Thieves strip charity mini (From The Argus)
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Thieves strip charity mini
3:50pm Tuesday 16th October 2012 in News By Neil Vowles
The stripped down Mini
Thieves stole a charity Mini Cooper from a garage forecourt before stripping it bare and dumping the shell of the vehicle in a field.
The car was taken from the Gem UK garage forecourt in Ferringham Lane, Ferring, sometime between 7pm on Wednesday and 7.30am on Thursday.
The firm had been holding a competition asking passers-by to guess how many balloons were in the car and donate money to St Barnabas House as part of a fundraising week.
The Mini, which had recently been restored, was found shortly afterwards in a field at Ferring Football Club where it had been stripped of parts including the leather seats, walnut dashboard, the boot lid and bonnet, all four alloy wheels and a Ventura DVD player.
Jason Howells, service manager at the garage, said: “The competition was going really well so this is a bitter disappointment.
“We were joking when we set it up that someone might nick the sign so we cable tied it down but we didn’t really expect to find the sign still there but the car missing.”
PCSO Michelle Davies said: “This has been particularly upsetting for the owners as they have not only spent a lot of money restoring the car, but it was being used for a competition to raise money for the St Barnabas charity.
“If you saw the vehicle being removed or anyone acting suspiciously in the area on Wednesday night or are aware of the parts being used or offered for sale, please call Sussex Police on 101 quoting serial 186 of 11/10.”
Comments(11)
Goldenwight
says...
5:38pm Tue 16 Oct 12
Brightonian72 wrote:Let me guess- that is what you entered in the competition, and this was your way of ensuring that you won?
My guess is one balloon.
Thatsjustyummy
says...
6:16pm Tue 16 Oct 12
Set of wheels, two doors, bootlid and bonnet et VOILA back as it was.
About £100 worth.
Still, whoever did this is an ar*e (even though I cannot for the life of me understand the interest in these horrible little cars!)
Baldseagull
says...
7:55pm Tue 16 Oct 12
Thatsjustyummy wrote:£100 wont even put tyres on the missing wheels.
That's hardly a 'bare shell' is it Argos????
Set of wheels, two doors, bootlid and bonnet et VOILA back as it was.
About £100 worth.
Still, whoever did this is an ar*e (even though I cannot for the life of me understand the interest in these horrible little cars!)
South Lakes
says...
8:16pm Tue 16 Oct 12
Thatsjustyummy wrote:Doors nearly £400 each
That's hardly a 'bare shell' is it Argos????
Set of wheels, two doors, bootlid and bonnet et VOILA back as it was.
About £100 worth.
Still, whoever did this is an ar*e (even though I cannot for the life of me understand the interest in these horrible little cars!)
Bonnet £150
Wheels and Tyres £400
Labour to fit and paint panels £500
Window Glass and Fittings £300
Door Cards and Furniture £200
Full Leather Interior inc seat frames £600
Recovery £100
Heartache and nuisance value?
Shows how much you really know about "these horrible little cars"
So next time you want to make such a retarded comment knocking someone elses opinion, at least make sure that you know what you are talking about.
Dr.Draconian
says...
12:37am Wed 17 Oct 12
Thatsjustyummy
says...
3:47am Wed 17 Oct 12
If you're paying those prices you are being seriously taken for a ride. An expensive ride.
Parts for my much much rarer 105 Series Guilia Sprint GT are probably less than a third of the costs you posted above.
smegbuster
says...
1:16pm Wed 17 Oct 12
Thatsjustyummy wrote:Car snob alert!
south Lakes If you're paying those prices you are being seriously taken for a ride. An expensive ride. Parts for my much much rarer 105 Series Guilia Sprint GT are probably less than a third of the costs you posted above.
Hove Actually
says...
4:12pm Wed 17 Oct 12
Insurance will cover it
Thatsjustyummy
says...
10:14pm Wed 17 Oct 12
It's called "Not being a mug" Surely?
Whitehawkian
says...
10:36am Thu 18 Oct 12
Hove Actually wrote:WHAT! They are claiming for 99 Balloons on their Insurance???? That is ridiculous and one of the reasons it is impossible to get Insurance in some places and why others do not bother with it.
Not really a charity Mini more a holding box for a bunch of balloons ( by the way there were 99)
Insurance will cover it
Brightonian72 says...
4:08pm Tue 16 Oct 12