They owned their cars for years. Now Ontario police say they're stolen property
CBC
Wayne and Mona Evoy have an empty space in their garage, and a hole in their hearts.
The shiny, black 1934 Ford Coupe was more than just a car to the Napanee, Ont., couple: It was an escape.
"Wayne's wanted one of those his whole life," said Mona. "It was meant for him to take me to get ice cream. Just to go for nice drives at night, and on the weekends. Something to enjoy now that the kids were grown, and we had time for ourselves.
"Date night at Dairy Queen," she adds, with a smile.
The car was purchased after years of scrimping and saving for $30,000 cash in June 2021.
At first, it didn't run very well, but Wayne spent endless hours tinkering in the garage. He got it safetied, plated and insured. And the Ontario government-issued ownership slip sat in a little pocket on the driver's door — if anyone cared to ask.
The Evoys never had reason to suspect anything was amiss with their dream car — until an Ontario Provincial Police detective arrived at their door this past July, informing them they were in possession of stolen property.
A few days later, a tow truck came and carted the Ford away.
Months have passed, and Wayne is still filled with anger and questions.
"Why go buy a seller's package and go through all the bullshit, and then three years later, your car gets taken? That makes no sense," he says, his voice thick with emotion.
"After you do a bunch of work to it, switch it over into your name, put insurance on it, pay all the tax on it.... Three years later, they say, 'Oh, that car was stolen.' Huh? That makes you kind of wonder."
The Evoys aren't the only former classic-car owners left searching for answers. Dozens have been caught up in a sprawling OPP investigation involving more than 200 vintage vehicles.
It was sparked by a December 2023 complaint from Larry Grogan, a Watford, Ont., dealer, who accused his business partner of stealing them. The man is alleged to have transferred the titles into his own name, over a 4.5-year period, at Service Ontario outlets via forged documents, with many of the vehicles then sold on to unsuspecting customers.
In late May, the OPP charged two Stirling, Ont., men — Robert Bradshaw (the former business partner) and Gary Leblanc — with theft, fraud and forgery. Investigators have been busy ever since, repossessing vehicles from people's garages and driveways.
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