Masked thieves steal dream car (From Witney Gazette)

Masked thieves steal dream car

9:30am Wednesday 31st January 2007 in Witney By Julian Dancer

A MAN who thought he had found the car of his dreams has had the vehicle stolen by a gang of masked thieves.

The theft, in the early hours of Friday, was the second time in four months that Wayne Clark had been the victim of car thieves.

Mr Clark, of Chipping Norton, said the latest theft was witnessed by a neighbour, who reported it to the police as it was happening.

The police gave chase as the car was driven away, but lost it on the way to Cheltenham.

Mr Clark, whose father is an amateur rally driver, described his experience.

He said: "Four months ago, I advertised my red Subaru Impreza for sale. It was in virtual rally spec, but I had found a blue Impreza that I wanted to buy. The blue one was the car of my dreams, and I wanted the money from the red one to pay for the new car.

"No one replied to my ad, but one night, the car was stolen. Perhaps someone saw the ad, and targeted the car. Eventually, it was found, undamaged, in Surrey, and I got it back.

"In the meantime, I had bought my dream car - a 170mph-model. It is ten years old, but with all the extras it is worth more than £8,000."

Mr Clark said: "My neighbour knocked on my door at about 4.30am to tell me the car had been stolen. The men in balaclavas had forced their way into the car, and driven it away.

"She had phoned the police and given them a running commentary on what was going on. They arrived and chased the thieves, but their panda car couldn't keep up with the Impreza. A policeman was at my house, and I could hear the progress of the chase on his radio. I'm distraught. It was the car I'd always wanted, and I'd fitted a TV and a superb sound system. Now it's all gone.

"I was lucky, and got the first car back. This time, who knows. Good luck might not strike twice."

A police spokesman confirmed the theft, and said: "These high-performance Subarus are very sought after, and have cult status.

"They attract the attention of thieves, and owners should try to keep them in a secure garage, and make sure they have an efficient alarm system."

Anyone with information can call Thames Valley Police, on 08458 505505.