Classic 1970 Chevy Chevelle stolen from Centereach driveway during family medical crisis
The vintage Chevelle, valued between $80,000 and $100,000, was discovered missing during one of the most difficult moments for the family.
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A Centereach family is searching for answers after their prized 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle was stolen from their driveway while they were focused on a far more urgent matter: a life-saving surgery.
Owen Fitzpatrick said the classic muscle car disappeared from his West Court Drive home on July 1 while his wife, Leah, was in the hospital preparing to undergo quadruple bypass surgery.
"It was insult to injury, basically," Owen Fitzpatrick said.
The vintage Chevelle, valued between $80,000 and $100,000, was discovered missing during one of the most difficult moments for the family.
"I couldn't believe the car was gone," Fitzpatrick said. "And I didn't have time to process that because her health was more important than the car."
For Leah Fitzpatrick, the theft added another emotional blow to an already stressful time.
"I felt violated," she said. "You feel very targeted."
Police have not announced any arrests, and investigators have no surveillance video of the crime. Although a Ring security camera is mounted above the family's garage, Owen Fitzpatrick said the footage inexplicably cuts out during the time the car was taken.
"At 11:47 the car is there. At 11:49 the car is not there," he said. "I don't know what happened. I can't explain it."
Technology experts say there are several possible explanations for the missing footage. Lance Ulanoff, editor at large for TechRadar, said Wi-Fi-connected security cameras rely on a home's internet connection to function properly.
"There are little intricacies to these devices that people don't realize," Ulanoff said.
He explained the interruption could have been caused by an internet outage or, in a less likely scenario, by someone intentionally disrupting the wireless signal.
"There's the thinner possibility of a jammer — a Wi-Fi jammer," Ulanoff said. "Any radio signal can be jammed."
As the investigation continues, the Fitzpatricks remain hopeful their beloved classic car will be recovered.
"I would love for the car to come back more than anything," Leah Fitzpatrick said. "It was a beautiful part of our lives."
