Thief steals Ducati during Gumtree test drive

[Junkyard-Dog]

A crafty thief concocted an elaborate plot to steal a Ducati motorbike during a Gumtree test drive gone wrong that has left the owner out of pocket more than $17,000.
Warren Harrison had advertised his 2015 Ducati 899 Panigale online via the popular classifieds website when he was contacted by a potential buyer interested in taking it for a spin.



Warren Harrison with his 2015 Ducati 899 Panigale. Photo: Supplied Mr Harrison's ad described the bike as "one of the best, if not THE best-looking bike on the road today" and something that "attracts attention wherever you take it".
"Please no test pilots or tyre kickers," he also wrote.


The Gumtree ad described the bike as "one of the best, if not THE best-looking bike on the road today''. Photo: Supplied The 39-year-old was contacted by a man who said his name was Steve Williams and claimed to be from Bondi Junction in Sydney. They organised a test ride at his Glen Waverley home for Wednesday at 5.30pm.
When the man showed up, Mr Harrison made "Steve" sign a waiver form that would absolve him from any crashes or fines during the test drive.
Steve didn't have a licence on him but made excuses about how he left home in a hurry and didn't take it with him.
"He had his father on the phone, obviously it was all pre-rehearsed," Mr Harrison said. "Because it sounded all genuine, there was no reason not to trust him."



Texts sent by the bike thief during a test ride gone wrong. Photo: Supplied After an initial red flag over the licence, Mr Harrison handed over the keys. The insurance company would later say this meant he was not covered for theft.
About 20 minutes later, Mr Harrison received a phone call from Steve, who said he had been pulled over by police for speeding.
He also said the police wouldn't let him leave until they spoke with the owner of the bike. He said he was at the corner of Warrigal Road and the Nepean Highway in Mentone.
When Mr Harrison arrived soon after, Steve and the Ducati could not be found. Texts were suddenly not being answered and his phone was now switched off.
Mr Harrison called home and asked his wife to check outside for the car that Steve arrived in. It was gone.
He knew he had been ripped off.
"It was just a ploy to get me away from the house so a friend could get the car," Mr Harrison said. "The amount of detail that has gone into this is amazing."
The theft has been reported to police, but Mr Harrison's insurance company told him he would not be covered because he gave the thief the keys.
Mr Harrison now realises that his biggest mistake was not holding firm on the licence.
He thought at the time that Steve's motorbike leathers were a bit scruffy to be able to afford a luxury bike but put it down to his upgrading to a newer machine.
Steve had also spun a long story about how he couldn't get good bikes in NSW and that he was in town visiting his uncle.
All of it was made up.
"He had a backstory like you wouldn't believe," Mr Harrison said.
Apparently this kind of theft is not uncommon. After reporting the theft to his Ducati dealership, Mr Harrison said he was told of at least six recent incidents of bikes being stolen during test rides.
The thief is described as 180 centimetres tall, of slender build and of Indian heritage.
The stolen Ducati has the registration 1T2TN. Steve turned up to the test drive in an older model red and gold Nissan Patrol.

Another reminder that allowing a prospective buyer to test drive your vehicle can mean losing it forever. Know what you're doing before handing over the keys.

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/motorbike-thief-hatches-fake-police-plot-to-steal-ducati-during-gumtree-test-drive-20160908-grbyw0.html

[blueoval]

Wow, not getting the license and going on pure trust is risky at best.

I would have asked for the guys car keys, license, taken a photo of the guys face and his car and even then I would be nervous as hell. Any refusal of any of those items means no test ride.

How else would you potentially protect your property like this?

[Joel.]

Couple of weeks ago I went with dad as he test rode (and bought) a bike. Dad wanted a test ride and the guy got super nervous. It got me thinking, you are kind of in between a rock and a hard place. If you don't offer a test ride you have little chance of selling (I wouldn't buy a car without a test drive, especially 2nd hand) or you run the risk of getting your bike stolen or dropped/crashed if you let some stranger take your bike out. Not a bike sort of person, but if I was my heart would be beating out of my chest while someone test rode a bike I was trying to sell.

[blackf6]

The insurance company is a bit rich. Yes the guy gave the thief the keys. But for a test ride. He has been robbed.

