John Travolta's Stolen Mercedes Found in Pieces
A classic Mercedes-Benz belonging to John Travolta has been found in pieces and two men were apprehended, police said on Wednesday.
The actor's 1970 Mercedes-Benz 280-SL was stolen off the street from a Los Angeles suburb in September while Travolta was visiting a Jaguar dealership nearby, Reuters reported.
"Through the collaborative efforts of investigators ... two individuals were identified as suspects relating to the theft of Mr. Travolta's Mercedes, and were arrested by investigators from the task force," Santa Monica police Sgt. Richard Lewis said in a statement.
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D.L. Rayford, 52, and Michael Green, 58, were arrested in December by officials of a task force investigating a sophisticated car-theft ring, according to Reuters.
Rayford and Green were both charged with grand theft auto, a Los Angeles County District Attorney's spokeswoman told the press.
The theft lead investigators to a "chop shop" where more stolen vehicles were discovered, including parts of the "Grease" star's pricey Mercedes, according to the sergeant.
"It was not recovered in whole, it was chopped," Lewis said. "We have numerous pieces recovered but not the entire car."
The arrests were not made public earlier on to avoid hindering a larger investigation into the car theft ring, he added.
Travolta is known for his pricey purchases. The Oscar-nominated star is also a certified pilot, and the owner of several planes. His home in the Jumbolair subdivision in Ocala, Florida cost him $4.9 million.
During the first episode of the final season of her talk show in September 2010, Oprah Winfrey announced she would be taking her entire studio audience on an eight-day expenses-paid trip to Australia, with the "Pulp Fiction" star as a pilot for the trip.
Travolta helped Winfrey plan the trip for a little over a year.
Travolta, who has been married to actress Kelly Preston since 1991, has been nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor twice and won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for his role in "Get Shorty."
