Last week Latvian police detained a youngster suspected of hijacking a car and causing a road traffic accident while drunk. The young man was put under arrest.
Around 03:00 a.m. on 3 June Latvian State Police received information about a road traffic accident in Liepaja, Jūras Street – a Toyota car had slammed into a wall of some building. Upon arrival, State Police Kurzeme Region Department’s officers found the driver of the car in question gone. After studying footage from video cameras in the area, police found out where the young man had gone after causing the accident. Police detained him on Raiņa Street.
Police found out that while on a stroll and drunk the young man in question spotted a Toyota parked with its engine on and no one inside.
The young man got into the driver’s seat and promptly ran the car into a wall of the building it was next to, causing damage. He then left the scene.
Police commenced an administrative violation case for causing a road traffic accident and leaving the scene of a traffic accident without informing authorities. Police also commenced a criminal procedure for theft of a car and driving a car while inebriated and without a driver’s licence. Breath test revealed the young man had 2.34 permilles of alcohol in his system.
The young man already has a criminal record – various property-related crimes. On Saturday, 4 June, officials of Latvian State Police Kurzeme Region’s Criminal Police Office requested a court of law to put the young man under arrest.
According to the Criminal Law, theft of a vehicle is punishable with a five-year prison sentence, short-term deprivation of freedom with probation period, community service or a fine with or without confiscation of property.