Legal Question in Criminal Law in California

Nice try. No cigar. The hard reality is that, once impounded and towed by police, the vehicle can be redeemed only by paying the tow and storage charges, usually in cash, but only by the owner with proof of title, current registration, current drivers license, and current insurance. If it has been stored for some time, the accrued charges may be more than the market value of the vehicle, making redemption unreasonable. You could sue the thief for damages if that is worth doing. You wait for it to be sold at auction and buy it cheaper than redemption. Also, once impounded, you are usually not allowed to retrieve any contents from the vehiclem until and unless you redeem it. Also, unless you validly reported the vehicle stolen at the time, not loaned to a friend, and you had insurance that covered theft, there would be no insurance recovery. Also, if it was a leased vehicle, your lease obligations are NOT affected, including payments and 'turn in' at end of lease.