This is probably the longest shot in the world...
About 15 years ago my Mk1 Escort Mexico replica was nicked from the top floor of the Broad Marsh shopping centre car park in Nottingham.
It was then spotted twice running around Cotgrave by people who didn't realise it had been stolen and thought it was me driving.
It was Olympic Blue with fake black Mex stripes and "Roadrunner" in huge white letters across the windscreen, a full roll cage, 1300E wood trim, RS 4 spokes and five Cibbies (one on the back). It also had a boot full of camping gear, my SLR camera, a load of scap copper I was supposed to be weighing in for a mate and ... my wellies!
I immedeately informed the police who suddenly seemed a lot less interested in it than they were when I was driving it. When he turned up A WEEK LATER to take a statement the copper gave me the priceless tip: "if you happen to find it don't drive it without telling us". Thanks.
I'm not really interested in getting it back after all this time but what beats me is this: no trace of it ever turned up. I'm sure it was stripped for bits but at the time I knew everyone in the area into Escorts and none of the choice parts turned up. Even if the shell had been torched or sunk in the Trent I would have found out sooner or later. And it couldn't have been driven far as one of the core plugs (the one at the back of the head which is a b@stard to change) was leaking and whistling like a kettle.
I would be interested in finding out what did happen to it and if whoever took it has died an agonising death since, which would be nice.
About 15 years ago my Mk1 Escort Mexico replica was nicked from the top floor of the Broad Marsh shopping centre car park in Nottingham.
It was then spotted twice running around Cotgrave by people who didn't realise it had been stolen and thought it was me driving.
It was Olympic Blue with fake black Mex stripes and "Roadrunner" in huge white letters across the windscreen, a full roll cage, 1300E wood trim, RS 4 spokes and five Cibbies (one on the back). It also had a boot full of camping gear, my SLR camera, a load of scap copper I was supposed to be weighing in for a mate and ... my wellies!
I immedeately informed the police who suddenly seemed a lot less interested in it than they were when I was driving it. When he turned up A WEEK LATER to take a statement the copper gave me the priceless tip: "if you happen to find it don't drive it without telling us". Thanks.
I'm not really interested in getting it back after all this time but what beats me is this: no trace of it ever turned up. I'm sure it was stripped for bits but at the time I knew everyone in the area into Escorts and none of the choice parts turned up. Even if the shell had been torched or sunk in the Trent I would have found out sooner or later. And it couldn't have been driven far as one of the core plugs (the one at the back of the head which is a b@stard to change) was leaking and whistling like a kettle.
I would be interested in finding out what did happen to it and if whoever took it has died an agonising death since, which would be nice.
