• Man owns car for 44 years, thieves steal it
    44 replies, posted
[B]A pensioner has been left devastated after his 'pride and joy' car which he had owned for 44 years was stolen while he was visiting his wife in hospital.[/B] [IMG]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/01/04/article-2257019-16BF3BB8000005DC-291_634x436.jpg[/IMG] [B]Jack Hepworth, 85, had clocked up almost 300,000 miles in his Yukon grey coloured Morris Minor since buying it second hand in 1968. [/B] During four decades of happy motoring he has taken it on regular holidays with wife of 53 years Marion - and even affectionately named his Morris 1000 car 'Maurice' after it became the second love in his life. But the retired draftsman was left heartbroken after yobs broke into his garage at home and hotwired the classic car whilst he was visiting 80-year old former factory worker Marion in hospital where she is being treated for pneumonia. The vehicle has not been seen since the broad daylight theft at 11am on December 21 and now Jack has to pay £20 a time for round trips to hospital by taxi including having to pay for extra fares over Christmas and the New Year bank holidays. Today, as police hunted the thieves and the car, Mr Hepworth, who never had any children with Marion, opened his family photo album to show precious pictures of the couple's days out in the car dating back over the decades. Mr Hepworth, from Levenshulme, Manchester, said: 'Obviously as long as Marian gets better and comes home that is all that matters - but I have to say losing Maurice is almost like losing part of the family. 'It's just surprising how you get attached to things and I do miss Maurice dearly. Our only child was stillborn so you could say the car was like the baby we never had because we had had it that long. 'All the kiddies on the street loved it and one time we had eight of them sat in it outside our home. I haven't even told Marian about the theft because it will upset her that much and given she is very ill, it would break her heart if she knew. 'I'm just appealing for it to be returned or if anyone has seen it to come forward. I’d be so glad if I could get the car back.' The Morris car - registration number XBU 911 was built in 1961 - but went into the hands of one very careful owner seven years later when Jack bought it for £180. He recalled: 'I was a motorcyclist but I got fed up of getting knocked off of my bike. We bought the car second hand as we had just got the house and money was tight. I thought that I would only have Maurice for two years - yet it is the only car I have ever had. 'It's been all over Britain and has seen a lot. It's been to Scotland, Wales, East Anglia, everywhere. We used to go holidaying all over the UK in it. 'For my 80th birthday I even had a cake with a picture of me stood in front of the car printed on it. Everyone knew me for the car. When I first got it I was so proud of it - I still am still. Greater Manchester Police said a man described as white, about 6ft tall, between 25 and 35 years old with collar-length 'mousey' hair was seen driving a vehicle of similar description away from the scene. PC Lisa Valentine said: 'The car is this man’s pride and joy and is the biggest love in his life after his wife. He has looked after the car with dedication and purpose for more than 40 years and it is more than a mode of transport for him. 'Sadly, the theft has added to what is already a very worrying time and he now has the added expense and stress of having to get a taxi everyday to visit his wife - who is unwell in hospital - instead of simply being able to drive over and see her. 'I would dearly love to reunite this car with the victim.' [IMG]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/01/04/article-2257019-16BF3A05000005DC-149_634x436.jpg[/IMG] [img]http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2013/01/04/article-2257019-16BF3A00000005DC-470_634x427.jpg[/img] [URL]http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2257019/Thieves-steal-1968-Morris-Minor-pensioner-driven-day-45-years-visiting-wife-hospital.html[/URL]
I hope they find those who stole it and give them the death penalty. That car is practically family to him at this point, and while is wife is hospitalized no less.
Hope they get the thieving bastards who did this. Losing something like that after having it so long to some little bastards is a terrible thing to happen to you, I'm sure.
I dearly hope he gets Maurice back.
Ouch, that guy didn't have a very Merry Christmas at all... hope he gets it back and things go better for him.
It probably got stripped and sold in parts.
Who steals a car from outside a hospital? It is obvious the people there are not having a good day to begin with.
