AN ANDOVER man is appealing to residents to keep their eyes out for his classic car which has been stolen from a residential area.

Mark Wright’s 1985 Ford LTD Country Squire wagon was parked in a permit-holders car park near his home on Floral Way on Monday evening and by Tuesday morning (June 14) it was gone.

“The evening before, when my partner and I went for a walk about 9pm, it was there. But when I came out to go to work on Tuesday morning, I suddenly noticed it was gone.

“It's a pretty unique vehicle with its wood look sides and being four meters in length it could be hard to hide!”

The 65-year-old, who works as a premises assistant for Test Valley Borough Council, explained that he doesn’t believe the car to be of much monetary value, but that it meant a lot to him.

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He got it from California at the end of last year, and it is the vehicle featured in the National Lampoon films.

“I have always had an interest in American cars, from a styling point of view. There’s a bit of history to it too - these days, if you take the badge off a car you wouldn’t know what it is!

“It was just a case of something to mess around with and got a few car shows. And it raises a smile from people when we drive past. It really has no meaning to anybody else, it’s of no great value.”

Mark added: “I am not really someone who shows my anger much but, emotionally, it's frustrating. If the police rang me up and said they had found the car but it was nothing more than a burnt out shell, I’d be sad but I could draw a line under it. But it's the illogic of it that annoys me - it relies on somebody, by chance, spotting it because it’s so unusual.”

He continued: “I have never had a car stolen before, and when I posted it to social media, I was surprised by just how many cars get taken in the area!”

Mark is asking people to keep an eye for the car, and also beware if offered a 302 (5ltr) engine and transmission, as these could be parts of the stolen vehicle.

A Hampshire Constabulary spokesperson said: "We were called at 6.58am on 14 June to a report of a theft of a vehicle in Andover. Sometime between 9pm on Monday, 13 June and 6.30pm on Tuesday, 14 June, a grey Ford Ltd Crown Victoria Squire station wagon, with wood look panels, was stolen from Floral Way in Andover.  

"Anyone who witnessed anything suspicious or has any information should call us on 101 quoting reference 44220235159." 

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