Car fan who spent eight years restoring a classic Austin is heartbroken after thieves stole it from his drive, torched it and dumped it in a field
- Owen Lokuciejewski-Taylor, 25, has been left ‘heartbroken’ by the vandalism
- The arson attack happened on November 4 at 6.30am after thieves swiped car
- He found the remains of his beloved motor – christened Bessie – just hours later
A man who spent eight years restoring a classic Austin A35 watched his painstaking work go up in smoke – after yobs robbed and then torched the rare motor.
Owen Lokuciejewski-Taylor, 25, has been left ‘heartbroken’ by the mindless vandalism to his prized possession which was sold from 1956 until 1968.
The arson attack happened on November 4 at 6.30am after thieves swiped the eye-catching blue car from Owen and his partner Molly Peckham’s driveway.
‘Bessie’ was Owen Lokuciejewski-Taylor’s pride and joy before it was stolen and burned out
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He found the remains of his beloved motor – christened with the name of Bessie – three hours later which was burned to the shell of the car after being ditched in a field.
Project geologist Owen, from Leeds, West Yorks., described how he purchased the motor aged 17 and has spent £2,000 on it over the years.
He said: ‘The last few days have just been a bit sad. I’m heartbroken if I’m honest.
Heartless thieves left the classic vehicle in an irreparable state and left Owen ‘heartbroken’
The Austin A35 was unrecognisable after the mindless vandals burned it out before dumping it
‘It’s still hard to believe, just like that and something so special to you is just gone, made all the worse by the fact that it was stolen and vandalised so thoughtlessly.
‘It is just such an incredible waste of history and a beautiful little car.
‘My little blue Austin A35 was my first ever car after passing my driving test two months after my 17th birthday and was christened with the name of Bessie.
‘Bessie became a bit of a local car celebrity during my school days – I don’t think Horsforth School had ever had a student pull up to school in a vehicle like that before.
The vintage motor was sitting in Owen’s driveway in Leeds when it was swiped by the vandals
He found the remains of his beloved motor – christened Bessie – just hours after it was stolen
‘The assistant headteacher took a real interest and would let me park in the ‘teachers only’ spaces from time to time.
‘I have spent over £2,000 throughout the years restoring her but that’s nothing compared to the time I spent tinkering and making sure everything was perfect.’
He said two young men were the suspects after getting caught on CCTV trying to open multiple car doors with it been a sheer coincidence they got Betty.
Owen Lokuciejewski-Taylor, 25, spent eight years restoring the Austin A35
Bessie was Owen’s first ever car, bought two months after passing his test at 17-year-olds
Owen said: ‘Nearby CCTV has picked up two lads trying car doors all the way up until they get to Bessie.
‘Ten minutes later you can see Bessie dangerously speeding down the road. It’s so much harder to know that they were chancers that just happened to get Bessie
‘By 9.30 am, Molly and I are standing down by Fagley Beck looking at the smouldering remains of the car.’
Owen said that despite the sadness of losing his car, the support from the community has helped.
Owen said: ‘The last few days have just been a bit sad. I’m heartbroken if I’m honest’
‘If there is any positive from all of this, it is the reaction of the local (and national) community spirit.
‘Within minutes of posting online about Bessie missing, people from all over the UK had rallied behind her and started looking out for her.
‘The kind-heartedness and sympathy of people really shone through once the tragic end to the story was revealed.
A West Yorkshire Police spokesperson said enquiries into the crime are ongoing
‘As so many people have said, you can’t let idiots like those lads ruin your day, so I look to the future and possibly to the next little Austin.’
A West Yorkshire Police spokesperson said enquiries into the crime are ongoing.
She said: The incident happened on 4 November at around 6:25am when suspects stole a blue Austin A35 from a driveway on Carr Hill Road.
‘The car was later recovered by police. CCTV from the area is being examined by police and enquiries are ongoing.’
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