[Sabantien]

Originally Posted by blackf6

The insurance company is a bit rich. Yes the guy gave the thief the keys. But for a test ride. He has been robbed.

Maybe he's with Youi.

[lucas2]

Same suburb as me! I'll be keeping an eye out but I'd say the bike is long gone now

[DBourne]

Why would you sell something like that on gumtree? Not like it'll be hard to sell to someone genuine.

Would be a stomach dropping moment when you realised what had happened though, poor bugger.

[Mercury Bullet]

Originally Posted by blackf6

The insurance company is a bit rich. Yes the guy gave the thief the keys. But for a test ride. He has been robbed.

But then they would do him for handing the keys to someone unlicensed.

Insurance companies are much better thieves than the guy who stole the bike.

[Dave R]

Originally Posted by blackf6

The insurance company is a bit rich. Yes the guy gave the thief the keys. But for a test ride. He has been robbed.

Sure he was robbed, but the insurer will say that his own stupidity/negligence played a central role in the theft and let's be honest, they're not wrong. Not taking basic precautions like obtaining ID before a solo test drive is pretty silly. Should the insurer really pay $17-20k for his stupidity? Maybe I sound like a harsh dick, okay, but I just cannot fathom giving someone a solo test drive without at least obtaining ID. If he'd taken reasonable precautions the insurer would have covered the theft.

[mike_nofx]

So how do you really cover yourself for a test ride, is ID the best way? Can and do thieves use fake ID's?

Is there anything you can say, or any wording you can use to truly cover yourself for insurance purposes?

How about "Noooo... you cant test ride my bike *wink* *wink* oops... I just dropped the keys and need to turn around for a moment *wink* *wink*" completely obvious hints for them to test ride.

THEN, could you call the bike stolen if they decide to test ride and never return? "But YOUI, I definitely said NO you CANT test ride! Then I just dropped the keys and they took off!"

[Itsme]

Originally Posted by mike_nofx

So how do you really cover yourself for a test ride, is ID the best way? Can and do thieves use fake ID's?

Is there anything you can say, or any wording you can use to truly cover yourself for insurance purposes?

How about "Noooo... you cant test ride my bike *wink* *wink* oops... I just dropped the keys and need to turn around for a moment *wink* *wink*" completely obvious hints for them to test ride.

THEN, could you call the bike stolen if they decide to test ride and never return? "But YOUI, I definitely said NO you CANT test ride! Then I just dropped the keys and they took off!"

Ask your insurance company I'm sure they will give you step by step instructions!

[.:4:.]

The time I was rear ended, and the time I was side swiped, both times on busy main roads. I got out and calmly asked the other driver for their licence, and gave them mine and asked them to pull into the next side street (taking the obligatory photos of the licence and crash area) to not cause a blockage. These were regular people not shifty ones. When my boss let's people test drive old crap boxes he is selling, he takes their phone, keys and wallet and sends them out with a scrap of paper with their licence number on it. Very rude and crude. The last guy actually bought a beat up van with many mechanical issues for 8 grand. I wouldn't even donate 2 grand to charity for that express van, let alone buy it.

[Falcon SXR8]

Of all the cars i have test driven over the years every one the guy just gave me the keys and sent me out on my own, no id check nothing. Im always amazed how trusting people are. And the funny thing is all the cars i have sold the buyers just wanted me to take them for a drive in them they didnt want to drive themselves.

Feel sorry for this guy yes he could have been more carefull but its not his fault there is scumbags in the world. And who knows if he didnt give the guy the keys the bloke could have just pulled a gun or whatever to get them anyway.

[blackf6]

Originally Posted by Adrenaline

Sure he was robbed, but the insurer will say that his own stupidity/negligence played a central role in the theft and let's be honest, they're not wrong. Not taking basic precautions like obtaining ID before a solo test drive is pretty silly. Should the insurer really pay $17-20k for his stupidity? Maybe I sound like a harsh dick, okay, but I just cannot fathom giving someone a solo test drive without at least obtaining ID. If he'd taken reasonable precautions the insurer would have covered the theft.

Yes, I just assumed the test rider was licensed. I did forget, that he made up a story about leaving his licence at home. So in reality. He got away Scot free. Because he can't even be identified. Smart move.

