Bringing Lexy back

Editorial: Jesse Wray-McCann

Photography: Clare O’Donnell and supplied

When Carol Richards’ beloved pink Torana, dubbed Sexy Lexy, was stolen almost three decades ago, her hopes of ever seeing it again eroded with each year that passed.

So when detectives from Victoria Police’s Vehicle Crime Squad recovered the 1973 Holden and reunited Ms Richards with it in October, the first thing she did when she saw it was plant a big kiss on Sexy Lexy.

“I know it’s stupid to kiss a car, but I was just so glad to see it,” Ms Richards said.

“I thought I didn’t have a hope of ever seeing it again.”

Carol Richards plants a kiss on Lexy, delighted to be reunited with the 1973 Holden.

Ms Richards, now 74, bought the eye-catching car for $1,500 in 1973 with money her father left her.

“My father didn’t think it was fair for my husband to have a nice, expensive car and for me to have to walk to the shops every day,” she said.

“I don’t think he expected me to buy something like Lexy.”

Not only was the car itself impressive, so were Ms Richards’ driving skills.

She regularly raced Lexy around tracks such as Winton, Sandown, Calder Park and Phillip Island.

Ms Richards and Sexy Lexy made a name for themselves tearing around Victorian racetracks decades ago.

Some of the men Ms Richards used to race against gave the car its nickname due to its original numberplates - LEX 900.

“They appreciated what the car could do and what I could do with it,” Ms Richards said.

But tragedy struck when the uninsured car was stolen from her Burwood driveway in 1992.

Ms Richards, her family, friends and the police searched for Lexy over the years without luck.

That was until the Vehicle Crime Squad’s Detective Senior Constable Brett Florence, a big car enthusiast himself, investigated a series of vehicles stolen for re-birthing in 2014.

His tenacious and thorough efforts over several years brought down the re-birthing syndicate, which modified and upgraded stolen vehicles into high-performance muscle cars and sold them off as genuine.

One unsuspecting car buff bought a number of cars from the syndicate between 2008 and 2011, and some meticulous work from Victoria Police’s Vehicle Examination Unit revealed this included Sexy Lexy.

As a result of Det Sen Const Florence’s hard work, a Parkville man in his 50s was charged in September 2016 in relation to the re-birthing ring.

The man was sentenced in September this year to two years’ imprisonment, suspended for two years, and ordered to pay $560,000 in restitution to the victim who had unwittingly purchased the stolen vehicles from him.

The man who had bought Sexy Lexy in good faith was entitled to keep the car but was so touched by Ms Richard’s love for the Torana that he asked for it to be returned to her.

Following the sentencing, Det Sen Const Florence was finally able to reunite Ms Richards with Lexy, now valued at more than $130,000.

“This car was stolen from Carol nearly three decades ago and I don’t think a day has gone by that she hasn’t wished for a miracle that it would be found,” Det Sen Const Florence said.

"Carol attended court every day dressed in pink to represent the love she has for her car."

Back behind the wheel of Sexy Lexy again, Ms Richards is looking forward to hitting the racetrack.

“As a car enthusiast myself, I am very happy to see the smile on Carol’s face as we watch her drive off in her beloved Torana.

“It also makes the long hours put into complex investigations like this worth it to get such a result.”

Ms Richards was glowing in her praise of Det Sen Const Florence and his colleagues.

“It’s been a long road and I’m just so amazed everybody has put in so much time to find it,” she said.

“The police have been absolutely magnificent.”

Racetracks around Victoria will now have to ready themselves for the return of the dynamic duo of Sexy Lexy and Ms Richards.

“I will definitely be racing again,” she said.

Ms Richards’ Holden Torana had been missing for almost 30 years after it was stolen from her driveway.