This week London police reportedly pulled over a Lamborghini Huracan, impounded it on the basis of being uninsured despite the owner’s pleas to the contrary, and proceeded to whip it around town at double the speed limit.
A report from The Telegraph says the Lamborghini is a rental owned by City Supercars, which also hires out Ferraris, Aston Martins and other such exotics. The car was being driven by an employee of the company en route to a client delivery when it was stopped by cops who thought the car was uninsured.
Apparently the car’s insurance had just been changed, which was not reflected in the “Motor Insurance Database” the police were looking at and presumably caused the Lambo’s license plate to be flagged.
City Supercars owner Erwyn Mackee spoke to an officer on-scene over the phone, and recounted the exchange to The Telegraph:
“I emailed him the documents from the new insurer but he said that I could have Photoshopped them and that is wasn’t proof of cover, I’m going to impound the car.”
“I said I would have to be quick to Photoshop them while I was on the phone to him.”
“I told him I’m a lawyer and that you have to have overwhelming evidence that there is no insurance and I’ve sent you proof. But he didn’t believe I was a lawyer, he said I should keep my cool and started threatening the driver with arrest.”
At that point the car was taken into police custody, and shortly after that a tracking device on the Lamborghini clocked it at 47, 53 and 63 MPH in a 30 MPH zone.
The next morning Mackee and company went to recover it with “the same paperwork” they’d furnished at the incident scene and the cops released the car. Between what appears to be a B.S. confiscation and a flagrant abuse of power, it looks like City Supercars has a solid complaint against the department.
The police released a statement that was posted on CarThrottle and elsewhere saying that “this matter will be looked into to establish the exact circumstances of what took place.”
As it stands, City Supercars and the police department appear to be settling the matter cordially. The company is probably stoked, since one night of inconvenience has turned into a healthy dose of publicity for them.
You can borrow that Huracan too by the way, for about $3,500 a weekend.
Hat tip to Alex!