5 Apr 2012

Wrong car seized for crushing

5:33 pm on 5 April 2012

Police are investigating how the wrong car was seized for crushing by an Otago court in the first use of a new law.

A Milton teenager may face charges of swapping another car for the one the Balclutha District Court ordered to be destroyed, after he was caught doing burnouts for a third time.

The Vehicle Confiscation amendment was brought in by the Government more than two years ago to punish so-called boy racers, but this is the first case in which a crushing has been ordered.

Balclutha District Court last December ordered the destruction of a 1982 Toyota owned by Karn Forrest of Milton, who was caught doing burnouts on State Highway One.

The court recently told police that the vehicle that was surrendered, was not the vehicle it had ordered to be crushed.

Police say the correct vehicle has now been recovered and charges are pending.

AA defends crushing law

However, the Automobile Association is defending the Government's car crushing law.

Motoring affairs manager Mike Noon says it would have been embarrassing for the court if they had crushed the wrong car.

But Mr Noon says it shows the length car owners will go to to avoid having their car destroyed.

He says the law must be working because there are so few cases of street racing being picked up.