Man Arrested After He Steals 1976 Corvette From Deceased Owner’s Garage

Luckily, an observant neighbor noticed that the 1976 Corvette was being stolen and notified law enforcement.

Automotive theft, in general, is on the rise, reaching near-record highs in recent years. Much of this can be blamed on rising costs and values related to not only vehicles themselves, but also the parts that they’re made from. However, it isn’t just newer vehicles that are being targeted for their pricey parts – classic cars are as well, particularly with values of those on the rise, too. Case in point – this 1976 Corvette was recently stolen directly from the owner’s garage, but there’s far more to this unusual story than that, as Action News 5 reported.

Amazingly, the 1976 Corvette was taken from the owner’s garage in a rather obvious way – the thief rolled up with a truck and trailer, loaded it up, and drove away, apparently in broad daylight. However, the owner didn’t notice, because, well, they recently passed away, and apparently their worldly possessions hadn’t been dealt with yet, or perhaps they left behind a spouse that was holding onto them. Either way, it isn’t clear if the thief was aware of this fact or not.

Thankfully, the owner’s neighbor did notice the trailer hauling the Corvette away and realized that something suspicious might be going on, so they called the police. Just a little over a week later, law enforcement located the man, his truck and trailer, and the Corvette, and apparently just in the nick of time, as he was reportedly holding a reciprocating saw and standing near the vehicle when police rolled up.

The thief attempted to run, but didn’t make it very far before police apprehended him and took him into custody. They also discovered that, fittingly enough, the truck he used to steal the sports car was also stolen, and now, he’s been charged with two counts of theft of property and one count of aggravated burglary. As for the fate of the Corvette, well, that’s unclear at the moment, but it appears to have escaped unharmed, which is obviously good news in what is truly a bizarre situation that leaves many questions unanswered.

Photos: Chevrolet

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