MIDLOTHIAN — It was a crime that broke a Midlothian man's heart.
Someone stole his prized possession, a vintage, 50-year-old Dodge Lancer station wagon, restored with parts he bought when he was a teenager.
The car was stolen in July. Police found the trailer, but not the car.
So the owner thought he would never see it again. But with the help of the Internet (and a little luck), everything changed.
It all started with a phone call to Ramsey’s Rods and Restoration in Fort Worth.
The caller wanted to see if they were interested in buying a 1962 Dodge Lancer station wagon. Shop manager Adrian Britton took a look. He liked it, so the company bought it.
An old car in such great shape at a selling price of $1,500 seemed too good to be true.
"They started pulling parts out of the garage, which just seemed like too much," Britton said. "They were loading the car up, as if they were just getting rid of everything."
The shop owners went online.
They found a blog written by Stan Aiton, asking for help in recovering his stolen 1962 Dodge Lancer. The restoration shop called Fort Worth police and contacted Aiton. It turns out they had his car — the same one that was hidden in a trailer stolen by thieves in August.
The people who sold it to the shop didn't realize the car was stolen when they bought it.
"And when they told me all that was there, I was very happy," Aiton said.
Aiton bought the Lancer early last year, after seeing it on Craigslist. He was in Virginia and drove to Texas to buy it. He wanted a car similar to the Valiant he drove when he met his wife. He bought some of the original parts when he was a teenager.
"So I've had that intake manifold for 41 years," Aiton said. "It's like one of my children. And I'm just glad they didn't know what they had."
The reunion was sweet — for Aiton and for the vintage car enthusiasts who discovered it.
"The car had an emotional investment and attachment to him," Britton said. "He waited to build what he wanted for almost 40 years of his life, and then to lose it."
For Stan Aiton, this is a Christmas gift with an ironic twist.
One hour before he learned the Lancer was discovered, he sold the trailer that hauled it.
E-mail sstoler@wfaa.com
