A Brazilian man set fire to his luxury car in an attempt to claim insurance money, but the entire act was captured on camera.
According to media reports, the man contacted the civil police and claimed that armed men had stopped him by force and locked him in the boot of his Porsche 911 Carrera.
He said he was taken to a rural area where his car was set ablaze. Passers-by reportedly heard his screams and rescued him from the burning vehicle at the last moment, leaving him with minor burn injuries.
He told the police that he did not know the attackers and was unaware of their motive.
However, the police investigation revealed unusual details. Footage from a nearby farm camera showed that the man had fabricated the story and had, in fact, set his own car on fire.
Even when confronted with the evidence, he insisted on his version of events and said the burn marks on his body proved his innocence.
Reports indicated that the luxury vehicle had outstanding motor vehicle property tax payments, though the amount was not disclosed. The car was valued at about 130,000 US dollars, and it was believed that the owner had planned the fire to collect the insurance payout, as selling the vehicle with unpaid taxes was difficult.
Interestingly, the entire incident was recorded by the only camera in the area, several miles around. The car owner may now regret choosing that very spot to execute his plan.
The investigation into the unusual case remains ongoing, and no charges of insurance fraud or other offences have yet been filed against the owner. Still, setting a Porsche 911 ablaze may already stand as his greatest punishment.
