Okay, seems that their are 2 schools of thought here... Go for the car and...
...Don't go for the car...
I'd look at purely from a business viewpoint... If it's a $500 car and it's gonna cost you $500 to *maybe* retrieve it then forget it... If it's a $20,000 car and it's gonna cost you the same $500 to get it back, I think the risk is worth it...
There is one other consideration and that is insurance... Should you decide to not pursue getting it back, unless el-Creepo is willing to either insure it or take legal possession of it, ***you*** will have to maintain liability insurance on it since ***you*** still legally onw in and if el-Creepo runs into a school bus they will be coming after ***you*** as the owner of the car...