Photo Provided Joe Cain with his 1969 Chevy Chevelle.

A fun weekend at a car show in Columbus, Ohio has turned into a nightmare for two Wetzel County residents after their 1969 Chevy Chevelle was stolen. Roberta Cain said her husband, Joe, has put years into restoring the vehicle and is “heartbroken.”

Joe had shown his prized 1969 Chevy Chevelle at the Goodguys 21st PPG Nationals car show in Columbus.

Roberta said the vehicle was stolen from the Doubletree by Hilton at Worthington parking lot on July 7. She said the Cains were told by hotel staff that the hotel doesn’t have any surveillance, nor do any of the other nearby hotels. Roberta said there are reports that three other antique vehicles were stolen during the weekend of the car show. She noted a vehicle in the Worthington Doubletree parking lot was broken into.

The Wetzel Chronicle reached out to Hilton for information as to whether its hotels utilize surveillance. Zarar Ahmed, general manager for Doubletree by Hilton at Worthington, gave the following statment: “Thank you so much for contacting us in regards to theft in the Worthington area. We have been fully cooperating with Columbus police Department with investigation.

I can assure you that we take safety and security of our guests very seriously and we always have and had overnight security on the dates in question.

We are aware of the unfortunate incident and are planning to work with the organizers of this event to enhance the security next year by hiring Columbus Police for the duration of the event.”

“It’s not just the car,” Roberta had noted, describing the years of work her husband had put into restoring the Chevelle. “He had it in storage for a few years, and in 2006, he took it out of storage and stripped it down to the frame, and he rebuilt it from the ground up. It had a solid body. Every free moment he had, for three years, he worked on it. He had it back on the road in 2009.

Roberta said those who believe they have spotted the vehicle are urged to contact Columbus Police Department at 614-645-4545, or call 911. She stressed the importance of calling law enforcement as soon as the vehicle is spotted.

The 1969 “Daytona Blue” Chevy Chevelle has a WV License, which reads “JOES1969.” It also has a sunroof, brand new BF Goodrich tires, Crager wheels, a WV inspection sticker with an expiration of this month, a 355 engine, and automatic transmission.

“We are hoping and praying it is out in the open somewhere,” Roberta noted. “We might not get it back, but we will do everything we can.”