It sounds to me they had this planned and were going to rob you either way.i think they were going to access the situation and see just how far they had to take it to get the car..reason i say this is that they put the money down and stalled your partner just long enough to get in their car and haul A$$ Just to GRAB the money back up...Not your typical robber style. David i would make it a policy to have both of you together when pay up time comes..but what worries me is that if both of you were there how far would these guys have taken it...would they have just left the money and paid for the paint or would a gun or something come into the picture..
either way they robbed you..and i hate that for you..i know it hurts more then just the money part of it..its a violation against a MANS Soul or something deep inside.
Something i would check on in NC ..if you provide service on a vehicle here in the state of SC weather is paint,tranny work simple engine repair and the customer doesn't pay then the provider can record a MECHANICS lien and repo the car..
i know there is a criminal act committed here and when they arrest them if the judge doesn't order resistution or if he does order it and the guys do not pay up you may have to go the civil route..a machanics lien here in S.C IS A SURE FIRE WAY TO GET THEIR CAR.
i persoanlly would go with the lien irregadless if NC has this law...you persoanlly don't have to go get the car yourself..just hire a pick company to steal it and report it as repo...,just meake sure all your ends are covered legally..the local magistrate in your Home county can help you with the details of this.
after getting car and holding it for the max amount of days the law requires,,sell it to the highest bidder..just be sure to hide the car somewhere else when you get it
hope this helps some...sorry to hear this happened to you..glad NO-ONE is hurt.
UPDATE :.
I did a little checking for you and NCDOT does recognize a MECHANICS lien :!: i think the DOT would be a good place to start with how to properly execute one..i am sure it will lead back to the civil side of a local magistrate TO GET THE BALL ROLLING....here is the FORM.
http://www.ncdot.org/dmv/forms/licen...load/LT262.pdf
Brian