STOLEN CAR RECOVERED NEAR TOWN

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 13, Issue 21, 17 November 1948, Page 5

STOLEN CAR RECOVERED NEAR TOWN

Bodywork Found Badly Damaged

Stolen from in front of the Regent Theatre, Whakatane, where it was parked'on Saturday night, a large Buick motor car owned by Mr C. L. Jordan, Whakatane, was recovered late Sunday afternoon up Luxton’s Road, about nine miles from town. With much of the under bodywork in the front of the car badly damaged and part of the left rear wheel hub stove in, it is estimated that it will cost about £SO to put the vehicle in running order again. The,owner of a milk bar, Mr Jordan first noticed his car was missing when he left to go home about 11 p.m. on Saturday. “I could not believe it had gone,” he said to a Beacon reporter. “It never occurred to me that anyone would have the nerve to take my car from almost outside .my shop. I thought someone had moved it out of the way.” It was raining hard with thunder and lightning on Saturday night, and it was only by the illumination of the lightning flashes that the complete disappearance of the car was noticed. The police were then notified. On Sunday a full descriptor was broadcast over the radio. When found the car was covered in pumice dust it is thought it was taken through to Rotorua. There were 12 gallons of petrol in the tank. The inside of the car was filled with beer bottles and reeked of stale beer so that the belief that a party was held in the vehicle is quite justifiable. The police, who are working on the case, would give no indication as to their progress when inquiries were made by the Beacpn.