Maxxis is delighted the Team Japspeed Impreza has been recovered
Under: Maxxis News on
15 June 2011
Tyre manufacturer Maxxis is delighted that the Team Japspeed 1JZ
Subaru Impreza, which was stolen from Santa Pod Raceway near
Wellingborough on Saturday, June 11, has been recovered, and would
like to thank performance car fans for the key part they played in
helping ensure its safe return.
The purpose-built drift car, which is sponsored by Maxxis and
driven by Steve Biagioni in the Maxxis British Drift Championship,
was part of the Maxxis static display at the Performance Vauxhall
Show when it was taken. The Impreza was located in a garage in
Holyport, near Maidenhead, in the early hours of Monday, June 13,
in a joint operation involving Thames Valley Police and
Bedfordshire Police and four people have been arrested in
connection with the theft.
The Impreza, which was disabled while on display and requires a
complex procedure to start the engine, had been stripped of its
bumper, rear spoiler and rear lights as well as the identifying
stickers, but was otherwise undamaged.
Maxxis and Team Japspeed have attended numerous cars shows over
the past couple of years and this incident came as a huge shock to
all concerned. Having issued an appeal for information and uploaded
a reward poster to its website, Team Japspeed was overwhelmed by
the response from performance car enthusiasts who spread the word
via Facebook and Twitter and numerous internet forums. Some
traders, fans and drift teams even scoured the roads leading out of
Santa Pod and the surrounding fields and villages looking for the
car.
"Maxxis is delighted that the Team Japspeed Impreza has been
returned relatively unscathed, but we take security very seriously
and are very upset that something like this could happen so are
doing all we can to investigate," said Maxxis International UK's
managing director Derek McMartin.
"The fans that helped circulate the news and joined the search
for the Impreza were absolutely amazing and we would like them to
know how much we appreciate their support."
Paul McCallum, owner of Team Japspeed, said: "Maxxis looks after
its partners and has been really supportive, working closely with
us from the moment we realised the Impreza had been stolen.
"Huge thanks also to everyone who used social media to raise
awareness. It really was a big help in recovering the car, so I'm
disappointed to see some of the forums suggesting this whole
incident was somehow engineered to generate publicity, because
that's utter nonsense.
"We had feared the worst, so are relieved to have the car back
and are working on the repairs."
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