Papa John's Replica 1971 Camaro Stolen During Dream Cruise Recovered

DETROIT (WWJ/AP) - A gold and black replica Chevy Camaro owned by the founder of Papa John's has been found on Detroit's west side.

Police said the replica 1971 Camaro Z28, used in promotions for pizza chain, was found in an abandoned lot along Pierson Street, near I-96 and Schoolcraft.

Landscaping worker Joe Fagans said he saw some people who looked out-of-place, then immediately recognized the car from photos.

"I came over here, and looked over and it's like, that's a Camaro sitting over there! Like, what's that doing over there? It's odd; totally odd," Fagans said. "We looked over there and I'm like: You know what? That's the Papa John's vehicle."

The owner of the Louisville, Kentucky-based pizza company reported the car missing Sunday morning after it had been on display at the Woodward Dream Cruise — one of three vehicles stolen from the event.

A spokesman for the pizza company said the original 1971 Camaro Z28 was owned and later sold for $2,800 by founder John Schnatter to help his father's tavern in Indiana. He used the money to save the family business and launch Papa John's — and then later found the car bought it back.

Detroit police said a $10,000 reward is being offered to the tip leading an arrest in the case.

Meantime, Bloomfield Hills police say a Silverado pickup hauling a Chevy Chevelle was found in Detroit, but the classic car and trailer it was on were still missing.

Vietnam veteran and Purple Heart recipient Jerry Anderson reported his classic car, along with a pickup truck and trailer stolen Saturday night.

Anderson was just one of three classic car owners who fell victim to thieves during the event.

"It's very disheartening that people in the United States - would ever do something like this to somebody's property --- they've got to be low-life people. I mean really low-life," says Jerry Anderson.

Anderson brought his 1966 Chevy Chevelle up from North Carolina last week.  After the cruise, the car, trailer and Silverado hauling the trailer were all stolen from a hotel parking lot along Woodward south of Long Lake in Bloomfield Hills.

Still missing is a red 1966 Corvette with the Michigan plate "ITSMY66."

Note: This story has been corrected to show that the stolen car was a replica of the Camaro Z28 owned by John Schnatter, and not the original vehicle.

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