A bogus car buyer has been jailed for driving off from a bewildered seller's driveway as she was showing him the Mazda and conning a dealer into buying it just minutes later.
Martyn Ford had already agreed a price to sell on the second hand car before he travelled to Exeter to carry out the swindle.
Owner Alison West started the car as she showed it to him and was horrified to see him drive off from her home in Clyst St George, Exeter Crown Court was told.
Ford, aged 35, has a record for identical offences and is already serving one prison sentence for frauds and thefts in Bristol.
Ford, aged 35, of Arthurs Close, Emerson Green, Bristol, admitted theft of the car and fraud against the dealer who bought it and was jailed for 21 months by Judge Erik Salomonsen and ordered to pay £3,250 compensation.
He told him:"You contacted a completely innocent third party who had advertised their car for sale. You pretended you had money to buy the car but when she left the engine running you stole it.
"You had already made an arrangement to sell the car to a trader and so there were two losers, the woman who lost the car and the dealer who bought it.
"You are a repeat offender. Your defence counsel says this is never going to happen again. Here's hoping."
Mr Gordon Richings, prosecuting, said Ford arranged to meet the seller at her home in Clyst St George and stole the car while she was showing it to him.
He had already used the details to sell it on and took it straight to a dealer who paid him the cut price of £3,250 for the car before it was circulated as being stolen.
He said Ford has convictions for 84 previous offences including 23 frauds and 50 thefts and is currently serving a 40 month sentence from Bristol Crown Court for identical offences.
Mr Kannan Siva, defending, said Ford has had a complete change of heart while in custody and is determined to give up crime.
He has written a letter of apology to the victim, offered to repay the money, and is retraining while in prison so he can earn an honest living when he is released.
