March 04, (THE-WILL)- In a remarkable turn of events, the Metropolitan Police in London have recovered a Ferrari stolen from Austrian former Formula One racing driver, Gerhard Berger, nearly three decades ago.
The red F512M Testarossa, valued at around £350,000 ($443,000), went missing in 1995 after the San Marino Grand Prix at the Imola circuit.
The theft occurred on the same day that Berger and fellow F1 star, Jean Alesi, had their private cars stolen by car thieves operating near the race track. Berger had explained at the time that his prized Ferrari had disappeared from outside his hotel.
The breakthrough in the case came in January 2024 when the Metropolitan Police launched an investigation after receiving a report from Ferrari. The Italian luxury car manufacturer had carried out checks on a car being purchased by a US buyer via a UK broker, revealing that the vehicle was in fact the stolen Testarossa.
Within just four days, officers traced the car’s background, discovering that it had been shipped to Japan shortly after the 1995 theft before making its way back to the UK in late 2023. The police swiftly took possession of the vehicle to prevent it from being exported from the country.
“The stolen Ferrari – close to the value of £350,000 ($443,000) – was missing for more than 28 years before we managed to track it down in just four days,” said officer Mike Pilbeam, who led the investigation.
“We worked quickly with partners, including the National Crime Agency, as well as Ferrari and international car dealerships, and this collaboration was instrumental in understanding the vehicle’s background and stopping it from leaving the country.”
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
