MIAMI (WSVN) - The victim of a high-priced car heist took matters into his own hands before he called the police, and he’s certain that a South Florida man linked to a luxury car theft ring holds the key to the crime.

Zakria Khan is no stranger to local headlines, and neither is his con.

Speaking with 7News on Friday, Steve Phelan said his Ferrari became part of Khan’s luxury vehicle stealing enterprise.

“He’s a bad guy, and there’s no doubt about it,” said Phelan.

In bond court back in November, Miami Police Sgt. Oscar Baquedano described the illicit operation.

“The theft of vehicles, of high-end vehicles — Bentleys, Rolls-Royce and vehicles of that nature — he re-titles them. he sends them over to other countries,” he said.

Khan is currently out on bond and awaiting trial after arrests for his alleged part in the car theft ring.

A picture shows the suspect in a Miami parking lot receiving a Ferrari last Saturday. He posed for the camera and even gave a thumbs up.

Phelan said the blue sports car in the picture is his.

“Oh, my God. This is your guy!” said Phelan.

Phelan, who’s from Houston, said his now dinged-up car, valued at $500,000, was stolen before he could ever drive it or see it in person.

However, he was able to track it to Miami.

“I’m talking five days of me, consistently of me — 100 calls a day, 100 texts a day — trying to find trying to find this vehicle,” he said.

Phelan said he initially bought and ordered the fancy car from a dealership in Canada, had it imported to New York, then paid a third party to have it transported to Houston.

But somehow, Phelan said, someone was able to change the delivery order, causing the driver transporting the car to head elsewhere.

“The alleged thieves just made up a whole new thing, saying, ‘Hey, I need you to transport something to me,'” said Phelan.

When asked when he realized something was amiss, Phelan replied, “When I started to track it, and it didn’t take that right going west to us, I was like, ‘Man, I’ve got to get on the phone. I’ve got to get everyone on the phone.'”

Before the Ferrari was picked up, Phelan said, he made sure a GPS was installed.

Once he realized it wasn’t coming to Houston, he sprang into action.

“[I] contacted my local authorities, Miami PD, everyone I could possibly call,” he said

Phelan said he also called Valdes Investigation Group, based in Southwest Miami-Dade.

“They found the car, they secured it somehow. I’m not sure how they said they secured it, but they called police instantly” he said. “Police responded quick, tow truck, secured the car in impound.”

Investigators found the car in Brickell and later obtained a surveillance image that shows Khan receiving the car from the driver paid to make the transport.

That driver took the thumbs-up picture during the delivery.

Phelan also shared his plight with exotic car enthusiasts online, who sent him 7News’ stories of Khan in action, moving ritzy stolen rides and winding up in court.

“The video that you had, his picture, it was almost an exact copy of the picture that came from the transporter, so that’s where I was like, ‘Oh, wow,'” said Phelan.

Phelan flew to Miami on Friday, and he hopes to retrieve his Ferrari from the Miami Police impound lot this weekend.

“Thanks to you guys, we know exactly who he is, and maybe that helps authorities and the car community in general, because they need to know about this type of theft, which is very unique and very sneaky,” he said.

Police said they cannot comment on Khan or this latest case because it’s part of an ongoing criminal investigation.

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