Prized Torana returned to Ringwood East owner

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Prized Torana returned to Ringwood East owner

* Mary Papadakis
* From: Herald Sun
* March 20, 2010 5:43PM

Mary Shaw

92-year-old Mary Shaw is delighted that she has got her Holden Torana Sunbird back after it was stolen from her Ringwood East home. The hubcaps, number plates and a Hawthorn AFL sticker were removed.

A RELIEVED pensioner was this morning reunited with her beloved Torana, which was stolen from the driveway of her Ringwood East home two weeks ago.

A sprightly Mary Shaw, 92, said she was thrilled to have her prized car back home and could not believe her luck when police told her it had been found.

"I nearly went through the phone. I screamed. I don't know if the policeman got his hearing back," she said with a laugh.

"It was the most excited I've ever been. I didn't expect to get it back. I thought it was gone."

Mrs Shaw and her late husband, Bert, bought the car in 1978, but he died 10 days later.

The sky blue Holden Torana Sunbird, which she had to teach herself to drive after his death, is a treasured reminder of him.

The car was found about 15kms away on Leonards Rd, near the Coldstream tip, yesterday morning after being sighted by a passerby who contacted 000.


The original licence plate, ACY863, was stolen, along with hub caps and a Hawthorn Football Club sticker from the back window.

"I've very hurt about that sticker being taken off. I've put a fresh one on," Mrs Shaw, a Hawthorn member for more than 50 years, said.

Victoria Police Sen-Constable Jordan Brown said it was a great result.

"It has so much sentimental value to her, it wasn't just another car," he said.

Sen-Constable Brown, of the Croydon Theft of Motor Car Action Team, said forensic tests were being conducted on finger prints found on the car and a pair of high-heeled shoes found near where it was dumped.

Mrs Shaw, who plans to get back on the road as soon as possible, said she would invest in more security to protect her much-loved car which has traveled about 101,000kms.

She and her nephew Frank Ahern thanked police, the media and the public for their help.

My comment..she is very lucky,not many stolen cars are found and returned in one piece.