Update: The three suspects in this case have been arrested and are currently being held at the Cumberland County Jail, pending arraignment later this week, according to Capt. Donald Goulet of the the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Department.

The following is a story that was printed in last week’s Lakes Region Weekly.

Naples resident John Betz is a happy man. His pride, joy and passion, a 1937 Packard 120 convertible was recovered Tuesday in Auburn, almost a week after it was stolen from his driveway.

“Whoever stole it didn’t know what they had,” said Betz, who was comforted by the fact that the Packard is relatively rare, and it is easy to track down every one in the United States.

“I knew it would turn up somewhere,” said Betz.

Betz, 62, who is now in Florida caring for his elderly mother, learned that the 1937 Packard 120 Convertible he restored himself four years ago, and two other vehicles, a maroon 1994 GMC 3500 four-door pickup truck and a black 1994 Pace American Trailer, were stolen from his home near Sebago Lake State Park in Naples.

The vehicle was found Tuesday night, around 6:30 p.m. at the Fireside Inn on Washington Street in Auburn. Lt. Don Foss of the Cumberland County Sheriffs Office said an employee of the Fireside Inn, whose identity is being concealed while the investigation continues, saw a news broadcast about the stolen property, and then saw the vehicles in the hotel parking lot.

Foss said the employee the employee was outside doing maintenance work when he got involved in conversation with a man who was standing by a truck and trailer. The suspect told the employee there was a vintage car inside, and asked if he wanted to see it. The suspect then opened the trailer to show the employee the Packard.

Foss said the employee does not know where the suspect went after the conversation. So far, no arrests have been made.

According to Sheriff Mark Dion, the theft occurred between the late night and early morning hours of March 4 and 5 at 54 Bayou Road. The Packard was inside the trailer at the time of the theft, and the trailer was attached to the truck.

Betz said those vehicles were the only ones on his property that were not being stored in his garage with an alarm, something he said will never happen again.

The first person to take notice of the missing vehicles was a neighborhood caretaker who keeps an eye on Betz’s property during the winter.

Because of the difficulty the suspect must have had manuevering the truck and trailer out of Betz’s driveway, Foss said he has a hunch the suspect knew what was in the trailer.

“Getting the vehicle out of the driveway was a huge task in and of itself,” said Foss. At the same time, Foss said Betz could be right in believing the theif did not know what was inside, since the car would be attractive only to a certain clientele.

“It could go either way,” said Foss.

Betz said he is elated, and wished to thank Detective Regan Goan, who he has been working with through the ordeal.

“He’s the reason for me getting my car back. There’s no doubt about it,” said Betz.

Betz is nearing the end his stay in Florida, and plans to return to Naples in April. After living in Maine for 30 years, he said he never thought something like this could happen.

“Criminals think like criminals, and honest people think like honest people, and that is our biggest problem in life,” said Betz, who said the 1937 Packard is “one of his favorites.”

Aside from the car’s value, Betz said old cars are a novelty that people enjoy seeing. He took up the hobby of buying old cars and restoring them 30 years ago, and today he regularly attends car shows that raise money for charity.

“The nice thing about these cars is that they put a smile on people’s faces,” said Betz.

Betz offered a reward of $10,000 for information leading to the arrest, conviction, and recovery of the vehicles. He said he wants Detective Goan to determine whom the cash should go to, but Foss said rewards are complicated.

“That’s something (Betz) was doing on his own to provide assistance to us,” said Foss.

“While these are sometimes very helpful, it can be complicated and that is why we don’t get involved,” said Foss.

However, Foss said detectives who worked on the case will provide Betz with a clear synopsis of the theft, in order for him to make an education decision as to who will receive the reward.

John Betz of Naples was delighted by the recovery of a 1937 Packard convertible resembling this one Tuesday night in Auburn. The car was stored in a trailer hitched to a truck in his driveway when it was stolen March 4 or 5.