Thefts hit Gay Parita Station

Apparently the same thief or thieves who recently struck the ghost town of Spencer, Missouri, also hit the nearby Gay Parita Sinclair station in recent days.

According to Steve Turner, son of late Gay Parita owner Gary Turner, the following items were taken:

  • Royal Crown thermometer by the Dunlop Tires sign
  • Squirt oil sign below the Cooper Tires sign
  • Small Sinclair credit cards sign near the front door
  • Small Sinclair sign under the “Gas War” sign
  • Paper towel dispenser by the red gas pump
  • Lee Tires sign

The photo below will help you get an idea of what some of the above signs looked like. More photos are here.

Gay_Parita

A few signs also were damaged when the thieves apparently tried to pry them loose but were scared off or unsuccessful in their efforts.

It’s likely the thief or thieves live in the area, as not too many people outside the Route 66 community know that Gary’s wife also died just a few weeks ago. Steve Turner told me he’s installing more video cameras at the site to deter future burglaries.

Roadies probably ought to keep an eye out for similar items on eBay. If you see the signs in the Springfield, Missouri, area, you are urged to call the Springfield Police Department.

(Image of Gay Parita station by Larry Myhre via Flickr)

4 thoughts on “Thefts hit Gay Parita Station

  1. Don’t want your collectibles stolen? Mark them good! Fence it all off where passersby cant get access. Or nail up some cheap repros….THIS is a NEW CENTURY… people are totally dishonest.

    1. What you’re saying is nothing new, Steve. I have 40-year-old newspaper articles that decried thefts and vandalism. And you had the Ten Commandments decrying theft thousands of years ago, so it must have been a problem then, as well.

  2. Taking anything that does not belong to you is sinful. Somehow, this is like ‘Stealing pennies from a dead man’s eyes’ and is an act of thoughtless cruelty. I am very sorry. It would be wise to check the very big Antique Auto Show & Sale coming up this fall in Spfd at the Ozark Empire Fair Grounds. Petrol items like those missing, are almost always offered at that event (and generally, they are costly!) Take note if you locate a sales-booth offering several of the identical missing items; THAT would be a serious clue.

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