CORYDON, Ind. (WDRB) -- A southern Indiana man said his car was stolen from the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport while he was on a business trip. He said the thieves stripped it down to the frame. 

Todd Turner, from Corydon, Indiana, said he's the original owner of a 2016 red Dodge Charger Scat Pack. 

"... with the red seats, so it was a really, unusual, rare car," he said.

Now his garage is empty where it's usually parked, with a rental car taking up space on the other side.

2016 Dodge Charger, image from Todd Turner

Pictured: this image provided by Todd Turner of Corydon, Ind., shows a 2016 Dodge Charger that now sits stripped bare after he says it was stolen from the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport in Louisville, Ky., while he was traveling on business. (Todd Turner)

"When I came home, it was very sad to see the spot where it sat," Turner said. "I worked really hard to be able to get that car and I treated it like a child."

Turner said he parked the car in a parking garage at Louisville's airport late last month while he was traveling for work. Then, a phone call alerted him that the car was stolen on the morning on Jan. 30, around 7 a.m.

"It looked like a brand new car, maybe that's why it was a target," Turner said. "It was heartbreaking at the time, it really was."

He ended up learning the car had been found in Louisville, but not in the condition he had hoped. It was towed to an impound lot, where Turner went to see it Tuesday.

"We get so attached to things and I guess we shouldn't but, you know, you work hard for stuff.  And I think it's important that we talk about this and share this so it doesn't happen to other people," he said. "We need to be very careful about where we park our cars."

2016 Dodge Charger, image rom Todd Turner

Pictured: in this image provided by Todd Turner of Corydon, Ind., shows the remnants of his 2016 Dodge Charger sitting at a lot after he says it was stolen from the Louisville Muhammad Ali International airport in Louisville, Ky., while he was traveling on business. (Todd Turner)

According to a statement from Natalie Chaudoin, director of public relations at the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport, SDF does not comment on specific cases that are still open and ongoing but said it's "experiencing the same nationwide trend concerning auto thefts where thieves are targeting select Dodge vehicles with high-performance engines."

Chaudoin added that since late Dec. 2023, "seven Dodge vehicles were reported stolen from the parking garage at SDF, with five of these vehicles recovered."

"I called the airport police and they were helpful, but my car was gone," Turner said. 

Turner said he has been parking in the garage for 10 years, but things will change now.

"I always park it inside. I always park it in the secure part of the gate so it won't be hit by hail," he said. "But I think that if you have a nice car, you just can't simply take a chance right now. You can't park it there."

Turner said he was getting ready to build a garage for his car and keep it off the road, but that won't happen now. 

"I had kept such good care of it I was going to make it a survivor car," he said.

Chaudoin said parking facilities at SDF are under 24-hour video surveillance and routinely patrolled by law enforcement with the airport's Public Safety Department.  

According to the statement from SDF, the airport's Public Safety Department is working with area law enforcement as investigations remain open and ongoing. Anyone with information is asked to call the Louisville Metro Police Department tip line at 574-LMPD.

The statement goes on to add:

"For those parking at the airport, it is important to remember to always lock your vehicle and never leave your key or a spare key inside as well as any valuables. Motorists are encouraged to always be mindful of your surroundings. If concerned, motorists can use a theft prevention device for the vehicle’s steering wheel or a tracking system. A tracking system could be a comprehensive vehicle recovery system professionally installed or a more simplistic use of an Apple AirTag that could assist law enforcement if needed."

Turner said searching for a car to replace what he had has proven to already be difficult. 

"I just don't know why you have to victimize people this way. It's not right," Turner said. 

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