Rod Stewart's stolen 2004 Dodge Viper at Volo Auto Museum.

Rod Stewart's stolen 2004 Dodge Viper at Volo Auto Museum.

Whether you're a fan of Rod Stewart's brand of crooning or not, you have to appreciate the story behind bright yellow Viper on display at the Volo Auto Museum for the first time since its theft. Stolen from under the eye of a Florida policeman by Rod's freshly-fired gardener from his Palm Beach mansion in 2004, the Viper was then crashed a few miles away.

The result for the thief is unsurprising: Vipers are notoriously tetchy machines that require real skill to manhandle due to the lack of any computers to save the driver's bacon. The result for Rod is surprising, however: he actually got his stolen supercar back.

The damage turned out to be pretty minor, and the car was fixed--then kept from the public until now. The display is timed to coincide with a concert Stewart is holding along with Stevie Nicks on April 9th in Chicago.

But what about the gardener? He was captured in a nearby motel, and received 11 years in prison for a range of other offenses (including burglary and attempted sexual battery) in addition to the theft.

[Volo Auto Museum via TMZ]