[Ratmick]

I sold a bike privately a few years back.

The buyer arrived on the back of a mate's bike, with another mate on a second bike. I looked at his license, more to see he was actually licensed then to check where he lived. I think I wrote the number down.

I wheeled the bike out (cold) and let him check it out and start it up and away he went. He was gone 10-15 minutes all up. His mates stayed with me while he was out and we talked bikes and life in general.

The only thing different in my case was that I knew where he worked as he was emailing me about the bike from work...and it wasn't that far away (about two hours from my place). His emails had all his contact details in them (like mine do at work).

I guess at the end of the day it's a trust thing. His mates could have rolled me (they were a bit younger and bigger than myself) and ridden off into the sunset.

My bike was only worth $6k though, and it wasn't a Ducati...

Originally Posted by blackf6

Yes, I just assumed the test rider was licensed. I did forget, that he made up a story about leaving his licence at home. So in reality. He got away Scot free. Because he can't even be identified. Smart move.

If he's got the guy's phone number they may be able to trace him that way...if he ever has it turned on again it'll show up.

[Ratmick]

Originally Posted by .:4:.

The time I was rear ended, and the time I was side swiped, both times on busy main roads. I got out and calmly asked the other driver for their licence, and gave them mine and asked them to pull into the next side street (taking the obligatory photos of the licence and crash area) to not cause a blockage. These were regular people not shifty ones.

I had a lady throw a wobbly running late in a railway station carpark, threw her BMW into reverse, floored it without looking and slammed into the front of my car from about 10-15 metres away. I had just got the car repaired so wasn't a happy chap when I got out but I gave her my license anyway. She refused to give me hers, so all I had was a name and a rego number and she had my license details and home address.

I put my claim in and it turned out she was a lawyer. She tried lying to knife me in the back with my insurance company but her story didn't match with the damage to both cars (she said I'd tried squeezing past her when actual fact I was stationery wondering wtf she was doing). My damage was smack-bang in the middle of my front bumper...'squeezing past' underneath maybe?

Anyway my insurance company cracked with her, essentially called her a liar and her insurance company agreed and paid up. Cow.

[Beastie]

I feel for the guy that has lost his bike, but you can't help but think he didn't really think this through???

I'm not a bike rider, but surely you would hop on the back as a pillion passenger? Just like you would hop in the passenger seat in a car?

[xr8cam]

At the end of the day, if a thief walked through an open front door and took the keys, you would be covered. Both examples of stupidity, but isn't that what we pay thousands of dollars a year in policy's.... Here's a blog, who's been shafted by insurance companys in their life, I know I have.

[Ratmick]

Originally Posted by The Beast

I feel for the guy that has lost his bike, but you can't help but think he didn't really think this through???

I'm not a bike rider, but surely you would hop on the back as a pillion passenger? Just like you would hop in the passenger seat in a car?

Pillion would be a risk given you didn't know the rider. I've never pillioned, not sure putting someone on the back of a strange bike I'm test riding would be safe for either of us, and I'm guessing it would effect the quality of the test ride significantly.

Pillioning on a Ducati would be like sitting on a plank of wood, and if you're tall you'd have your knees up near your ears

A chaperoned ride would be good, preferably with one or two mates of yours and him on your bike. Still risky though.

[kazawaki]

My wife has sold 2 of her motorcycles,firstly we held there licence secondly I followed them on a much more powerfull bike,and with 50 odd trackdays and 35 plus years of riding as well as being on roads I knew well they would have had little chance of ****ing of. Of course with out that option No way would I give the keys to some one with out taking there picture holding there licence and a substantial deposit to cover damages.If they didn't like it they could nick of.

[asagaai]

Originally Posted by trublu

Ask your insurance company I'm sure they will give you step by step instructions!

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA Ha ha ha..ha....ha

Very funny that.

insurance companies are very good at recording your disclosure information at policy inception (cause if you fail to disclose and if they would not have insured you had you disclosed the info-you are on your own- wham bam thank you mam), and they are very good at farming out claims to specialist insurance lawyers to see if they are obliged to indemnify big claims and to make sure there are no exclusion clauses that they could deny the claim on-flood /storm exclusions anyone.

