1957 Chevrolet Bel Air was stolen but a miracle happened
- This California man was left devastated when his car was stolen
- His 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air had been in his family for decades
- But a miracle happened that very day
Published on Sep 26, 2024 at 5:34 PM (UTC+4)
by Ben Thompson
Last updated on Sep 27, 2024 at 1:34 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Tom Wood
This 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air was stolen, but a miracle befell it on that very same day.
It’s a driver’s worst nightmare for their beloved vehicle to be snatched away from them.
For this California man, he was certain he’d never see his Chevy Bel Air again once it was taken.
But Adam Elmore from Fresno was in for a big surprise.
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How a man discovered his Chevrolet Bel Air had been stolen
The car, affectionately named Lucy, was something of a family heirloom for Adam.
It used to be his grandpa’s car, purchased in the 1980s.
It was passed on to Adam’s mother who bought it over to Oakhurst.
At one point, Lucy narrowly avoided being burnt in a wildfire but managed to be rescued, at which point she was brought to Fresno.
Whilst under Adam’s car, Lucy spent most of her time indoors.
Unfortunately, being kept away from prying eyes wasn’t enough to guarantee her safety.
Contractors working on his house reported that his garage door was open, with a cut lock on the floor.
Lucy was gone.
As reported by Fox26 News, Adam said: “My heart dropped I didn’t know whether to scream and curse or keep a level head.”
He immediately called the police to make a report, but wasn’t optimistic he would be reunited with Lucy in one piece.
Stolen cars are often broken up for parts or they can spend years in unusual spots, like this Acura which was ditched in a river.
How did he end up getting his car back?
Shortly after his police report, Fresno Police’s Career Criminal Auto Theft Team received another call.
Somebody had seen a classic car parked illegally in an alleyway ten blocks away from Adam’s house.
When the Community Service Officer visited Adam, he told him: “Good news and bad news—bad news, your car has been stolen. Good news, it’s been found.”
Fortunately, no damage had been done to Lucy besides wires being cut to hotwire the car.
Adam is very relieved to have Lucy back and relatively unharmed.
After surviving a forest fire and theft, we’re not sure there’s much that could put Lucy out of commission.
With over 200,000 vehicles being stolen in California in 2023, Lucy is one of many.
But fortunately, this story had a happy ending.
Stolen car stories can sometimes have positive resolutions, like this son who surprised his dad with the car that had been stolen years before.
