Boss gives New Jersey mobile mechanic a company vehicle, puts the title in his name to force him to pay running costs, then fires him and demands it back along with the employees personal tools: 'I pay the insurance. I pay the registration'

My boss gave me a company vehicle and had me title it in my name he fired me. Can I legally keep the vehicle?

story: wienerschnitzal

Location: New Jersey

Long story short I work for a company that employs mobile mechanics he bought the vehicle I purchased all of the tools filled up the van with tools and work pretty much by myself. When he bought the vehicle he had me title the vehicle in my name but the insurance in my name and I have the title at my house which is in my name I pay the insurance I pay the registration. 

Recently I was let go from my job he is asking for the vehicle back with the tools in it the tools I have receipts for as they came from my previous job where I was a mechanic at a dealership I simply put my toolbox in the van and have been going from there.

The question is legally do I have to give the van back I'm getting conflicted answers on Google whether I can legally keep the van. 

Legally I don't see a reason why I can't keep the van it's titled in my name it's insured in my name according to the state it is my van so do I have to give the vehicle back?

Somewhere in there, there is a blurred mess of what is a business asset and what is a personal expense. At the very least, it looks like the boss was trying to dodge the ongoing running costs of the vehicle, pushing them onto the employee. But there may have been other tax considerations being made inside the boss's head too. If this case sees its day in court, the courts are going to have a heck of a time untying everything and determining the parties’ intentions. It's harder, too, when it involves contractors and tradespersons who often own the tools that they use to do the job for their employer. A sudden dismissal from a role can cause disputes over who owns what even in normal circumstances

This New Jersey mobile mechanic is in possession of a van purchased by his former employer but titled, registered, and insured in his name. His boss is demanding the vehicle back but may not have a leg to stand on, according to some knowledgeable experts.

"Your former employer is a short-sighted moron, and he may have bought you a vehicle."

One commenter replied.

When the topic came up of whether or not the boss could even report the vehicle stolen or get it repossessed, another reader had this to say.

"He can not report it stolen. If OP is on the title/registration as the owner - as long as the owner isn’t also listed as an And/Or situation on the title."