THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, December 6, 1995 TAG: 9512060435
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY LANE DEGREGORY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: KITTY HAWK LENGTH: Medium: 67 lines
After slicing the tops of two convertibles, smashing the window of a four-wheel-drive vehicle and breaking into the body shop at Coastal Auto Mart, someone stole a 1995 Pontiac Firebird from the Outer Banks car dealership.
The vandals then drove the black sportscar through 9-foot tall metal gates onto the U.S. Route 158 bypass - and, apparently, left town.
The incident happened sometime between 7 p.m. Monday, when the dealership closed, and dawn Tuesday, when an employee arriving for work noticed the flattened gate.
As of 5 p.m. Tuesday, the Firebird was still missing and police had not yet apprehended any suspects.
``We have completed the fingerprinting and the case is still under investigation,'' said Kitty Hawk Police Detective Eugene McLawhorn, who estimated the Firebird's value at $19,000. ``The vehicle's right rear quarter panel was being repaired at the shop, so that is probably still visible. And by forcing the dealership gate open, whoever took that car probably did substantial damage to its front end, too.''
Jim Hayden, who owns the Kitty Hawk car dealership, said he is offering a $5,000 reward for any information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the car thief.
``They did about $30,000 in damages to a total of seven cars here. They stole stereo equipment from some vehicles, a cellular phone from another, and broke the steering column on a '95 Z-28 Camaro that they tried to hot wire,'' Hayden said Tuesday.
``It's very sad. We never want crime to happen right in our neighborhoods. If this thing continues, we might have to close in and secure the entire lot at night or hire a 'round-the-clock guard,'' said Hayden, who keeps most of the cars inside a locked fence but leaves others on a grassy strip facing the highway. ``We don't want to have to do that. People like to be able to look at the cars here even when we're not open. But it might have to come to that.''
According to police and Hayden, vandals tried to break into at least three cars in the Coastal Auto Mart outdoor lot before they gained access to the locked body shop. Inside the body shop, they stole keys from vehicles that were being serviced. That's apparently how they got the Firebird, Hayden said.
``Some of the damaged vehicles were ours. Others belonged to customers who were having their cars serviced,'' said Hayden. ``The customers all have been very cooperative and understanding with us.''
About two weeks ago, someone broke the steering column of a Ford Ranger and stole it from the Coastal Auto Mart lot, Hayden said. Police recovered that vehicle in the Kitty Hawk Trailer Park a day or so later, he said. Last summer, at least two cars were stolen from the same car dealership.
``It's not the first time we've had problems like this out there,'' McLawhorn said. ``It's really a shame.'' MEMO: $5,000 REWARD OFFERED
The Kitty Hawk Police Department and owners of Coastal Auto Mart are
seeking any information that could lead to the arrest and conviction of
the person or people who stole a 1995 Pontiac Firebird from the car
dealership late Monday night or early Tuesday morning.
Coastal Auto Mart owners are offering a $5,000 reward. If you have
any information about this auto theft, call the Kitty Hawk police at
261-3895 or Jim Hayden at Coastal Auto Mart, 261-5900.
KEYWORDS: AUTOMOBILE THEFT VANDALISM by CNB