You wouldn't think a hearse would be on top of the list of cars to pinch, but a personalised funeral limousine seems to have vanished from Perth's southern suburbs.
Doug Thorncroft used to have an antique 1974 American LTD hearse with the licence plate 'RIP BON' - but says a dirty deed has been done dirt cheap after he agreed to allow another hearse owner to remove some parts from it a few years ago.
Mr Thorncroft told WAToday that he's not a funeral director, but in fact president of the Bon Scott fan club in Perth, and the licence plate paid tribute to the original AC/DC frontman.
"I bought the hearse purely because of the type of car, and it was a perfect gimmick for what I do with Bon Scott and AC/DC around Perth," Mr Thorncroft said.
"I've had this classic car since 1999, but I decided to take it off the road because it needed a lot of work done and I let the licence run out in 2011.
"I just wanted to help out this single mother and I've been bitten in the arse trying to be generous."
Mr Thorncroft said he reached out to a single mother named Megan Hodgson to donate some parts to her vehicle, which also happened to be a hearse of a similar make.
"I saw Megan's advertisement looking for power steering for her hearse, and that's when I offered them to her and we made a deal," he said.
Mr Thorncroft said they both signed a contract to have Ms Hodgson remove the power steering and other specific parts agreed on from Mr Thorncroft's hearse, and then return the vehicle at no cost.
He said that on December 12 2014, Ms Hodgson picked up the hearse from his workshop in Wangara, where it then went into her possession to begin the removal of the parts.
But this is where the plot thickens.
Exactly one year later on December 12 2015, Mr Thorncroft said Ms Hodgson ceased all communication with him, and said she is now rumoured to be driving his hearse around, but with her licence plates on it.
"She hasn't answered any of my calls or responded to my Facebook messages. She gave me two addresses that she was living at, and they were completely bogus," Mr Thorncroft said.
"I would just really like the car back, it has a lot of history and my wife and I raised four kids in it," he said.
Nicknamed 'Gullible Doug' by his own children now, Mr Thorncroft said he gave Ms Hodgson the benefit of the doubt over the lengthy mechanical work before thinking anything was suspicious.
Now, almost three years after last seeing his hearse, Mr Thorncroft is calling for the public's help and legal advice after failing to locate his vehicle or Ms Hodgson.
Mr Thorncroft even went to the police for assistance, but was unsuccessful as the unlicensed car comes under a civil matter.
Clarkson police said no police action is required if the incident is a civil matter.
Mr Thorncroft believes his hearse is now being driven around Kwinana, Wattleup or Beverley.
WAToday approached Ms Hodgson on her personal number for comment, but was also unable to contact her.