Police believe the driver and three passengers in a “death trap” car, which was being driven “erratically” in Kilkeel last week, are all under 18. None of them are believed to hold driving licences.
The vehicle was not insured and, due to its poor condition, it was seized immediately. Officers from the PSNI’s South Down Neighbourhood Team said they were on patrol in the town last Thursday night when they observed the car being driven “erratically” along the Greencastle Road.
They followed the vehicle into Finlieve Place, where the occupants soon realised police were present, prompting them to flee from the car. Sharing details of the incident on a Police Newry, Mourne and Down social media account, a PSNI officer confirmed that, “after a short chase” on foot, two of the occupants were detained. Police are proactively searching for the other two.
Commenting last Friday morning, the officer said: “We are following up on the other two, and they can expect a knock at their doors this weekend, or maybe next week. We believe all four occupants were under 18, none had driving licences and the car had no insurance. As well as all this, the car is in no fit state to be on a road, it is a death trap and has been seized.”
The officer added: “This was four young people running about our roads at night in a non-roadworthy vehicle, none of whom had any right to drive.”
Describing it as “a recipe for disaster,” the officer continued: “Parents, please know where your kids are, what they are up to and who they are with. The parents of these four are lucky we will be knocking their doors to speak to their children rather than tell them their child has been killed or seriously injured in a road traffic collision.”
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