Police grab $2 million worth of cars after Canadian street race
This Lamborghini was among 13 high-end cars impounded by Canadian police.
September 2nd, 2011
08:55 AM ET

Police grab $2 million worth of cars after Canadian street race

This could be the plot for a movie, "Fast and Furious Canada," or maybe "Fast and Furious, the Young and the Rich."

Police in British Columbia say they impounded $2 million worth of high-end vehicles this week after witnesses reported the 13 cars racing on a metro Vancouver highway at speeds of 125 mph (200 kph).

The high-end race cars included a Ferrari, Lamborghinis, Maseratis, an Audi, an Aston Martin, Nissans and a Mercedes, according to a Royal Canadian Mounted Police press release.

Two of the racers would run side-by-side to block other traffic going in their direction on the highway while the others cars would take off in a race, witnesses told the RCMP.

"These drivers seemed to be looking for attention. Well, they definitely got the attention of police," Cpl. Holly Marks, spokesperson for the Lower Mainland District Regional Police Service, said in the press release.

What the racers, who police said are all under age 21, won't get is harsh punishment.

"Each driver will be charged with Driving without Reasonable Consideration and receive a violation ticket with a specified penalty of $196. Additionally, these drivers will be responsible for all associated towing and storage charges," according to the RCMP press release.

That's because police didn't actually catch them in the act and acted only on witness accounts. They weren't caught on radar, video or seen by a police officer, Superintendent Norm Gaumont, RCMP officer in charge of traffic enforcement for the Lower Mainland, told the Surrey Now newspaper.

"I know there's a lot of disappointment, wondering why we only charged them with an offence of $196. They fact of the matter is, we have to look at all the evidence we have and what we're able to prove," Surrey Now quoted Gaumont as saying. "That's why we've charged them with driving without due consideration for the public."

If police were able to charge the 13 drivers with more severe offenses, they could have faced forfeiture of their vehicles, according to a Vancouver Sun report.

The RCMP said most of the drivers were operating their vehicles on "N" class licenses, which means they had not yet attained full driving privileges. Only one of the drivers was the registered owner of the car they were driving, Gaumont told Surrey Now.

The drivers included 12 men and one woman, according to Surrey Now. Gaumont told the paper they were on their way to have a meal when they decided to race.

According to the Sun, the vehicles were:

  • 2007 Ferrari 599
  • 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo
  • 2010 Lamborghini Gallardo
  • 2009 Lamborghini Gallardo
  • 2009 Audi R8
  • 2012 Nissan GT-R
  • 2010 Nissan GT-R
  • 2010 Nissan GT-R
  • 2010 Maserati Turismo
  • 2010 Maserati Turismo
  • 2011 Mercedes SL63
  • 2011 Mercedes SLS
  • 2005 Aston Martin DB9
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Filed under: Canada • Crime • Justice
soundoff (1,104 Responses)
  1. Neel

    Those are nice cars man what I would do to drive some of these, I kinda want to know who won though, come on report the interesting stuff.

    September 2, 2011 at 5:26 pm | Report abuse |
  2. Boop

    they weren't caught or witnessed by police, but they get cited anyways cause someone said so?

    September 2, 2011 at 5:28 pm | Report abuse |
  3. Jim

    When you drive 200kph in a 100kph zone, you don't block traffic... it blocks you. Very stupid and dangerous. In the space of time between a driver checking his mirror and putting his eyes back on the road to pull into the passing lane, those racers are right behind him... seemingly out of nowhere.

    September 2, 2011 at 5:28 pm | Report abuse |
  4. Sean Gay

    You are dumb.

    September 2, 2011 at 5:33 pm | Report abuse |
  5. Marie R.

    What is up with these young adults driving high-priced sport cars? Spoiled brats no doubt.

    September 2, 2011 at 5:33 pm | Report abuse |
  6. cbmstocks

    who won?

