BARRY Ellison would like his car back.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Please.
Mr Ellison is the founder of a Westlakes transport firm, Ellison Bulk Haulage, which operates from a yard on Awaba Road, Toronto.
It’s a typical transport yard, with a couple of sheds, a line of trucks and the usual collection of old tyres and industrial equipment.
In one of the sheds, the 80-year-old businessman kept his motoring pride and joy: a fire-red 1974 Ford Falcon coupe with a 302-cubic-inch V8 and automatic transmission, in perfect condition with 120,000miles (192,000kilometres) on the clock.
A museum piece from the era of the great Aussie muscle car, Mr Ellison says it’s worth at least $30,000.
And now it’s gone.
Mr Ellison says that on the first weekend of October, someone broke into the yard and then forced their way into the shed holding his prized Falcon.
‘‘One of my blokes went to the yard on the Sunday morning and rang and said I had better get down there because a gate was open and the shed door slid back,’’ Mr Ellison said.
When he got there, his worst fears were confirmed.
‘‘I drove the car from when it was brand new from work to home and back but I got a 4WD about 15years ago and so the Falcon’s been parked up in the shed ever since,’’ Mr Ellison said.
‘‘Once every couple of months I would take it for a drive around the yard to keep the engine ticking over, but otherwise, it’s been behind closed doors.
‘‘But someone obviously knew it was there, and they were after it, because nothing else was taken from the yard except some petrol that they must have put into the car.’’
Mr Ellison said the police arrived on the Sunday morning and had a look around but as the weeks have ticked by he’s despaired of getting the car back: hence his public plea through the Newcastle Herald.
‘‘It’s my fault to an extent, I made it easier for them by leaving the keys in the ignition but I though the security was adequate,’’ Mr Ellison said.
‘‘The older they get, the more they are worth because there’s fewer and fewer survive.
‘‘It’s insured, but it’s not about the money.
‘‘I just want the car back, that’s all.’’
Mr Ellison is offering a substantial reward. Anyone with information can ring 4959 4777