Stolen Ferrari recovered after 3 decades by UK police

A sports car stolen decades ago has been found by authorities in the United Kingdom. 

The red Ferrari F512M stolen from a Formula One driver almost 30 years ago was discovered up for sale by London Metropolitan Police, authorities announced Monday. 

"Our inquiries were painstaking and included contacting authorities from around the world," lead investigator Constable Mike Pilbeam said.

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This undated photo provided by the Metropolitan Police shows a Ferrari stolen from former Formula One driver Gerhard Berger 29 years ago that has been recovered. (Metropolitan Police via AP)

Police were tipped off by the Ferrari automobile company in January that the vehicle was being sold to a buyer in the U.S. and had been flagged.

The Ferrari F512M was stolen from Austrian driver Gerhard Berger in April 1995 while he was in Imola, Italy. 

It was one of two vehicles nabbed during the San Marino Grand Prix that year.

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Gerhard Berger waves a flag while celebrating his third-place finish at the German F1 Grand Prix in Hockenheim, Germany, in 1995. Police said they have recovered a Ferrari stolen from Berger in Italy almost three decades ago. (AP Photo/Roland Weihrauch)

London Metropolitan Police's Organized Vehicle Crime Unit launched an investigation that found the Ferrari had been brought to the U.K. late last year from Japan. 

Authorities seized the vehicle, which they claim is worth approximately $444,000.

"We worked quickly with partners including the National Crime Agency, as well as Ferrari and international car dealerships, and this collaboration was instrumental in understanding the vehicle’s background and stopping it from leaving the country," Pilbeam said.

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Ferrari fans wave flags during the F1 Grand Prix of Italy at Autodromo Nazionale Monza in Monza, Italy. (Mark Thompson/Getty Images)

No arrests have been made yet as the investigation continues.