Pelican Parts Forums - Opps, I think I should have run a background check

He dropped off salesman - and took off in Ferrari
By JIM NOLAN
nolanj@phillynews.com

You think YOU'VE had a bad day.

How'd you like to be the trusting Main Line Ferrari salesman who got out of the passenger seat to switch places with a prospective customer last week, only to be left at the curb?

In case you're wondering, that was a $729,000 f-50 Ferrari. Red, of course.

The salesman, not to mention Lower Merion police, are still looking for the car, which detectives believe may have been driven into a trailer shortly after it was stolen for shipment overseas or a black market transaction.

Even harder to believe is that the silver-tongued con man was able to get behind the wheel of the Italian roadster without even showing a driver's license, according to police.

It all happened Sept. 16 at Algar Ferrari, on Lancaster Avenue, in Rosemont, one of only 32 Ferrari and Maserati dealerships in North America.

Lower Merion police said a man called the dealership saying he was flying up from Atlanta and was interested in a red, 1995, f-50 in stock.

He arrived wearing a shirt and tie and a Rolex watch, acting affluent and telling the salesmen that his limo was parked next door in the Acme parking lot.

Salesmen always accompany prospective customers on test drives. But police said that after the first test drive with the salesman behind the wheel, the con man asked to take another spin driving himself, saying he was concerned about the brakes.

Police said he told the dealership that he left his wallet and license at the airport. Nevertheless, a manager agreed to let him drive with the salesman.

Around 5 p.m. on Spring Mill Road, the man asked if the salesman would drive the rest of the way back to the dealership.

"When the salesman gets out, he just takes off," said Det. Charles J. Craig, who is handling the case.

Despite rush hour and rapid police deployment to the area, there was no trace of the car, leading cops to suspect the con man had accomplices.

"This took a lot of planning," said Craig.

Police released a description of the Ferrari thief - White, around 6-foot, slender, with short, clean-cut, reddish-brown hair and glasses. The Ferrari is pretty hard to miss.

Detectives are also looking into whether the theft is related to similar thefts of Ferraris in North Carolina and Long Island. Anyone with information can call 610-645-6228.