Anyone who’s spent any time in central London can’t have failed to notice the number of supercars and other luxury vehicles cruising the streets, particularly around the glitzy shops and hotels of the capital city’s bustling West End district.
In a desperate effort to be noticed, many of the owners drive their motors loudly or at high speed, and London’s Metropolitan Police has had enough.
In an operation targeting anti-social driving that began on August 8 and lasted for three days, the Met Police impounded numerous supercars and luxury vehicles worth a total of more than $8 million.
“Officers seized a total of 72 luxury vehicles, including Ferraris, Lamborghinis, and Bentleys that were either unroadworthy or being driven illegally,” the Met said in a press release shared on Tuesday.
It said the operation had been organized in response to concerns raised by residents, businesses, and visitors about an increase in the luxury vehicles causing a nuisance, particularly in and around the Hyde Park, Kensington, and Chelsea areas.
A number of drivers were issued with tickets for motoring offenses that included driving without insurance, without a license, and while disqualified. Other listed offenses included false documentation and the use of fraudulent registration plates.
The haul even included several stolen vehicles.
And that wasn’t all. “Met officers uncovered a range of other criminal activity as part of their investigation, making eight arrests,” the police said. “These included individuals wanted for actual bodily harm and criminal damage, drug offenses, theft, and immigration offenses.”
Commenting on the three-day operation, Special Chief Officer James Deller, from the Met’s Special Constabulary, said: “The Met is committed to tackling anti-social behavior and this operation was set up to respond to concerns from residents, businesses, and visitors about high-value vehicles causing a nuisance in known hotspot areas in central and west London.”
