By Kyra Gillespie
A Pakenham father has been left devastated after his “pride and joy” Holden HQ ute was stolen from a carpark in Pakenham on Sunday 2 December.
Warren, a local concreter and car enthusiast, parked the purple 1972 ute at Bunnings in Pakenham at around 10am and was in the store for no more than 15 minutes when it was stolen.
“It was a Sunday morning – a normal day – and I went into Bunnings to get some picture hooks and when I came back to where the ute was parked it was gone,” Warren said.
“It has central locking, but with old cars like that you only have to put a coat hanger through the rubber and you’re in the car in about ten seconds. Most of the time any old Holden key will start them and away you go.
“I only spent a short time in Bunnings, which makes me wonder if somebody was watching and waiting for the right time. It was a busy day but that doesn’t stop them; if they want something they don’t care when or where they take it.”
The vintage ute is deep purple in colour has a unique white hard top.“There’s only one around like it, it’s a one-off,” Warren said.
“I put a very distinctive white hard top on it, so there’s no other ute like that around. Its colour is very uncommon too; every single time I go out I get people commenting on the colour and how unique it is.
“For them to put that ute back on the road would be a very difficult exercise because it’s had a lot of custom work put into it. It will cost them a lot of money to re-do it.”
The theft of the car, worth around $25,000, has hit Warren hard.
“It’s nearly irreplaceable; it was my favourite car to drive – I used to take it for a drive every single weekend and sometimes after work.”
The car has been described as Warren’s “pride and joy” by his daughter Danielle.
“The car is his pride and joy; to have something like this happen so close to Christmas is devastating. We just hope it is found in the same condition,” she said.
Danielle’s post about the stolen car has garnered over 8,000 shares on Facebook.
She said there have been two possible sightings reported to her so far: one in Healesville and another in Mount Gambier.
Pakenham police are currently reviewing CCTV footage at the Pakenham Bunnings store and ask that any sightings be reported to members at 59452500 or via Crime Stoppers.
