Ferrari 288 GTO: the curious way a collector stole a car valued at more than 2 million dollars

He claimed to be a "collector" of cars, so he could escape with a vehicle worth at least 2.2 million US dollars.

Police in Dusseldorf, Germany, said that she was investigating the theft of a

Ferrari

288 GTO after a potential buyer fled the vehicle during a driving test.

Authorities said the suspect had shown interest in buying the Ferrari, considered a collector's item since its manufacture in 1985 and, according to the dealer's website, formerly owned by Eddie Irvine, the famous pilot English World Championship. race

Formula 1

.

During the driving test, the man was in the pbadenger seat until it was his turn to change seats and drive the car.

Authorities said the suspect had expressed interest in buying the Ferrari, considered a collector's item since its manufacture in 1985 and which, according to the dealer's website, once belonged to former pilot Eddie Irvine of F1.

When the seller who accompanied him left the vehicle to make the change, the alleged buyer accelerated, leaving the seller on the sidewalk,
reports Deutsche Welle.

After following in the footsteps of several witnesses, the striking red car was found Tuesday hidden in a garage in Grevenbroich, near the center of Düsseldorf.

However, the suspect has not yet been arrested.

A car with history

Police say the "historic vehicle", with only 43,000 km, should be valued at about 2.2 million US dollars.

Vehicles similar to this one are often offered on the market at similar prices, up to $ 3 million in countries such as the United States.

Limited edition cars, such as the Ferrari 288 GTO, are also sold by specialized auction houses, such as Sotheby's.

Fortunately for the investigators, the separate car drew so much attention that it was quickly found Tuesday night after the police questioned witnesses.

Police posted a photo of the man who inspected the car before the flight. However, the suspect remains at liberty.

The dealer manager involved in the events, Bernhard Kerklo,
He told the local newspaper Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung that the suspect had exchanged calls and e-mails with the store for several weeks.

Kerklo added that if it had not been found by the authorities, the car would never have been sold on the market because it is "too flashy".

Collectors of cars (the only real buyers for such a rare item) would have known instantly that it was a stolen car, he said. According to the executive, only 272 Ferraris 288 GTOs were manufactured.