Ontario man says he's out $65,000 after his uninsured car was stolen during test drive

An Ontario man who hoped to make money selling a car using the website Autotrader said he was shocked when the potential buyers looking at his luxury vehicle drove off and stole it.

"I'm out of $65,000, which was everything that I had for my young age of 21 and some money I borrowed from my mother as well," Marco, who asked us not to use his full name out of fear of reprisals from the criminals who stole his car, told CTV News Toronto.

Marco said earlier this year he had hoped to enter into the luxury car business and made a purchase of a 2017 Mercedes Benz GLE63s.

"I had a 2017 Mercedes SUV for sale. A very exotic, expensive SUV. I listed it for sale on Autotrader," Marco said.

The vehicle was not plated or insured when he advertised it, so when someone contacted him to see the car he said he would have to show it to them in a parking lot. 

While Marco said he did not allow the men to drive the car, one of the men asked if he could sit in the driver’s seat.

"He was in the car revving the engine, with one foot out the door and I was by the door just holding it open. Then my phone rang and when it did I backed away from the car. He slammed the door, locks it, and tries to drive off," he said.

Once the doors were locked, one man sped off in the car the pair had arrived in, while the other person drove off with Marco’s Mercedes. 

"Right away in this instant I knew that ‘Oh, this guy is trying to steal my car,'" said Marco.

Marco said the entire meeting and theft took place in the span of 10 minutes and he said he was in shock and disbelief watching the thief drive off in his $65,000 uninsured car. 

"I was freaking out. I was having panic attacks, I didn't know what to do. A couple of people saw what happened, they were freaking out as well," said Marco. 

An investigation is underway, with York Regional Police assigning an officer to the case.

Marco said he wanted to share his story to warn others to be careful if they are selling a car privately and to be aware of test-drive thefts. 

It's not just private sales where this is happening.

In June, Ottawa police issued a news release seeking the public's help in finding two men accused of stealing a car from a dealership during a test drive. 

One year ago, three men also faced charges after a series of test drive thefts following an investigation by Hamilton, Halton and Peel Region police forces. 

About 80,000 vehicles have been stolen so far this year in Canada and this week the insurance industry released the top ten vehicles that thieves are targeting.

York Region Police also issued a news release this week stating that thieves are now placing tracking devices on vehicles in parking lots so they can track them down to steal later.