Above: Gary Mathrick’s life has been turned upside down since the theft of his beloved sports car.By Callan Date
THE theft of a dream sportscar has turned Gary Mathrick’s life into a living nightmare.
The 21-year-old Devon Meadows man was chased and bashed by two thugs in Narre Warren on Saturday.
The men then stole Mr Mathrick’s car, valued at $30,000, which was for sale and uninsured.
It all went wrong for Mr Mathrick and his friend Simon Mallinson when they arranged to meet two men, who posed as potential buyers of the yellow 2001 Nissan SX Coupe.
“I met one of the guys at the same spot on the Thursday and took him for a test drive. He then called me back and arranged to meet again on Saturday,” Mr Mathrick said.
The men met in a car park opposite the Shell service station on the corner of the Princes Highway and Webb Street, Narre Warren.
Mr Mathrick said it soon became clear during the second meeting that the men had no intention of buying the car.
“I put my hand out to shake this big bloke’s hand but he walked straight past me and put this thing to my friend’s neck and gave him an electric shock,” Mr Mathrick said.
A man calling himself ‘Frank’ had electrocuted Mr Mallinson with a taser stun gun.
“He then just started yelling at me ‘Where are the keys? Where are the keys?’ So I ran over the road to the Shell servo where I thought I would be safe,” Mr Mathrick said.
However, Mr Mathrick didn’t envisage the desperation of the thieves.
One of the men chased him across the road and battered down the service station doors to get the car keys.
“I didn’t have time to think. I just threw the keys to the service station lady but then the bloke jumped over the counter and got the keys,” Mr Mathrick said.
“I then tried to stop him as he left the servo but he started to hit me.
“I didn’t think he would come in with the security cameras and all the people around, but he didn’t care.”
The thieves then stole the car and sped off towards the Monash Freeway.
Mr Mathrick suffered cuts to his hands and Mr Mallinson a burn to his neck. Neither man required medical attention.
Police are investigating the crime and reviewing security footage from the service station.
The trauma of the incident is still haunting Mr Mathrick, and now the financial impact is starting to hit home.
“The car was uninsured,” he said.
“It has cost me about $50,000 with all the work I have done to it. I was selling it to get myself out of some financial difficulty.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do now. I don’t want to think about bankruptcy yet.”
Mr Mathrick has put up a $5000 reward for the safe return of the vehicle, but hopes of having the car returned appear faint.
“I’ve almost come to terms with not getting my car back,” Mr Mathrick said.
“I just want these guys brought to justice. As long as these guys get caught.”
The man who called himself Frank is described as being about 20 years old with a thin build and short blond-brown coloured hair.
The second man is described as being about 25 years old, 180cm tall and with a solid muscular build.
Anyone who may have any information about the crime is asked to contact Detective Senior Constable Deanne Williams on 9784 5528.
