Recovery of Stolen Vehicles is Rare & Often Disasterous

by Andrea L. Algar
Motorheads Performance

Today some great news came out of a stolen classic car that was actually recovered in tact! This is a rarity that anyone who has had their beloved ride stolen would love to experience, but seldom can.

In fact, recent Facebook fans have reported dream cars that were stolen and never recovered. If you are lucky enough to get it back, it is most often missing parts or damaged.

John Schnatter, founder of Papa John's sold his 1971 gold and black Z27 Camaro to help save his father's tavern in Indiana. After years of searching for the vehicle, he found it in 1971 and was lucky enough to buy it back.

Schnatter had the car at the Woodward Dream Cruise in Detroit this weekend, where the vehicle was reported missing on Sunday. Word spread quickly of the loss, and most everyone in the classic car world felt the pain of his loss. Around 10 AM Monday morning, however, news reports emerged that the vehicle had been found along with two other vehicles stolen at the event.

While we're impressed that the vehicles were recovered so quickly, and it doesn't appear that there is damage, we throw out the caution that it is ill-advised to get too comfortable even at events where co-enthusiasts gather.

For more information on how to keep your classic car or muscle car safe, read our series of articles:

• Take Caution in Where You Take Your Classic Car or Muscle Car
• Preventing Classic Car Theft: The Big Picture
• Identifying The Potential Classic Car Thief - Know Who Your Friends Are
• How & Where To Park Your Classic Car or Muscle Car In Order To Minimize The Threat of Theft
• At Home Theft Prevention for Your Classic Car or Muscle Car
• On The Road Theft Protection - How to Keep Your Classic Car or Muscle Car Safe While Traveling
• Protect Your Classic Car or Muscle Car From Theft With Specialty Insurance
• Auto Theft Series - Alert to New Theft Method Being Used
• Increase in Classic Car & Muscle Car Thefts Have Owners Concerned

ARTICLE RESOURCES:
AOL News

AUTHOR'S NOTE:  
Guy and I realize that the safety of your classic car or muscle car is extremely important to most owners. Everyone wants to protect their ride with methods that work, and that won't bust the bank. Guy Algar was an Installation Technician for LoJack at one point in his career, and served as a troubleshooter for difficult installations. A complete list of links for Theft Prevention and Theft Protection will appear in my upcoming article. Have a story you'd like to share? Leave a comment and we may publish your story! - Andrea L. Algar

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Andrea L. Algar is co-owner of a classic car performance and restoration design shop in Leesville, Texas. Motorheads Performance specializes in repairs, maintenance, performance upgrades and restorative work on cars and trucks from the 1920’s through 1970’s. Her husband Guy L. Algar is a Mechanical Engineer with over 25 years experience. He holds 5 ASE Certifications from the National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence and has been working on old cars and trucks for over 37 years. Together they share their passion for old cars and trucks with other enthusiasts from around the country.