How to steal a Ferrari

[flaminio]

Man steals $729K Ferrari after test drive

The guy was test driving the F50 and asked to change seats with the salesman. When the salesman stepped out, the guy took off, never to be seen again...

 

[AndyH]

which dealer let you test drive a Ferrari.........F50?

 

[flaminio]

which dealer let you test drive a Ferrari.........F50?

Algar Ferrari in Rosemont, Pennsylvania, apparently.

 

[Nimbus]

Link no longer available

 

[matteni]

Another link to the same story here in the great state of Missouri (the show me state!)

http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/breaking_news/6868462.htm

 

[TigerNSX]

Man Steals $729,000 Ferrari During Test Drive
Thief Claimed He Had Flown In From Atlanta

POSTED: 2:36 p.m. EDT September 26, 2003
UPDATED: 5:08 p.m. EDT September 26, 2003

ARDMORE, Pa. -- Where do you hide a $729,000 Ferrari during rush hour?

That's what police in the Philadelphia suburbs want to know, after a con man drove off with a red Ferrari F-50 during a test drive.

The F-50 can hit 60 miles per hour in less than four seconds and tops out at 203 mph.

The car hasn't been seen since the thief, a nattily dressed man who claimed he had flown up from Atlanta and had a limo waiting nearby, took the test drive Sept. 16 without producing a license. The identification, he said, was in the wallet he had left at the airport.

The salesman from Algar Ferrari in Rosemont first took the prospective buyer for a spin, then let him get behind the wheel. During the test drive, the man pulled to the side of the road and asked the salesman to drive back to the dealership. When the salesman got out, the thief sped off.

Police theorize the was hustled into a trailer and quickly shipped overseas for sale on the black market.

The company made just 349 of the eye-popping Italian roadsters in 1995 to commemorate its 50th anniversary. It's described by one car-enthusiast Web site as "part Batmobile, part ballistic missile."

 

[NSX UNITED]

Sounds like a salesman lost his job...

 

[PHOEN$X]

What, no Lojack?

 

[nicholas421]

the rolex should've given it away. who buys a $700k car and wears a rolex?? that's like buying a $10mil house and driving up in a boxster to impress the realtor.

 

[matteni]

the rolex should've given it away. who buys a $700k car and wears a rolex?? that's like buying a $10mil house and driving up in a boxster to impress the realtor.

Huh - there are rolex watches that sell new for $50k+

http://search.shopping.yahoo.com/se...s:14489115,d:14489115,sec:sort,slk:sortby,v:1

 

[NSX UNITED]

Huh - there are rolex watches that sell new for $50k+

http://search.shopping.yahoo.com/se...s:14489115,d:14489115,sec:sort,slk:sortby,v:1

Exactly my thoughts, not all people wear entry level Rolexes...

 

[NetViper]

Wow.. i have never seen a 50K watch before!!

 

[nicholas421]

correct me if i'm wrong.. i believe those are the same rolexes as the "entry level" rolexes. it's the diamonds that jack up the price. the movement is still sub par.

you can cover a boxster with diamonds but in the end it's still a boxster.

 

[JAM]

Well, my opinion about the Rolex comment is I think a good salesman never pre-qualifies a person by the looks of the buyer. A very good friend of mine owns a major trucking company and he is worth over 120mil. He owns homes all over the country, has an extensive car collection including classic domestics and other high dollar cars like Lamborghini, Ferrari, Bugatti, ect... anyhow, the guy has worn a Citizen EcoDrive since I have known him. <p>
Also, , There are MANY fake watches out there, and just because it looks like a Rolex, Vacheron Constantine, or Patek Philippe.... doesn't always mean it is one!

 

[KulSecHskY]

Well, my opinion about the Rolex comment is I think a good salesman never pre-qualifies a person by the looks of the buyer. A very good friend of mine owns a major trucking company and he is worth over 120mil. He owns homes all over the country, has an extensive car collection including classic domestics and other high dollar cars like Lamborghini, Ferrari, Bugatti, ect... anyhow, the guy has worn a Citizen EcoDrive since I have known him. <p>
Also, , There are MANY fake watches out there, and just because it looks like a Rolex, Vacheron Constantine, or Patek Philippe.... doesn't always mean it is one!

so true. I remember when my dad used to go buy BMW's and his last infiniti he wore like shorts and a t-shirt. like ragged t-shirt haha

i know its not a ferrari or anything but he still had to approach a saleman. needless to say we got all the information/test drives then bought from another dealer.

 

[whiteNSXs]

the rolex should've given it away. who buys a $700k car and wears a rolex?? that's like buying a $10mil house and driving up in a boxster to impress the realtor.

What is wrong with a Rolex? And driving a Boxster means that you cannot afford a $10 mil house? Someones named Larry and Steve that I know of drive "lowly NSXs," and they can easily afford a few $10 mil houses. There are a few very successful people that I have met wear some ordinary digital watches and drive $40k cars.
Steve

 

[Tony Montoya]

My Rolax only cost me 40 dollars.

 

[KulSecHskY]

What is wrong with a Rolex? And driving a Boxster means that you cannot afford a $10 mil house? Someones named Larry and Steve that I know of drive "lowly NSXs," and they can easily afford a few $10 mil houses. There are a few very successful people that I have met wear some ordinary digital watches and drive $40k cars.
Steve

i think you missed his point.

in the article it says that the sales person thought the potential buyer was legit because of his rolex. nicholas421's point is that if you are to base a person's finacial status by his watch a 'lowly' rolex doesn't qualify you for a 700k car.

he wasn't putting anyone down

 

[nicholas421]

i think you missed his point.

in the article it says that the sales person thought the potential buyer was legit because of his rolex. nicholas421's point is that if you are to base a person's finacial status by his watch a 'lowly' rolex doesn't qualify you for a 700k car.

he wasn't putting anyone down

yeah.. what he said.

 

[Deuce B]

Sounds like a salesman lost his job...

Won't matter if he was in on the theft. Once he gets his cut after selling the car, he'd be set for a while until he finds his next job. At another exotic car dealership.

Who knows?

I'm gonna keep an eye on ebay for a real cheap F50. I've always wanted one.

 

[JaguarXJ6]

Sorry, its on a trailer somewhere, likely no longer in the 48 states (or won't be for long), or currently being shipped overseas, if not flown.

The manager had to approve the car to be test driven, its not a mistake only the sales person made.

The car used to sit in the corner of the showroom and others have to be moved out of the way. Its been there since April, as rumor has it, when it was purchased away along with an F40 from its owner, who gets the 1st allocated car of each model to FoBH.

Even the best can make a mistake misjudging a person, however, no ID, no history of interest in such a high dollar car, no test drive. Is it really that hard? No. Both deserve to be fired for such a glaring error in judgement. Remarkable that the 328 stolen less than a year ago from a dealership didn't raise any warning bells with dealers.

No market in parts, its going to a private collector and may never be found again. An inside job requiring a salesperson and a manager? Possible, but very unlikely.

Sunny

 

[Eric5273]

Some Saudi prince will end up driving this car.

 

[steveny]

Sell this watch and buy 14 f-50's.

http://www.forbes.com/2001/11/28/1128pow.html

 

[Mr.Wolf]

Ferrari F-50 For Sale: One Only!!!

Interesting.
I was about to post a new thread for anyone interested in a "cost-reduced" Ferrari F-50 - Any buyers?

 

[steveny]

Mr. Wolf, I would like to take the car for a "test drive". Please pick me up at your local airport on Saturday of next week. I will be wearing a nice suit and sporting a Rolex.