A 21-year-old Yarraville man has been charged after he allegedly drove off in a $120,000 Mercedes during a test drive in Melbourne’s east.

Victoria Police had been searching for the man after a report he had stolen the car after taking it out on a test drive.

The man was arrested at a home in Tullamarine on Monday morning and police recovered the silver 2013 Mercedes C63 Coupe.

• Alleged test drive thief on the run in $120k Mercedes

The theft occurred on Friday after a 47-year-old man had advertised the car on a website.

Police said the victim got a call from a man identifying himself as “Billy”, saying he was interested in the car.

The man met “Billy” and another man at Shepley Oval in Pultney Street, Dandenong and took him for a drive around the local area.

When he parked in the rear car park of a fast food outlet at 5:30pm, “Billy” asked if he could sit in the driver’s seat, and while doing so sped off, police said.

The man has been charged with theft of a motor vehicle and traffic offences.

He will face Broadmeadows Magistrates Court later on Monday.