You need to do more to secure your rides…
Especially these days, automotive enthusiasts worry about thieves swiping their rides, thanks to car theft rates continually on the rise. For some, plenty of home security and vigilance provides some peace of mind, but others turn to secure storage facilities, believing those will stop criminals. Sadly, some classic car owners in Tulare, California learned the hard way that’s not necessarily true after thieves pilfered a storage facility, making off with four vehicles.
Learn how the collector car market is doing in these troubled economic times here.
According to a local report, the stolen classic cars are a 1930 Ford Model A coupe, 1965 Chevy Impala, 1934 Ford Cabriolet, and a 1969 Chevelle. Apparently, the first two cars were in mint condition, while the Chevelle was in the midst of a restoration. The Model A was featured in Rod & Custommagazine back in the day. All were stolen the week of September 12.
Instead of just hitting the storage facility once and getting all four classics, these thieves went back repeatedly for several days, taking their time. That probably means the first theft was a crime of opportunity, unplanned, and once these guys learned how easy it was, they kept coming back for more.
These thieves were bold and sloppy. Security cameras captured them loading the stolen classics right in plain view from passersby on city streets. Hopefully some witnesses who spotted the activity and probably thought it was legitimate come forward and help supply additional details.
According to the owner of the Ford Model A, Don Dillard, witnesses claim they saw it in Visalia not long after it was stolen. He believes the thieves are in a pickle because all four classic cars are unique and well-known among the car community in California. Of course, there’s a possibility they might transport them to a different market, so we want to spread the word.
If you know anything about these stolen classic cars or the people who took them, call Tulare Police at (559) 684-4290 or Crime Stoppers at (559) 498-STOP.
Source: KMPH