But to ask them to help you slot them - good luck with dat.

But to this guy -feel really sorry for him-must have felt sick to the gut....

And what a grub to do this-I would like to believe in Karma and that he gets his just deserts- immoral little bit of filth.

[Bolly47]

Originally Posted by asagaai

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA Ha ha ha..ha....ha

Very funny that.

insurance companies are very good at recording your disclosure information at policy inception (cause if you fail to disclose and if they would not have insured you had you disclosed the info-you are on your own- wham bam thank you mam), and they are very good at farming out claims to specialist insurance lawyers to see if they are obliged to indemnify big claims and to make sure there are no exclusion clauses that they could deny the claim on-flood /storm exclusions anyone.

But to ask them to help you slot them - good luck with dat.

But to this guy -feel really sorry for him-must have felt sick to the gut....

And what a grub to do this-I would like to believe in Karma and that he gets his just deserts- immoral little bit of filth.

Is that youi insurance ???

[Joel.]

Originally Posted by Ratmick

I had a lady throw a wobbly running late in a railway station carpark, threw her BMW into reverse, floored it without looking and slammed into the front of my car from about 10-15 metres away. I had just got the car repaired so wasn't a happy chap when I got out but I gave her my license anyway. She refused to give me hers, so all I had was a name and a rego number and she had my license details and home address.

I put my claim in and it turned out she was a lawyer. She tried lying to knife me in the back with my insurance company but her story didn't match with the damage to both cars (she said I'd tried squeezing past her when actual fact I was stationery wondering wtf she was doing). My damage was smack-bang in the middle of my front bumper...'squeezing past' underneath maybe?

Anyway my insurance company cracked with her, essentially called her a liar and her insurance company agreed and paid up. Cow.

Hearing more and more of this. So many scumbags out there. Might invest in a dash cam.

[b0son]

Originally Posted by blackf6

The insurance company is a bit rich. Yes the guy gave the thief the keys. But for a test ride. He has been robbed.

But he also sounds like he took no steps to mitigate his risk. Didn't ask for a licence FFS. I'd also be highly suspect if the thief arrived on foot, I'd be wanting to hold his car keys as surety.

[Pedro]

Originally Posted by Sabantien

Maybe he's with Youi.

"we get you" ... every way we can

[Mercury Bullet]

Originally Posted by Bolly47

Is that youi insurance ???

Doesn't have to be youi.

Some of the big name multinationals are far worse.
They've got better lawyers/doctors on their payrolls.

[FTe342]

Originally Posted by b0son

But he also sounds like he took no steps to mitigate his risk. Didn't ask for a licence FFS. I'd also be highly suspect if the thief arrived on foot, I'd be wanting to hold his car keys as surety.

Did you even bother to read the thread before commenting?

[FTe342]

Originally Posted by The Beast

I feel for the guy that has lost his bike, but you can't help but think he didn't really think this through???

I'm not a bike rider, but surely you would hop on the back as a pillion passenger? Just like you would hop in the passenger seat in a car?

Did you take any notice of the pics of the bike? Tell us where you would have sat.

[Mercury Bullet]

Originally Posted by asagaai

But to this guy -feel really sorry for him-must have felt sick to the gut....

Same.
Felt to me like he was desperate to get rid of it. He saw all the signs but didn't act on it. A need for cash?

And what a grub to do this-I would like to believe in Karma and that he gets his just deserts- immoral little bit of filth.

Not only immoral, but sly.

I would imagine vicpol could trace the phone. They might be able to identify him - hope so. I assume a cavity search is required sergeant??

[FPV0002]

Originally Posted by The Beast

I feel for the guy that has lost his bike, but you can't help but think he didn't really think this through???

I'm not a bike rider, but surely you would hop on the back as a pillion passenger? Just like you would hop in the passenger seat in a car?

Very unfortunate for the victim, as a rider myself I don't see hopping on the back as a pillion as an option. Doing so on a bike like that would basically be a waste of time even for a legitimate test ride as having a pillion on a sports bike severely compromises the handling and ride experience. Also jumping on the back of a bike with someone I don't know and have no idea of their riding experience sounds like a death wish to me!