London police seize rare £3.7-million Ferrari from learner driver
Key Points
- Metropolitan Police have seized a Ferrari Monza SP2 worth £3.7 million from a learner driver in London.
- The car was seized as part of a wider crackdown on anti-social and uninsured drivers in the city.
- More than 90 vehicles worth a total of £8 million were seized by the police during the operation last weekend.
- New policing powers mean Met officers can seize vehicles for anti-social driving offences rather than just issue warnings.
As part of a crackdown on anti-social driving in central London last weekend, the Metropolitan Police seized a rare Ferrari Monza SP2, driven by a learner driver who was in the UK for a day.
The Ferrari Monza SP2 is one of only 499 in the world, with one model selling at auction for £3.7 million earlier this year.
The driver whose car was seized had only a provisional driving licence and had been in the car for less than 30 minutes when he was stopped by Met officers.
This seizure was part of a wider operation by the Met, supported by Motor Insurer’s Bureau, to target uninsured, anti-social, and dangerous drivers in Hyde Park, Kensington, and Chelsea.
In total, 90 vehicles worth more than £8 million were seized by the police, making this the highest number and value of vehicles seized in the operation’s five-year history.
Thanks to new policing powers, Met officers are no longer limited to just giving anti-social drivers a warning. They can now seize the driver’s vehicle, which the Met said allows them to quickly tackle drivers who are causing alarm or annoying the public.
More than 15 vehicles were seized for anti-social driving alone last weekend, and the operation featured 120 officers.
In addition to stopping anti-social and uninsured drivers, the operation also saw one man arrested on suspicion of handling stolen goods and money laundering, and another on suspicion of drug possession with intent to supply.
A man was also arrested on suspicion of an immigration offence, and another for using words and behaviour that would cause harm or distress to the public.
“We regularly hear from local people who are fed up with people driving cars dangerously in the area, or with modifications which make them a nuisance to those who live nearby,” said operation lead Special Chief Inspector Geoff Tatman.
“Through operations like this we’re arresting these drivers and seizing their cars so we can keep our roads safe and send clear message that we won’t put up with their reckless and dangerous behaviour.”
