‘He literally destroyed my life,’ driver cries after $150,000 dream car stolen with a screwdriver – and the vehicle is irreplaceable

A JOYRIDE has devastated the owner of a rare muscle car that a man saved up and spent almost $200,000 to restore.

He said all the thief needed was a screwdriver and a few minutes to destroy a few years of hard work.

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Dennis Harrington was the proud owner of a 1987 Buick Grand National, a rare and coveted muscle car – a car worth more than $550,000 depending on engine variant and configuration.

He spent years saving up to buy it and spent more than $150,000 to get it back in showroom condition.

Then one day, while he was working in Boston, Massachusetts, someone noticed the rarity of glossy black and decided to help themselves.

Using just a screwdriver and some elbow grease, a thief made off with Harrington’s Grand National and took it for a joyride that cost Harrington his car.

In addition to the Harrington tragedy, around 20 other drivers were involved in the thief’s antics.

“I hope they get what they deserve,” Harrington told the CBS affiliate WBZ.

“He literally destroyed my life by driving his car for no reason. It just makes me sick.”

Due to the rarity of the vehicle and the expense of the vehicle, Harrington is saddened by the loss of his dream car.

He told the outlet that he saved for three years to buy the classic of his dreams and that he intended to pass it down to his son.

“I was sick to my stomach because I’m never going to replace this,” he continued.

“Insurance will never cover this. I feel sick.”

Damal Ray, one of Harrington’s neighbors, ran out of his house when he heard a loud bang coming from outside his house.

“He was walking down Ponzi Street and almost hit some kids and then swerved,” Ray said.

Security footage from an owner across town captured the Buick with a damaged hood, bent wheels and scraped side panels from colliding with other cars.

One of those drivers was Luan Dai, who saw the front of his car ripped off after the thief armed him with the Buick.

I was sick to my stomach because I will never replace this. Insurance will never cover it. I feel seasick.

Dennis Harrington, Buick owner

“I was working today and then my mom called and said my car had been hit. I was shocked,” Dai said.

When he was told that dozens of other drivers were facing similar damage to their vehicles after Harrington’s Buick was stolen, he showed empathy.

“I feel sad for everyone in this situation. I hope he gets caught soon.”

The vehicle was found due to an AirTag placed in the car, but the thief was nowhere to be found.

YouTube channel viewers publish of the coverage were more than sympathetic to the drivers and the loss of Harrington.

How to prevent vehicle theft

Here are 10 ways to prevent your car from being stolen, according to one car insurance company:

1. Lock your doors. This makes it more difficult for thieves to access anything inside the vehicle.
2. Keep your keys with you. With smart keys and remote controls, a car can be unlocked if the key is nearby. If the key is inside or on you, it cannot be unlocked.
3. Don’t leave the spare key near the vehicle, as thieves know to look for it in common places, such as the wheel well, under items in the garage or in the glove compartment.
4. Keep windows closed. If a window is open, thieves can unlock the doors manually.
5. Park in well-lit areas, as this helps deter thieves if their actions are visible to passersby.
6. If your vehicle doesn’t have one, consider an anti-theft alarm system.
7. If you live in a high-crime area, consider an immobilizer device that utilizes a kill switch if the device does not recognize an authorized key.
8. Consider a tracking device so you can control the location of your vehicle if it is stolen.
9. Never leave valuables in the car, especially in a visible place. Thieves know to look for valuables in the floorboards, passenger or back seats.
10. Check before leaving the vehicle that it is safe.

Source: Allstate Auto Insurance

“Someone who worked their whole life for something, taken by someone who never worked a day in their life,” wrote one user.

Another Grand National fan suggested Harrington start a public fund so people could donate towards repairs.

“This guy needs a GoFundMe page to fix his Grand National,” they wrote.

“I’ll donate the first $50.”

Another person wrote that the thief, when caught, should be fined the cost of repairs.

“The suspect was supposed to pay the victims for car repairs,” they wrote.

“This is unacceptable.”

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