[QUOTE=Frisk;39095860]I hope they find those who stole it and give them the death penalty. That car is practically family to him at this point, and while is wife is hospitalized no less.[/QUOTE] u wot
Well if anything, hopefully it's easier to find considering how old and unique it is.
[QUOTE=imptastick;39095920]Who steals a car from outside a hospital? It is obvious the people there are not having a good day to begin with.[/QUOTE] Chavs
Morris cars are pretty much very long lasting. I'd definitely buy one from someone. I hope the man gets it back soon though!
Honestly, I think anyone who steals cars should have their drivers license revoked for at least 10 years.
[QUOTE=Frisk;39095860]I hope they find those who stole it and give them the death penalty. That car is practically family to him at this point, and while is wife is hospitalized no less.[/QUOTE] Why death?
This was on the Jeremy Vine show on Radio 2 yesterday, shows you how much attention it's getting. Hopefully it'll get found
Even though I understand the loss the man feels, I don't think the thieves should be given punishment above what is normally given. They had no understanding of the importance of the car to the man. still a bunch of assholes tho
What fucking cunts the thieves are.
:(
...mother of god. give them the chair. [media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7s9RYLabxCg[/media] [B]IT'S MORE THAN THEY DESERVE[/B]
My grandma had one apparently they are the shit
[QUOTE=Forumaster;39095954]Honestly, I think anyone who steals cars should have their drivers license revoked for at least 10 years.[/QUOTE] Just curious, but why am I receiving dumbs for this?
[QUOTE=Forumaster;39095954]Honestly, I think anyone who steals cars should have their drivers license revoked for at least 10 years.[/QUOTE] If someone steals a car I hardly doubt them losing their license is going to put them off that much.
[QUOTE=Forumaster;39096369]Just curious, but why am I receiving dumbs for this?[/QUOTE] Because most don't even have a driving license and it would do nothing.
[QUOTE=Frisk;39095860]I hope they find those who stole it and give them the death penalty. That car is practically family to him at this point, and while is wife is hospitalized no less.[/QUOTE] what the hell
That's a nice car.
[QUOTE=Forumaster;39095954]Honestly, I think anyone who steals cars should have their drivers license revoked for at least 10 years.[/QUOTE] Or you know, you could send them to prison for car theft, like we already do.
[QUOTE=imptastick;39095920]Who steals a car from outside a hospital? It is obvious the people there are not having a good day to begin with.[/QUOTE] What if they just found out their cancer is going into remission?
[QUOTE=imptastick;39095920]Who steals a car from outside a hospital? It is obvious the people there are not having a good day to begin with.[/QUOTE] I thought the same thing, but- [quote]after yobs broke into his garage at home and hotwired the classic car whilst he was visiting 80-year old former factory worker Marion in hospital where she is being treated for pneumonia.[/quote] so he must have either gone with someone else or taken a cab or something, not sure. Would make more sense the thief wasn't some wank who spotted it in the parking lot, but someone who knew the value of a classic car and working parts, figuring out when he was away from home for long periods of time. mid-day makes sense that it would be easy to do something like that, because people are usually at work or out doing stuff. Everyone always seems so surprised but it just makes sense that it'd be the best time to avoid any confrontation
How much suckier can it get for this poor guy? I will say though, a bit low for miles considering it's age and how much the guy loved it. My '01 Kia Optima has 201,000+ miles on it. Was my dad's at first. Not my pride and joy, but it is damn reliable.
[QUOTE=Failgrenade;39095916]It probably got stripped and sold in parts.[/QUOTE] Unless they already have a buyer they may end up on Ebay, so it would be easy to catch them that way
[QUOTE=NO ONE;39096601]How much suckier can it get for this poor guy? I will say though, a bit low for miles considering it's age and how much the guy loved it. My '01 Kia Optima has 201,000+ miles on it. Was my dad's at first. Not my pride and joy, but it is damn reliable.[/QUOTE] my '93 saturn SL2 (which my dad bought when I was 5) lasted a while, but by 275k I wanted to just find a nice sized ravine and lob it off a cliff
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