8:05 am, January 21, 2026
Police have confirmed they are investigating the sudden closure of Targa Florio Cars.
In a statement issued to Car Dealer, Sussex Police said it was looking into the former award-winning business which has disappeared.
Car Dealer revealed on Monday that the supercar dealer had vanished owing customers tens of thousands of pounds.
The dealership is alleged to have kept the cash from cars it had sold on a Sale or Return basis.
Others claimed they had paid the dealership deposits for cars which they have not collected and warranty claims are outstanding.
Sussex Police said: ‘We are aware of a number of reports involving payment issues over vehicle sales relating to a company in Chichester.
‘Enquiries are ongoing at this stage.’
Car Dealer understands that the dealership is also being investigated by Trading Standards officers from West Sussex who have received numerous complaints from affected customers.
Targa Florio’s sole director William Kirkham has been contacted for comment various times but has not responded.
The dealership’s phone lines are dead, its website has been shut and Google lists it as permanently closed. A mobile number for Kirkham is also no longer operational.
Car Dealer visited the former Targa Florio Cars premises on Monday and found the site was empty. In our video, which you can watch above, you can see the forecourt is empty and the gates are shut.
A video of the site advertising it for lease has been published on Facebook and shows computers are still on desks, the dealer’s pictures are on the wall and the kitchen still looks stocked.
Customers have taken to social media, forums and review sites to request help getting their cars and money back.
Bradford Law said he entrusted his car to Targa Florio for sale under sale or return and they ‘sold the car and kept the money’. He reached out to Car Dealer via LinkedIn to discuss the case, but did not want to put any comments on the record.
Targa Florio sold Ferrari, Porsche and Lamborghini models and specialised in prestige cars.
Its Auto Trader advertising page has been closed, but some cars still remain on Pistonheads. The latter is believed to be historic stock.
No official confirmation has been made that the business is in liquidation or that administrators have been appointed, however the warning signs do not look positive.
Targa Florio was a limited company, which means claims against it are normally a civil matter between customers and the business. In cases like this, owners of cars, or those missing deposits, would usually have to pursue the company through the courts or an insolvency process.
However, the position changes if investigators believe there has been criminal behaviour. Police can become involved where there is evidence of fraud, theft, or dishonest intent.
Trading Standards can also intervene if they believe consumer protection laws have been breached, such as where customers were given false information, deposits were taken for cars that could not be supplied, or a business continued trading when it knew it could not meet its obligations. It also has the power to halt an insolvency process.
Targa Florio Cars has been contacted for comment but has not responded.
