Car Salesman Kidnapped

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By Justine Judge

Story Published: Oct 16, 2009 at 7:12 PM EDT

Story Updated: Oct 16, 2009 at 8:17 PM EDT

A West Springfield man is in police custody in Wisconsin after kidnapping a car salesman while on a test drive. It took police over 1,000 miles to catch up with him.

Balise Honda Sales Consultant Peter Carrigan says, "It was a test drive and he just disappeared."

One Carrigan's co-workers left the dealership Thursday night and didn't come back.

He was with 32 year old Aleh Kot. The men pulled out of the Riverdale Street dealership to go on a test drive.

Nobody, except maybe Kot, knew the ride would turn into a kidnapping.

Police say Kot ignored the salesman's request to turn around and make a bee-line for the Mass Pike.

Balise Honda General Manager Larry Bass describes what happened to his salesman.

Bass says, "Going 120 mph down the Mass Pike was pretty scary. I'm just shocked that no one from here to West Stockbridge stopped the vehicle if they were going 120 mph."

Kot eventually let the salesman out at the toll plaza in West Stockbridge.

But, Kot kept driving, continuing on for a thousand miles before police caught up with him in Wisconsin.

What helped catch Kot was the precautions the dealership takes before talking customers out on test drives.

Carrigan says, "We copy everybody's license and we try to make sure everybody knows when we're leaving."

The dealership also makes sure every car that goes out has a dealer plate on the back.

Peter Carrigan says in his 27 years of selling cars, this is certainly a first.

Carrigan says, "It happens a lot in metropolitan areas like Boston, New York, LA. You know someone would come in and steal something like a Ferrari but I've never heard of anyone stealing an Accord."

Kot will be extradited back to Massachusetts to face charges of kidnapping, larceny of a motor vehicle and unarmed robbery.

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