Behind the Wheel of a Stolen Car: 12-Year-Old Speeding Driver Caught

• The vehicle owner receives a fine of Rs 5,000

• His Toyota Corolla was driving at 97 km/h in a zone limited to 80 km/h.

After the theft of his vehicle, which was used in a hit-and-run by a 12-year-old minor, the owner must face a speeding ticket. He is also dealing with challenges regarding his insurance.

On Sunday, November 30, a 12-year-old boy, Jeremie (a pseudonym), who is not in school, stole a Toyota Corolla shortly after 8 AM from a parking lot of a store located in La Louise, Quatre Bornes. This theft triggered a series of complications for the vehicle's owner.

On the same day, at 9:43 AM, according to a "Photographic Enforcement Device Notice," the car was caught speeding at 97 km/h on the Montbello Motorway, M1-08, in a zone limited to 80 km/h. This violation of Article 124 of the Road Traffic Act resulted in a fine notice of Rs 5,000 for the owner.

"I'm in deep trouble; I don't know how to handle this," complains the owner to Defi Quotidien. From the Central Police Station, they explain that there is already a police record for this case, as the car was reported stolen at the time of the incident.

In addition to this speeding ticket, the owner is facing challenges with his insurance regarding compensation for the repairs of his damaged car.

"I don't know what to do anymore, the car is in the garage, and they told me I need to pay extra for insurance since the car is badly damaged," he explains.

Indeed, after stealing the vehicle, the child drove recklessly through the streets of Rose-Hill. At the intersection of Avenue La Place and Gladstone, failing to stop at the mandatory stop line, he collided with another car that was on the priority road.

The car, which had three occupants, was damaged on the left side. Two of the three passengers, a mother and her son, were injured in this collision. The child then reversed and fled in the vehicle before being intercepted by a police patrol in the streets of Beau-Bassin.

Since last Friday, the minor has been placed in a shelter by the Child Development Unit (CDU). His adoptive mother hopes that upon his release, he will be reformed and disciplined. "If he goes out and steals a car again, he could hurt someone, and that will always weigh on my conscience. We told him, 'be a good boy, we put you here for your safety,'" she confides.