Joyce, a 57-year-old accountant for hospital support charity Above and Beyond, spent 17 years and over £560,000 (about $865,000) amassing a collection of 105 cars, hidden around Bristol, England in 80 different rental garages. The rent on the garages alone was £4,200 ($6,500), reports The Daily Mail. To embezzle the funds, Joyce forged a total of 676 checks.
So what sort of clapped-out rust buckets was Joyce hoarding? Renault Espaces, funeral limousines, Vauxhall Carltons, caravans, trailers, and even a few Triumph Stags and a pair of Morris Minors number among his collection. Even the cars that were ostensibly collectible were in poor condition, as Joyce's wife said only one or two were of any value.
Joyce claims to be addicted to buying the cars, and while we might normally view that through a skepticism-tinted lens, the sheer scale of his obsession, and his own junk-filled house, showing clear signs of hoarding, persuades us of his honesty, or, manic dishonesty.
After being fired for forging fire alarm certificates, Joyce's embezzlement and bizarre collection were uncovered by the charity. Joyce has pleaded guilty to the five charges of fraud and is serving three years in prison for his dirty car habit.
