Teenage girl joyrider 'absolutely totals' police car - 8/2/07

[crashe]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/1/...ectid=10422938

Teenage girl joyrider 'absolutely totals' police car
Thursday February 08, 2007
By Stuart Dye

A policeman watched helplessly as a teenage suspect he had stopped for questioning leaped into his patrol car and sped off early yesterday.

The shocked officer was left standing at the roadside as the 16-year-old girl led police on a 30km chase.

The teenager's joyride came to an end only after she crashed the car, "absolutely totalling" it according to one police officer.

During the 20-minute chase she drove more than 30km from Rotorua to Rotoma.

The girl had been stopped as part of a routine patrol by police, but jumped into the the officer's car and fled.

Senior Sergeant Scott Fraser, of the Rotorua police, said the girl was found climbing out of bushes - seemingly unscathed - near the crashed car at about 3am yesterday.

She was released into the custody of her family and is due to appear in the Youth Court next week on charges relating to driving and taking a motor vehicle.

Police have launched an investigation into how the girl managed to take the car.

"We are reviewing our practices and procedures to make sure they were being abided by or to see whether they need changing in any way," Inspector Steve Bullock said.

The officer concerned had not been stood down, he said. The car, meanwhile, was "not that flash".

The officer stopped the teenager and a friend after he saw them riding a bicycle on a Rotorua footpath in the early hours of the morning. As he caught one girl, the other got into the patrol car and drove off.

Constable Kevin Raynes, of Kawerau police, said officers began following the driver, but backed off because of wet conditions. They picked up the chase again and found the car "absolutely totalled" in Rotoma.

Mr Bullock said the girl was lucky not to have been injured. "From what I understand ... we are not likely to get the car back into use again."

I thought the police took their car keys out of the ignition when they got out of their cars.... I guess not huh !!!!!!!!!!

[placidfemme]

lol bet they will remove the keys from now on though...

[slinky]

thats funny!!

[Indiana_Jones]

wtf, she got let out?!

dude lock her up for at least 6 years to think about it.

-Indy

[Guitana]

They should stick her in a small dark cell in Arohata prison with a butch Dyke called Lizzie the Lezzie.That would give her something to think about for the next few years!!!!!!!

[hazard02]

The officer stopped the teenager and a friend after he saw them riding a bicycle on a Rotorua footpath in the early hours of the morning. As he caught one girl, the other got into the patrol car and drove off.

Under threat of being convicted of such a grave offence as this, its little wonder she went to extreme measures to escape.

Also, I'll bet she gets off with a slap on the wrist after they blame her actions on the influence of Grand Theft Auto.

[ManDownUnder]

What is it about kids in Rotovegas... too many younguns doing stupid shit. The last boy was killed... this one wasn't (thankfully)

WTF?

[davereid]

Urban legend has it that in the USA, cops are taught to take the keys out. Not because the car might get nicked, but because the crims discovered that if the police car had the keys in the ignition, rapidly backing into the patrol car would deploy the airbags, making the patrol car undriveable. Dunno if its true anyone game to test it ?

[Guitana]

Urban legend has it that in the USA, cops are taught to take the keys out. Not because the car might get nicked, but because the crims discovered that if the police car had the keys in the ignition, rapidly backing into the patrol car would deploy the airbags, making the patrol car undriveable. Dunno if its true anyone game to test it ?

Now thats the first bit of intelligent information I've heard today!!
Gets ya thinking!

[KLOWN]

Urban legend has it that in the USA, cops are taught to take the keys out. Not because the car might get nicked, but because the crims discovered that if the police car had the keys in the ignition, rapidly backing into the patrol car would deploy the airbags, making the patrol car undriveable. Dunno if its true anyone game to test it ?

on "cops" the american police show you always see cars being rammed with no air bags deploying. maybe myth or maybe they removed the airbags after the crims started doing this

[MisterD]

Dunno if its true anyone game to test it ?

Not on my scooter, no.

[sunhuntin]

Urban legend has it that in the USA, cops are taught to take the keys out. Not because the car might get nicked, but because the crims discovered that if the police car had the keys in the ignition, rapidly backing into the patrol car would deploy the airbags, making the patrol car undriveable. Dunno if its true anyone game to test it ?

not sure about airbags, but on that cop programme on tuesdays, the car got rammed and it "deployed" the bonnet, making the car undrivable! LOL. and no charges laid there either.

[Grub]

Also, I'll bet she gets off with a slap on the wrist after they blame her actions on the influence of Grand Theft Auto.

It'll certainly "... not be her fault ..." Somebody or something else will be to blame and the judge (supposedly intelligent) will buy it!

[Guitana]

I blame the parents they should be made more responsible for their kids actions.Then the domestic violence will sky rocket!! But at least the little pricks wont be able to steal cop cars cos they've got a broken arm and can't see out of one eye cos the old mans been working them over!!
The pacific islanders got it right give em the bash keep em in line cross that line and you get a broom handle in the back of the head for your troubles!!
Fuck I love P.I culture so simple yet so effective!!!

Fuck the greenies and their anti smacking campaign next thing you know the kids will be running riot!!!

[WRT]

Dont those cars have remote locking with immobilisers? By all means leave the key in the ignition but have the remote in your pocket. Then if someone nicks the car, hit the remote and they'll roll to a halt in the middle of the road, looking somewhat foolish.