Security camera footage from the Trackspeed Racing classic car shop shows a pair of thieves using a Land Rover as a battering ram, then hooking it up to a beautiful 1972 Ford Escort MK1, and yanking it right off the showroom floor. This is some straight-up Hollywood style insanity.
Local news site GetSurrey says the theft occurred around 9:20PM on March 3, and that the vehicle had an asking price of around $180,000. Yeah, apparently the market for MK1s is insane in England right now.
"Clearly this was a professional and co-ordinated hit," the Escort's owner Mark McCracken told GetSurrey. "The police were here within five minutes, but [the thieves] just completely vanished. It is quite extraordinary."
McCracken went on to speculate the car might have been on a Gone In 60 Seconds-style hit-list; "There are eight other expensive cars in the showroom but they picked this individual one, which suggests it might have been stolen for order." Indeed... the thieves' disinterest in that Chevy SSR is astounding.
Surrey Police Detective Sergeant Adam Tatton seems to concur with assessment of the criminal's professionalism though, saying, "The footage released demonstrates the audacity of this crime and how it was clearly meticulously planned."
It's been reported that a torched Land Rover Defender was found shortly after in nearby West Horsley, but cops haven't confirmed whether or not it's the same one captured on camera here.
If you're in England and you have any idea where this beautiful car was dragged to against its will, contact the Surrey Police at "101" with reference "45150017925" or contact "Crimestoppers" anonymously at 0800 555 111.
Contact the author at andrew@jalopnik.com.