Papa John's Camaro stolen from car show, officials say
BIRMINGHAM, Mich. -- Officials say a Chevrolet Camaro used in promotions for pizza chain Papa John's was among three vehicles stolen during a Detroit-area event showcasing classic cars.
Police Sgt. Cassandra Lewis tells the Detroit News authorities are investigating after the 1971 Camaro Z28 owned by the Louisville, Kentucky-based pizza company was reported missing Sunday morning from the Woodward Dream Cruise event in Oakland County.
Papa John's spokesman Bob Kraut tells The Associated Press founder John Schnatter is "distraught" over the theft.
Schnatter sold the gold-and-black car decades ago to help save his father's tavern in Indiana, leading to the start of what would become Papa John's. In 2009, after years of searching, Schnatter bought it back.
Kraut says the vehicle was on display at the Dream Cruise, an event that draws hundreds of thousands of people each year.
The Papa John's classic car was among three cars stolen, CBS Detroit reported.
Vietnam veteran and Purple Heart recipient Jerry Anderson reported his classic car, along with a pickup truck and trailer stolen Saturday night.
"It's very disheartening that people in the United States - would ever do something like this to somebody's property -- they've got to be low-life people. I mean really low-life," said Anderson.
Anderson brought his 1966 Chevy Chevelle up from North Carolina last week. After the cruise, the car, trailer and Silverado hauling the trailer were all stolen from a hotel parking lot along Woodward south of Long Lake in Bloomfield Hills.
A red 1966 Corvette was stolen from the Park Street parking structure in Birmingham early Saturday afternoon. The license plate reads "ITSMY66."