the fictitious company that sponsored the fictitious show “Tool Time,” featured on Allen’s 1990s-era sitcom, “Home Improvement.”
In 1996, referring to his car, Allen posited: “The question I have is what if a Corvette got really drunk and had a fling with a Sedan De Ville that wished to be a limousine? The offspring — sitting right over there.”