HOUSTON – A man’s trip to the movies ends with his sweet ride being stolen.
“I have a really good attachment to that car, so when it was stolen from me on my birthday out of all days it was like the worst feeling ever. I didn’t even know how to react to it. I was frozen in the parking lot for a good 10-15 minutes,” Muhammad Ashraf said.
He’s asking for help after finding his car was put on sale two days later.
Muhammad Ashraf says this car means a lot to him. He says it’s frustrating because he feels like the police are not fully investigating his case.
He says the thief broke through the window and used some type of car hammer before taking his car. He’s hoping someone will come forward with information.
Wearing a purple suit and standing next to his Black Rose Metallic 2017 Z51 Corvette, Muhammad Ashraf was all smiles for his 17th birthday in 2019.
“It was a surprise for me -- my dad actually went to a dealership, and he told me we were getting mulch for our front yard, but we ended up going to a dealership and getting my car, so it was really a close car to me like I have a really good attachment to that car,” he said.
Last Friday night, Muhammad spent his 21st birthday with friends at the Regal Cinema movie theater off the Katy Freeway, when he came out his car was gone.
“And that’s when I completely froze. I told my dad and he had gotten there around 9 to 9:30 a.m. but my dad had gotten a text from OnStar at 7:35 p.m. that it was stolen so it was about 20 to 25 minutes before I saw that it was gone,” Ashraf said.
Muhammad filed a report with Houston police and two days later, a friend spotted his car on Facebook Marketplace listed for $48,000 in Houston. He called the police again and said their response had been slow.
“So frustrated, so angry that the car is right in front of us, we know who took it, we know where it is. We just don’t have a precise location and they can’t do anything about it,” he said.
Muhammad says he knows it’s his car because the listing shows several key items including a gold pendant from his mom hanging on the front mirror, his jacket is still on the front seat and a seat cover is laying in the back. He says the car also has three scratches on the roof of the vehicle and paint chipped off on the front bumper. The seller also has the car listed as a 2019 model.
“The color of my car which is Black Rose Metallic is specific to only 2017 Corvettes,” Ashraf said.
He believes the person has stolen cars and iPhones before and sold them on social media.
“He’s listed three other cars before mine and currently has two on his listing right now. My car and a 2020 Slingshot,”
Muhammad says some of his friends have tried to contact the seller, but the response has been slow. He hopes the police will find the person responsible.
“I’m trying to stay positive and I’m hoping that I do get my car back but also preparing for the worst,” he said.
The Houston Police Department is still investigating the case. KPRC 2 reached out to the movie theater about the surveillance video but has not heard back. The seller has deleted the listing and his Facebook page.
If you have seen Muhammad’s car, call HPD or Crimestoppers at 713-222-TIPS. You can remain anonymous.