A New York auto body shop owner was recently indicted for stealing a 1978 Porsche 911 from a dead man.

Patrick Torpey, 53, was repairing the vehicle when the customer died unexpectedly. After the deceased man's wife started looking for the car, the shop owner made a great effort to hide it and falsified paperwork by creating a new title for the 911. Torpey was indicted recently on a dozen felony counts, including third-degree grand larceny.

Some people will do anything to get their hands on a vintage 911.

This past January, two teenagers from Atlanta, stole two Porsche SUVs worth $200,000 while they were being delivered to Porsche's North America headquarters. They were proud of their crime because they got their hands on a couple of Porsches while their friends were stealing Fords. Then, they bragged about their exploits on Instagram.

Obviously, there are better ways than theft to acquire the Porsche of your dreams. The most obvious is to visit a local dealership, take a test drive and open your wallet. For those with more particular tastes, you can peruse the ads on the back of Panorama magazine or take a chance on eBay.

But it's not always so simple. According to CarBuzz.com, sometimes finding that perfect Porsche can be close to impossible.

For example, if you desire a Cayman GT4, good luck finding one for under $100,000. There was a limited production run on these vehicles, and now they're commanding quite a bit more than their base price of $84,600.

Another option in your Porsche hunt is entering PCA's annual giveaway. This year, they gave away six Carrera GTS's. There was an entry fee, but the lucky winners had the power to claim they bought a Porsche for just $50. Other groups also occasionally offer Porsche giveaways online, so it pays off to search the internet — somebody has to win!

If you're in the market for an older Porsche, it can be a bit of an ordeal, particularly if you don’t know a lot about them and have a limited budget. It will take some research and trusted advice to find what you're looking for.

I got my 1976 911S the old-fashioned way — from my father. And while I had no choice in color, model or condition, at least I knew a bit of its history and its inherent quirks. And to me, it is the perfect Porsche.

Someday, when I have more room in my garage and more money in my pocket, I will start the hunt for my next 911 (in the most lawful way, of course). And if there's ever a kiss-a-car contest involving a Porsche, sign me up. Earlier this year, a woman in Texas took home a brand-new Kia after locking her lips on the vehicle for 50 hours.

I could put in that kind of commitment for a new — heck, even a used — Porsche. Could you?