A 12-year-old boy in China allegedly stole his neighbour’s car and drove along an expressway for more than six hours before being stopped by authorities, later claiming he was an adult with dwarfism in an attempt to avoid suspicion.
The unusual incident took place on Jun. 15 at the Gaotian toll station along the G65 Baotou-Maoming Expressway in Guangxi, China.
According to Chinese media reports, the boy, surnamed Luo, attracted attention when he was unable to pay the toll fee at the station.
His youthful appearance immediately raised concerns among toll booth staff, who alerted the police.
Subsequent investigations revealed that he was only 12 years old and had been driving without a licence.
Claimed He Was A 22-Year-Old Adult With Dwarfism
When questioned by police officers, Luo initially insisted that he was 22 years old and suffered from dwarfism.
He also falsely claimed that the vehicle belonged to his aunt and that he was simply travelling to visit his grandmother.
However, authorities quickly discovered inconsistencies in his story.
After contacting both his father and the vehicle’s owner, police confirmed that the car actually belonged to the family’s neighbour.
In an even more surprising twist, the neighbour was unaware the car had been stolen and only found out after receiving a call from the police.
Secretly Learnt How To Drive With Friends
During further questioning, Luo eventually admitted that he had secretly learnt how to drive with a group of friends.
His father told authorities that he had no idea his son knew how to operate a vehicle, especially since their family did not own a car.
Investigations revealed that Luo had taken his neighbour’s car keys early that morning before driving off on his own.
He reportedly entered the expressway at around 4:45am and remained on the road for more than six hours before being intercepted.
Parents Ordered To Discipline Him
As Luo is under the age of 14, authorities did not pursue criminal charges against him.
Instead, police issued him a stern warning and instructed his parents to strengthen supervision and discipline him appropriately.
The case has since drawn widespread attention online, with many expressing shock that a 12-year-old was able to secretly learn how to drive and navigate a major expressway for several hours without being detected earlier.
Authorities also reminded parents to closely monitor their children’s activities and ensure vehicle keys are kept securely out of reach.