Street racers feel the heat

[aniken]

Street racers feel the heat

By LARISSA CUMMINGS

March 16, 2004

A CO-ORDINATED series of raids involving 45 police officers has put the brakes on Sydney's illegal street-racing scene.

Guided by police helicopter Polair, officers from Flemington Highway Patrol and more than 20 area commands swooped on the hoons in the early hours of yesterday morning.

The raids were carried out in Fairfield, Padstow, South Strathfield, Homebush, Yennora and Bankstown.

The racers, who had come from across the city after receiving text messages and mobile phone calls, found themselves surrounded by police and sniffer dogs.

The hotted-up cars, including Fords, Commodores, Nissans and a BMW, were searched, seized and towed away in a 12-hour operation.

The 13 seized vehicles will be impounded for three months and the owners will face $1000 storage and towing bills on top of the instant $500 fines they received for doing burn-outs.

Police warned youths who get their kicks from doing burn-outs and drag racing in industrial areas across Sydney that more operations were to come.

"What many people do not realise is that, for a second offence, the vehicle may be forfeited to the Crown," said Superintendent Allan Wilson, of Flemington Police.

Mr Wilson said parents could lose their vehicles if their children were caught twice, and also warned of the dangers involved.

"When they do burn-outs and the car starts spinning its wheels, the spectators were pushing the rear of the vehicle to start it spinning – it's a very dangerous situation," he said.

In Sunday night's operation, which was run under the auspices of Operation Viking, police tracked and trapped two large groups of cars by blocking Nelson Ave, Padstow and Lisbon St, Fairfield between midnight and 2am.

Police issued 54 defect notices on vehicles ranging from an old Toyota van to a brand new BMW.

Three people were arrested for drink-driving, driving while disqualified and dangerous driving.

Police also issued 35 traffic infringements and 26 field court attendance notices.

More than 60 cars were methodically inspected for defects.

Common defects found were bald tyres resulting from burn-outs, lowered car bodies and altered exhaust systems.

Several of the drivers caught in Padstow were issued with field court attendance notices for trespassing after they tried to hide their vehicles on the premises of a nearby factory.

Sunday night street-racing meets had become a regular headache for police, with noise complaints from residents and the constant threat of reckless drivers racing at high speeds on suburban streets.

However, the racers said they only met in industrial areas late at night to minimise the risks.

"If Eastern Creek was open more often, we wouldn't have to come here," Sam Salah, 22, said.

Mr Salah's Nissan Skyline was confiscated by police yesterday morning, along with his friend Eddie Semerci's BMW M3.

They estimate each car to be worth more than $70,000.

"It becomes a hobby," said Sam. "Some people do up houses, we spend time and money on cars."

The Daily Telegraph

This report was published at www.dailytelegraph.com.au

[Guest]

Good is all I can say,bloody hoons!

vik

[OwnaXR6T]

I think confiscating of cars is way out of line. Oh my god not noise complaints we should jail them for life!! Why dont the police spend money on more in portant issues such as Drug dealing in the Cross and things that really harm lives. Not kids doing burnouts in industrial zones!!

[Redhawk]

The guy say's Eastern Creek should be open more.

If it was they would come up with a myrad of excuses why they won't use it.

Cops are stickering the cars, cost too much, too many rules etc; etc;

Confiscating cars is too much, they should give them scrubbing brushes and make them clean off the black marks they leave all over the roads, that'll fix 'em. :lol:

[plonky]

Good !!

It's about time that our upper management did something about this stuff

After all, more people die from car crashes than they do from bouncing cheques

[ktford]

Long live burnouts, big brother sucks, long live burnouts, do a skid mate.

As much as I love a skid I wouldn't in a millon years lift or even touch someone elses car whilst it's in gear. That's f*cking insane & I'm addamant that a static skid hurts no one or anything for that matter. If you come on here & just say no to skids then you are a KNOB

Scotty

[ducatijb]

Unless your early to Eastern Creek it is pretty hard to get a run Probably should have more meets at this 1st class facility

I don't condone street racing in industrial areas but unless caught doing something totally off the top,confiscating cars seems a bit ripe

[plonky]

Valid points

I like burnouts, drag racing etc

However, these organised street races are the same crowd that are involved in vehicle theft/rebirthing, ramraids, drug dealing, gang violence etc

The philosophy is 'cognitive consistency' - bad people do bad things.

The modified cars they have are the products of their nefarious activity and as such they should be confiscated and the proceeds sold off the the Crown. This is only done though, after a Magistrate orders it.

The aim is though, to use the legislation as it was designed to. Crims commit crime for greed and profit. These crooks aim to have the fastest 'fulysik' street weapon they can find. That is their aim so by attacking the end result of their ventures, as well as breaking up their potential customers/victims the philosophy of cognitive consistency is put to practice and works.

Think of it like a business..you want to disrupt the competition so you interrupt his delivery line/customer line/supply line.

Starve them out of business.

[Velvet Glove]

Confiscating cars has long been a part of the law with respect to this type of driving. Very easy way to avoid having your car confiscated, dont drive it like a clown. The people who had their cars taken would have been warned once before yet they chose to ignore it. They should be happy that they still haven't legislated to make stupidity an offence.

Fast and the Furious is a movie, not reality. There's no 1/2 naked Latino honeys at these things, just Habib and his moustachioed sista! Maybe one day people will get the message that public streets, no matter where they are, are not dragways or burnout plates. There's plenty of places to do this stuff with all their half-witted mates legally

[ducatijb]

Just curious but how hard would it be for the police to victimise you and claim you were street racing and confiscate your car???