By Deanne Jeffers
A SHEPPARTON couple is devastated after their prized Holden Commodore VZ SS ute was stolen and found dumped in bushland, completely stripped of parts in what they believe was a targeted attack.
Manifolds and Mullets Mechanical owners Sam Horgan and Jaymie Paris said the theft happened in the early hours of August 1, between 1.15am and 2.30am. Security vision shows three men arriving in a Dodge Ram, cutting through a fence at the neighbouring business and towing the ute away.
The ute, fitted with a custom-built high-performance engine, was locked behind the large gates at their Joseph Baldwin Place yard while Ms Paris was in Melbourne for emergency surgery. Mr Horgan was using her car to care for their three children.
“It was locked behind the gate as always,” Ms Paris said. “There was three people in a Dodge Ram. They cut the chain, smashed the driver’s side window, slid in like a seal, put it in neutral, and drove it out, all in under three minutes.”
The vehicle was discovered by a farmer, dumped in bushland in Wyuna on Sunday, August 3. The ute had been flipped onto its roof and everything except for the seats and the steering wheel were taken.
The prized ute was more than just another car, it was their pride and joy, the heart of their business, and their ticket to the Deniliquin Ute Muster.
“We were just starting to get it ready for Deni this year,” Mr Horgan said. “Last year, we had a massive achievement with it — we took third place in the first time it ran, then sixth, and eventually first place once we made some upgrades.”
“We were going for redemption this year, which is only eight weeks away,” said Mr Horgan. Ms Paris added that they had been overwhelmed by the support. “So many people have offered their vehicles … it’s the nicest thing in the world, but we could not compete in someone else’s car.”
“It does concern us that if they didn’t know us or the car, there’s no way they would have taken it,” said Ms Paris.
“We do think that it’s somebody who has seen the car compete, or who knows the car, because otherwise you’d walk past it and think nothing of it. We never wanted the outside to look spectacular.”
For the family, the loss was more than financial. “Our kids were devastated. They were the ones who found the cut fence and started crying,” Ms Paris said. “That ute was ‘Daddy Sam’s car’, it was part of our family.”
Despite the pain, they refuse to give in to anger. “We just stood there and prayed,” Ms Paris said. “We have to stay calm for the kids, to show them how to keep going when things go wrong.”
The couple hopes the community’s support will help catch whoever did this. “We’re offering a cash reward for info that leads to an arrest,” Mr Horgan said. “We want to stop this from happening to anyone else.” They can be contacted on 0480 451 394.
Shepparton Crime Investigation Unit is investigating the theft. Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit www.crimestoppersvic.com.au.