    September 2, 2011 at 5:37 pm | Report abuse |
  7. RJ

    Haters!! let em have fun! just because you can't afford the car doesn't mean u gotta be a dick to others! ticket for assuming s@*$! it's canada what do u expect! lol

    September 2, 2011 at 5:37 pm | Report abuse |
  8. Sean

    Seizing cars for crimes is nothing but a money grab. And when you turn law enforcement into a for-profit enterprise all pretenses of justice go away.

    September 2, 2011 at 5:39 pm | Report abuse |
    • Mike

      Maybe the punishment should then be the cars being crushed instead of auctioned off. Takes away the profit factor and still provides justice.
      They should actually make the punks throw the switch that drops the hammer on their car.
      Now that would be justice.
      Then again, mommy and daddy would simply send more money to buy another car. Doubt the kids would actually learn anything. Set their a s s in jail for a few months. Then they might learn.

      September 2, 2011 at 5:56 pm | Report abuse |
    • Jams

      The cars are only impounded for a week. Tickets are $196, plus impound and towing fees.

      September 2, 2011 at 6:02 pm | Report abuse |
    • Jeff

      Law enforcement is anything but a money grab. In Kelowna BC they cant get enough RCMP to work there because the price of living is too high to for their wages.... and they don't wanna have to deal with the Hells angels every night at the clubs.

      September 2, 2011 at 6:04 pm | Report abuse |
    • oldostritch

      If you don't break the law the police won't be interested in you or your car. And believe it or not the police in B.C. aren't "raking it in hand over fist". In fact their operations cost the taxpayers lots. The United States however has private for profit prisons we hear about that tend to be filled with nonviolent offenders, some of them there because of kick backs to judges from prison officials. This costs much more than keeping high powered vehicles out of the hands of spoiled brats.

      September 5, 2011 at 7:53 pm | Report abuse |
  9. cbmstocks

    who won

    September 2, 2011 at 5:41 pm | Report abuse |
  10. wompas

    money or not street racing is pretty stupid IMO and the movie fast and the furious was one of the worst movies I've ever sat through.

    September 2, 2011 at 5:42 pm | Report abuse |
  11. Mely

    No, not at all. Asians tend to be well educated and well off. Some of them are very rich, because their parents have factories in China or something. They only confiscated the cars for a week. They will get them back. These rich kids in their fancy cars are a menace to themselves and everyone else on the road. There have been several spectacular accidents where a lot of people died, all involving young Asian kids with fancy cars. Their parents have no sense or they wouldn't be buying them these cars.

    September 2, 2011 at 5:48 pm | Report abuse |
  12. 599Hoss

    So....let me get this straight. I started a company my senior year of high school selling college kids efficient bicycles that are appealing, cheap, and sleek. By the end of my freshman year at Vanderbilt, I was able to purchase a Ferrari 599GTB myself. I have relatives in Hong Kong. Does this make me a spoiled, selfish, lawless, criminal? This racism is outrageous. The one's making racial slurs should be ashamed of themselves...

    September 2, 2011 at 5:50 pm | Report abuse |
    • BG

      599Hoss,
      You're statment is uncalled for. None of these kids worked to purchase their cars on their own like you did. Their actions are what is being called into question not their race. I travel the very same HWY every day & there is too much traffic on it to do what they did aspecially at that time of day (no time of day would have been exceptable)

      September 2, 2011 at 6:26 pm | Report abuse |
  13. Mike

    Yet another reason to not visit Vancouver. Shame too because it is a city with a great view.

    September 2, 2011 at 5:54 pm | Report abuse |
    • Andy

      Every city has a long list of reasons why you shouldn't visit.

      September 2, 2011 at 6:15 pm | Report abuse |
    • BG

      Guess you'll never vist anywhere then !

      September 2, 2011 at 6:27 pm | Report abuse |
    • oldostritch

      It's only the best place on earth. The billionaires move there for many reasons.

      September 5, 2011 at 7:58 pm | Report abuse |
  14. Aston

    Yeah the 2005 DB9 is a slug, considering the price tag, but the new $1.8 million dollar 1/77 is a beast with a beautiful interior..

    September 2, 2011 at 5:54 pm | Report abuse |
  15. CHKY

    Headline fail..

    September 2, 2011 at 5:56 pm | Report abuse |
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