ALABAMA COMPUTER STOLEN FROM OFFICE Stolen Love Bug, owner reunited:

Tuesday, January 16, 2007
By NADIA M. TAYLOR
Staff Reporter

Herbie the Love Bug has gone on some pretty crazy adventures, but none of them had ever landed him in Hillsdale.

Herbie -- a 1969 Volkswagen Beetle that has been a popular fixture outside a Cottage Hill Road State Farm insurance agency -- was stolen from the office's parking lot late Saturday night or early Sunday morning, said the car's owner, Burben Sullins.

The car was painted to resemble the Beetle from the 'Love Bug' movies, a popular series about a white VW race car with a mind of its own.

Sullins' office was burglarized, and along with his laptop computer, the keys to Herbie were taken, and the thief drove off in the car, Sullins said.

But the Love Bug resurfaced after its latest adventure Monday morning in the Hillsdale neighborhood behind the University of South Alabama, when an alert citizen spotted the car in a driveway, Sullins said.

"Someone had actually bought him," Sullins said. "He was just an innocent guy that lost some money."

Mobile police spokesman Officer Eric Gallichant said Monday that the car was reported stolen Sunday, but said he did not have other details about the theft. It was unclear if anyone was arrested in connection with the stolen Bug.

This particular Herbie was the Love Bug version 2.0; Sullins had a different Herbie sitting in the lot about a year ago until he sold it, he said.

Sullins has used the Bugs for display outside his office and for going to schools, churches and birthday parties, he said.

"Hardly a day goes by without kids stopping to take a picture with him," Sullins said of the car. "Kids just love him."

One of Herbie's biggest fans, Sullins' grandson, 4-year-old Trayson, sobbed when he heard that the Love Bug had been stolen.

The new Herbie had just received the finishing touches -- seat belts -- last week after about eight months of restoration, Sullins said.

"He hadn't been sitting out there long," Sullins said.

When Sullins heard that the car had been found, he hired a tow truck to haul Herbie back to the Cottage Hill parking lot, none the worse for wear.

"He's in pretty good shape," Sullins said. "He's got a few nicks and dings, but he's OK. He's home."