Ferrari joyriders have miracle escape

12 July 2006

Wreckage of Ferrari F430 in Dartmouth Park Hill Picture by Richard Clark

TEENAGE joyriders miraculously escaped from this wrecked Ferrari with just cuts and bruises after crashing into a lamp-post at high speed.

The £121,000 car was spotted in Archway Road heading for the Archway roundabout shortly after it was reported stolen from an address in Highgate West Hill, Highgate Village, at 10.30pm on Sunday.

The car crashed outside the Highgate Mental Health unit in Dartmouth Park Hill, Highgate.

Eyewitness Richard Clark said: "The police chase ended up with the silver Ferrari losing control, hitting a lamp-post and rolling once to end up back on its wheels.

"I was just walking my dog when the Ferrari went flying past me at about 100 miles per hour and about five seconds later a police car went past. When I got to the end of the road I saw the dust settling and the car had crashed into a lamp-post. One of the guys jumped out and ran off."

Police searched for the joyriders into the night with dogs and a helicopter.

A Camden police spokesman denied that police were chasing the vehicle at the time of the crash. He said: "Police were not in pursuit at the time of collision.

"We were called to reports by a member of the public of a theft of a Ferrari motor car from Highgate West Hill.

"The vehicle was circulated as stolen and seen on the Southbound Carriageway of the A1, Archway Road before entering the Archway roundabout.

"The driver of the stolen vehicle failed to stop for police before crashing into a lamp-post. Both the driver and the passenger then fled the crash scene."

Two males youths, one aged 16 and one aged 15, appeared at Thames Youth Court on Tuesday charged with burglary and aggravated vehicle taking.