Police Recover Ferrari Stolen in 1995 Half a World Away
Car theft is no laughing matter, especially when it’s a luxury car that can fetch a pretty penny. In 1995, Formula One driver Gerhard Berger’s Ferrari F512M was stolen while he was at the San Marino Grand Prix in Italy, and he never saw it again. But after an extensive investigation, police have tracked down the sports car, which traveled quite a ways from Europe.
The U.K.’s Organized Vehicle Crime Unit at the National Crime Agency said that the car “was missing for more than 28 years before we managed to track it down in just four days.” According to the BBC, the car was in Japan before being brought back to the U.K. in late 2023. In January 2024, Ferrari itself notified authorities of the theft after inspecting the vehicle, which was purchased by a buyer in the U.S. and was set to be shipped across the Atlantic.
“Our inquiries were painstaking and included contacting authorities from around the world,” Constable Mike Pilbeam, who led the investigation, said of the efforts, per The Associated Press. “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.”
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Ferrari manufactured this specific F512M model between 1994 and 1996; at top speed, the vehicle could zoom down roads at nearly 200 miles per hour. Berger’s is worth approximately £350,000 ($444,100) and is one of two Ferraris that were stolen at the time. The other luxury car remains missing. No arrests have been made yet in the case.
