Former “Top Gear“ presenter Chris Harris was the victim of a carjacking in Bristol. His classic BMW M5, which he has owned for 19 years, was stolen. The presenter sought help online and his fans found the car faster than the police.
As Carscoops notes, Harris has almost 900,000 followers on Instagram. In the early morning of July 21, 2025, he informed them that his M5 had been stolen overnight in Clifton, Bristol.
“Please share information and help me find it. I've had it for 19 years“, he wrote in the post.
Within about three hours After the post, someone confirmed they had spotted the car, noting that it was parked in the middle of a residential neighborhood. Harris posted real-time updates as he headed to his destination.
When he arrived at the location, the host simply exclaimed: “Look, there it is, my M5.“ A follower named Lee found the car, texted Harris, and told the host that he would stay with the car until he arrived. And indeed, that is exactly what happened.
“It's a little broken, but I got it back and I feel incredibly happy“, said Harris. He described the damage done to the car during the short time it was gone. The thieves damaged the electrical system so they could start the car.
Despite the low fuel level, Harris was able to start the car and confirm that everything else was working properly. It's the best result you could hope for, and it's even more impressive considering the police weren't involved in the search.