Stolen Ferrari Turns Into New Lamborghini For Laguna Beach Woman

LAGUNA BEACH, CA — When life hands you lemons...buy a new Lamborghini. That is what happened to Laguna Beach resident Susan Friedman when her Ferrari 458 Spider was stolen and taken for a two week joyride in mid-October. As one could imagine, when the vehicle was found by the Santa Ana police, it was a bit worse for wear.

The 2015 much-loved exotic sports car, bought new for $340,000, was dropped off for maintenance at the Ferrari and Maserati of Newport Beach Service Center in Costa Mesa on October 18. When Friedman and boyfriend Eadweard York arrived to drive it home one day later, employees discovered the Spider missing from the service center lot. Failing to locate the vehicle anywhere on site, they researched security footage and discovered that the car had been stolen 27-hours earlier.

Security video from the service center showed a man wearing a Ferrari jacket, presumably to mingle with employees, looking into several of the high value car windows and then driving off with Friedman's Ferrari Spider.

"It was just like 'Gone in 60 Seconds,'" Friedman told the Los Angeles Times about the experience. "I'm like in shock. This whole last month has been a nightmare."

For two weeks, Friedman and her family worried, knowing that the man who stole her vehicle also had her home address. He knew where she lived. "It was unsettling," York said.

Two weeks later, the stolen Ferrari was identified at a Dyer Road Mobil station in Santa Ana. According to information officer Anthony Bertagna, its driver was seeking gas money to fill up the now-dilapidated and stripped down sports car. The cops approached suspect Israel Perez Rangel, 38, a resident of Santa Ana at the Mobil gas station while he was asking for handouts to help fill up the stolen car.

"When the police found it, the inside (of the Ferrari) was like a meth house," York said. "Knobs were pried off, emblems were ripped off, the fins were cracked and the gearbox was totally destroyed. Plus, there was caked-on vomit inside. It was estimated more than $80 to $100,000 in damages was done to the car."

When confronted, Rangel ran away from the vehicle, according to Anthony Bertagna, spokesperson for the Santa Ana police department.

"After running away from the vehicle, the suspect was arrested behind the bushes at the entrance to the Holiday Inn," Bertagna said. Surveillance video matched Rangel to the Ferrari and Maserati of Newport Beach service center, according to Bertagna.

Rangel was arrested in Santa Ana and pleaded not guilty to charges including grand theft auto. Rangel, who listed his employment as plumber, is currently in custody at Theo Lacy Jail, with a next court appearance scheduled for Dec. 18.

According to York, the video of the suspect inside the service center prior to the theft seemed like he knew exactly where he was going, what he was doing.

"He did it so well, he (seemed to know) the layout of the building, with millions of dollars in cars were just sitting there. They didn't even know the car was gone for 27-hours," York said. "It's hard to reconcile how the vehicle was stolen to how it ended up so destroyed. With the depreciated value in the insurance, she couldn't even buy a new car from the dealership."

Though Patch has reached out for Ferrari and Maserati of Newport Beach Service Center for comment as to whether Rangel was working at the facility when the car was stolen, they have yet to respond.

York stated that the Ferrari dealership was less than accommodating in helping Friedman back into a Ferrari that matched the original, that was stolen from their care, a fact which startled him and eventually landed Friedman in her new and much loved Lamborghini.

According to York, Friedman is the niece of famed Italian Grand Prix racer, Ludovico Scarfiotti, and is no stranger to fast cars.

"We love the details that go into the vehicles, the artistry behind them, how everything is hand stitched and crafted," York said. "Susie loves the Ferrari but she had a lot of trouble trying to get a new vehicle from them. She saved for that Ferrari, and had to fight with the insurance adjuster every day to get the price where she could get a comparable car."

Though a Lamborghini wasn't on their radar, Friedman was invited to go for a drive and quickly fell in love.

"Not many women have even walked into the dealership to buy a Ferrari. Working with the Lamborghini dealership was a great experience. They gave her swag, and took care of her, and went the extra mile, going through every aspect of the vehicle. It's a great car," York said. "The Lamborghini Hurican is an incredible, beautiful car, a work of art. It's hand made, and so well refined and beautiful. And the Lamborghini is even faster."

Photos of Lamborghini: courtesy Eadweard York

Photos of Ferrari and Booking Photo Of Israel Rangel, courtesy Santa Ana Police Department