If you had your 1953 Triumph motorcycle stolen more than 45 years ago, you'd probably have forgotten it even existed by now.

But one lucky rider, now 72 years old, got his bike back over the weekend, U.S. Customs and Border Protection officials in Los Angeles announced today:

CBP officials say the Triumph Tiger t100 was stolen from the Omaha, Nebraska, backyard of a law enforcement officer on the night of February 4 or 5, 1967.

The agency states:

The Omaha patrolman's stolen vehicle report about the blue- and black- colored, Tiger T 100 model bike noted it was parked in the rear yard all winter and a gate on the wood fence was forced.

Credit: CBP

Credit: CBP

The uninsured bike was worth $300, federal officials said. But it appears the motorcycle was restored, modified and on its way to Yokohama, Japan, when customs authorities flagged it for a look-see.

Todd C. Owen, CBP director of field operations in L.A:

This is one of three vehicles CBP recently intercepted that were stolen at least 20 years ago … CBP officers and their law enforcement counterparts check many outbound vehicles on a regular basis. Their success in recovering stolen vehicles is remarkable. A few have nice stories like this one.

The CBP's manifest at the Port of L.A.-Long Beach indicates the bike is now worth $9,000, the agency says.

It was seized Saturday and turned over to the original owner, who is now 72. He still lives in Nebraska.

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