Test-drive turns into stolen car in high-speed chase, Winnipeg dealer shocked

A Winnipeg auto dealer is in shock and is hoping his company's insurance will cover the cost of a damaged sports carthat left his lot on what he thought was atest-drive. Itended up stolenand nearly totaled after a high-speed police chase.

Tianhua Wong owns Civic Auto on Nairn Avenue.Last Tuesday, he said a man came into the dealership to check out a the Infinity G35 Wong had advertised on Kijiji.

Wong was dealing with another customer, so he showed the man the vehicle and gave him the keys to look inside.

After a few minutes, the customer came back, Wong said, and asked to take the car for a test-drive. Wong asked the man forhis driver's license, while he went to get the dealership license plate.

"I walk out, and I see him [drive away]," Wong said. "I tried to stop him, I can't, he [drove] so fast."

Wong said he ran after him and yelled, but assumed the driver had simply forgotten the dealer-plate wasn't on. After 20 minutes, when the car hadn't returned Wong called police.

"I [told police] one vehicle was driving without my plate, but I am the owner of that vehicle, but I don't want responsibility if something happens," Wong said, adding without a dealer plate there is no insurance coverage.

Wong said police directed him to call Manitoba Public Insurance, which he saidconfirmed that if anything happenedthe car would not be covered.

"I have seven insured dealer plates.I tried to put it on but I didn't have the chance."

Almost 12 hours later, Wong got a call from police saying they had found the vehicle and it was being towed to a compound.

"All three tires are gone, and both sides are damaged bad," Wong said, adding there isroughly $10,000 in damage he could be out of pocket for.

Wong said he learned through the newsthe vehicle had been in a high-speed police chase through Elmwood, where police laid spike belts in two different locations.

• Police chase around Winnipeg hits 120 km/h, ends in Elmwood

"WhenI saw "G35" [I said] 'Oh, that's mine.'"

In the end, aman was arrested and charged with numerous offences, including dangerous operation of a motor vehicle, assaulting a peace officer, flight from peace officers, driving while disqualified, failing to comply with a probation order, and possession of a weapon.

Wong is still in disbelief.

"I'm not angry, I'm not scared, I just don't believe this happened."

Wong has filed a claim with his dealership's insurance and said he won't hand over any more keys until the dealer plate is on before any more test-drives.