Stolen Vespa 50 Special recovered in Italy 41 years later
Found in a garage 140km away some 41 years after it was stolen, an original Vespa 50 Special is found in excellent condition linked to the theft & recovery of a tractor in Italy.
HERE’S a story that could very easily be a fairy tale - after a classic Vespa 50 Special is stolen in Pisa, it is recovered 41 years later in connection to a tractor theft in Castelfranco Piandiscò, and delivered to the son of the original owner!
After a pensioner in the Arezzo province of Italy reported the theft of a tractor to the carabinieri (the Italian paramilitary Police) investigations led them to the garage of the suspect.
When inside they found the tractor in question underneath a tarpaulin, surprisingly alongside an original white Vespa 50 Special from the 1970s-1980s in excellent condition.
Note: this isn't the actual scooter above, just a similar one.
The police had a look into it, and found that the classic Vespa was originally stolen 140km away in Pisa back in 1980, and belonged to Gino Graziani who had passed in 1992 - his son Paolo was contacted with news of the discovery.
"At first I thought it was a joke, then after talking to the carabinieri I realised that it was all true, I had almost forgotten about [the classic Vespa]” Paolo said.
A classic Vespa 50 Special found 41 years later in top nick! Unheard of.
Considering the excellent condition the Vespa 50 Special was found in, the 50-year-old suspect had clearly been looking after it. Considering the perpetrator's age, it’s unclear whether he unknowingly purchased stolen goods or it was passed down in the family - but thinking about the whole stolen tractor part of this story and his apparent previous history with the police, it’s possible this was a family affair.
Back with Paolo Graziani, on the recovery of the classic scoot he said:
“For my family it has a great emotional value, my father was very attached to this Vespa and when he saw one like it passing by, he wanted to make sure it wasn't his.
"Now I will take a picture and place it on my father's grave, next to the medal of military valour which he was awarded in 2016.”
A happy ending to a stolen scooter story, it doesn’t come by often, but when it does it’s enough to bring tears to the eyes.
A Vespa 50 Special, after some quick online searching, could fetch around £2,000-3,000 pounds - but in this case, holds far greater sentimental value.
Watch our latest review: CFMOTO 700CL-X
Source: Corriere Di Arezzo, moto.it
Alex has grown up around bikes & scooters, sharing a love that has passed down generations from his dad’s Vespas from his mod days, his cousin’s sports bikes, to his uncle’s choppers and bobbers in Finland. Motorcycles run in the family, and now Mr.
