What makes you think the "deadbeat" knew it was a repo man and not a common thief?
I do collection work. Trust me, this deadbeat knew full well what was going on. Debtors get notice of repossession before the actual repossession.
There is no excuse for this nonsense. So, I as a debt collector, can rightfully be shot by a deadbeat because he thinks I am stealing his money, when in actually he has stolen someone else's by not paying his/her debt obligations?
Until that car is paid off in full, it belongs to the financing company, not the individual.