Car Thief Ruins Graduation

It began as a day of anticipation and excitement, hopes and dreams. Commencement ceremonies took place for Fred T. Foard High School at Catawba Valley Community College Hwy 70 Hickory at 10 a.m. As diplomas were handed out and pictures taken, a low life theif was at work. As Trent Rothlin returned to the parking lot he found his car was stolen. As some of you have seen his car you may be asking WHY??? would someone steal it? It WAS a 94 White Honda Civic 2 dr Coupe. It had a primer hood and black left front fender. It was a work in progress and he had earned every dime for the undermount neon, bodykit, head and taillight euros, and his most prized possession - gunmetal rims. It was adorned with Clemson stickers and license plate frame. It was probably chopped and dismantled before graduation was even over but I know there are TBRers from all over NC and beyond on this board. If you happen to see it in your neighborhood up on blocks please notify authorities. The license plate number is TZD9232.

Also, all of his baseball equipment was in the trunk. Glove, batting gloves, helmet, bat bag, 2 bats, cleats, along with his wallet, ipod and dock, oakleys, stereo and everything a typical 18 year old has in his car.

Surely the security system was blaring as it was leaving the parking lot. If anyone knows anything your help would be greatly appreciated.

 

I must say this is a first on TBR...but I really hope it helps to catch the person(s) involved.

Now, having said that, my son goes to L-R and I read your post to him. His first response was, "Just sit on any corner on Fri and Sat nite @ Hwy 70 and you will see someone driving with his rims". His second thought was to have Trent contact any of those guys hangin' out on Hwy 70 (apparently it is the thing to do...racing). He said one of those guys know who stole his car.

Good luck...and keep us updated. I'd like to find out the result

 

You're absolutely right Braves. Those rims probably didn't go too far and the rest of the car will probably be for sale at the Hickory American Legion Post 48 flea market on Thursday.

 

Remains found

What was left of Trent's car was found Sunday morning off Highway 321 North Hickory behind Ham's restaurant one block from a Mexican chop shop. It had 4 mismatched tires. Other items missing include front and rear bumper, bodykit, undermount neon, euros, cd player and speakers, ipod and player, phone charger, oakleys, SPARQ training bag, 2 baseball bats, drivers license, cash, and a broken steering column. 7 Honda Civics were stolen in Hickory this weekend, 2 were attending graduation.

It will probably be a total loss but at least they left the cleats, glove and helmet. Thanks for all the phone calls and genuine concerns at the ballpark yesterday.

 

Sorry to hear about this and understand your situtation

Tigermom,
Sorry to hear about the theft. I understand where you are coming from as our 1995 Honda Civic was stolen last year from our driveway. After a little research, we found out that this is one of the top two models of stolen cars in the U.S.; it's the last year they made Hondas without a theft alarm system. It is amazing how easy these are to steal (steering column pops off when forced and you use a screwdriver to turn the ignition system so that you'll never need the ignition key). Sorry to hear about your situation, but at least, through recovery, insurance may pay for the loss. We didn't have full coverage, which would cover a stolen vehicle (only liability), because it was paid for and a bit old to spend that much on car insurance, so our car wasn't covered by insurance.

 

Apparently it was very easy to steal even though it had a security system in it. Thankfully, because Trent had used his own money to buy the car we put full coverage on it, not because of value but because lots of teens have accidents and any little one would have caused lots of damage to that car and we couldn't let him just lose his investment that way.

We are now moving on and putting it all in perspective. It could have been much worse. They could have decided to take the car with him still in it. Things can be replaced, people cannot.

A friends nephew had been enjoying school being out this past weekend and was riding a dirt bike and had a freak accident. He flew over the handlebars off a jump and another bike landed on top of him severing his first vertebra and detached all the muscles connected to it. He is in neuro-intensive care communicating through eye movement only.

Counting our blessings every day........

 

Great perspective, tigermom...and a tragic story. We spend all our life trying to protect our children (to their chagrin) only to realize we really can't protect them all of the time.

 

Tigermom, Is the young man your refering to that was injuried named Cameron Rowe. Cameron has 2 younger siblings, a yonger brother that is a rising junior and plays baseball for South meck as well as a younger sister that graduated from South this year. This is what a friend close to him wrote to let people know about his situation... " For those of you who dont know...
Cameron Rowe was in a really bad motorcross accident on Thursday, June 7th.
He stretched his spine and all the muscles in his neck and fractured his first disc in his spine. His accident was worse than Christopher Reeves's.
The doctors said that it was a miracle that he made it to the hospital. They said not to get our hopes up, and that it would be a miracle if he lived for the next 3-5 days.
For the past few days we have been praying and praying, and God is working in our favor.
Today (Saturday, June 9) Cameron moved his fingers and his legs and cried. ANOTHER miracle.
We recently found out that his situation is no longer life or death, and he will have surgery to repair the muscles in his neck next week (week of June 11). yet ANOTHER MIRACLE.

I started this group so that everyone could know the up to date information about Cameron, and not as many people would be asking the Rowes constantly how he is doing. I also want to bring everyone together and remind them to pray for Cameron and the Rowe family in their time of distress.

So guys, if you have any updates that haven't been posted, please post them, THANK YOU!

We love you Cameron! and Thank you Lord."

 

Yes!

I was speaking of Cameron. Small world. I am so relieved he is showing improvement. My friend is on her way to visit the family right now. We pray the miracles keep coming!

 

Thoughts and prayers from up the mountain. Sounds like the kid is a fighter.