Thief targets antique auto-repair sign

We've heard of some bizarre thefts before, but we don't remember many that are quite as unusual as this: Earlier this month, someone stole an antique sign off the front of a venerable Oak Forest-area auto repair shop.

The theft happened around 1:30 a.m. Jan. 19 at Adolf Hoepfl & Son Garage, 4610 N. Shepherd. Someone stole a red, white and blue porcelain sign that showed the garage was a member of the Garagemen's Association of Texas — a sign that had been on the front of the garage for about 50 years — by prying it off the wall using a crowbar. Someone at a gas station nearby witnessed the crime and told the garage's owners, Sybren and Kathryn van der Pol, about it when they arrived: "He basically camped out all night to tell us what happened," Kathryn van der Pol told the Chronicle. "We found the crowbar and turned it over to police."

The missing sign was about 5 by 3 feet, with diagonal red stripes on a white background and the slogan, "You Get Personalized Service Where You See This Emblem." Exactly why someone would steal the sign remains something of a mystery, but Mrs. van der Pol thinks the thief was a collector of auto antiques — and who was familiar with the sign. "It was dark, so it had to be someone who knew the sign was here," she said.

The van der Pols bought the Hoepfl garage, which was founded in 1946, from the Hoepfl family a couple of years ago. It's one of the oldest auto repair shops in Houston and has become a community gathering point over the years, so the sign means a lot. The garage is offering a reward for the sign's return; if you know anything about it, call 713.695.5071.