South Warwickshire family’s appeal after theft of toy cars handmade by grandad

A FAMILY are offering a ‘significant’ reward for information leading to the return of two hand-crafted ride-on toy cars.

The blue Land Rover Defender, with matching trailer, and green Jeep were stolen from Northend, where the Whyman family live. Each Toylander kit car is powered by a golf-buggy-style engine and can reach speeds of 7mph.

The metal chassis, fitted with an accelerator, brakes, lights and a horn, are strong enough to carry adults as well as children.

Automotive executive and father-of-two Andy Whyman told how the family returned from holiday three weeks ago (10th April), to discover their lockup in the village had been broken into and both cars and the trailer stolen.

Andy said: “The lock-up, one of a row of garages 100m from where we live, can’t be seen from the road.

“Ours was the only one broken into and the only thing taken were the Land Rover, trailer and Jeep – it feels as though this was targeted, and whoever took them knew they were there. Each car is so heavy it needs two people to lift, and they’d have needed something like a van to transport them.”

Andy’s dad Jeremy Whyman built the cars 17 years ago for his two grandsons – Andy’s son Fred and his cousin Ben.

Although the boys were just three when they were presented with the cars, they carried on driving and having fun with them all the way through their teens.

Jeremy, a retired dentist in his late 70s whose hobby is carpentry and wood turning, spent six months building each vehicle. He told the Herald: “It’s very disappointing they’ve been stolen. They were something I wanted to make for the grandkids, and when I gave the cars to them, I still remember how their eyes lit up.”

Andy added: “My dad is devastated. Fred and Ben used these cars for years and years and although they’d grown out of them, the idea was they’d be put in storage and passed to the next generation. They were beautifully put together and the Land Rover having its own trailer makes it unique and identifiable.

“We’d love to have them back, as they’re an important and cherished part of our family history, so if someone has bought them from a car boot sale or on eBay, not realising they’re stolen, we’d really appreciate having them back.

“Because they’re quite powerful and fast, you need quite a bit of space to ride on them, so whoever has them may take them to a public park or field – we’re appealing to anyone who spots them, or is offered a chance to buy them, to contact us.

“We’re offering a significant reward for information leading to their recovery – get in touch, as we just want them back.”