South London owner devastated after prized classic car worth £25k stolen from Beckenham garage

A vintage 1955 Ford Zodiac was stolen from a locked garage in Beckenham
-Credit: (Image: Graham)


Thieves have stolen a vintage Ford car worth up to £25,000 from a garage in South London, leaving Graham, it's owner, "lost". At around 10am on September 12, two men were seen driving into a close off Coper Cope Close in Beckenham in a white Ford Transit flatbed truck.

Graham, 50, told MyLondon: "I got a phone call from a person that lives nearby and she said there's two guys with a white ford transit flatbed just opened up the garage, loaded the car onto it, and away they went." Graham explained that the thieves used angle grinders to cut the locks off, allowing them to steal the vintage car yards from Graham's own front door in the area of Bromley.

According to Graham, the car was driven through Beckenham High Street and as far as Stone Park Avenue before the truck, and Graham's car, disappeared. The stolen car is a 1955 Ford Zodiac, which Graham bought 10 years ago and has spent around £18,000 modifying and repairing over the years

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A vintage 1955 Ford Zodiac was stolen from a locked garage in Beckenham
Graham has spent around £18,000 fixing and improving the vintage car -Credit:Graham

"It's hard to put a price on it now," he said, but reckoned the car would now be worth between £22,000 and £25,000. Graham said: "It's part of your life. It's a big gap that's gone out of it. I'd work all week, and spend the weekend messing about with the car, take the car out, do bits on the car."

"It does stick out a lot, it's not your average-looking car," Graham said. "It's very recognisable. The issue is, it's not the sort of car someone could sell on or even use, because it's so distinct."

Graham's worried that the thieves will either try to move it overseas, or to strip it for parts. If the car is found, "it would be like being reunited", Graham said, "it's part of the family sort of thing."

The Metropolitan Police has confirmed the information Graham told MyLondon, and said enquiries are ongoing to find the missing car. Anyone who witnessed the theft or has any information about the whereabouts of the car is asked to call police on 101, quoting reference 01/831876/24.

Got a story for us? Email anna.willis@reachplc.com.

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