He’d driven it for less than 30 minutes – then police seized his £3.7m Ferrari

A £3.7m Ferrari has been seized by the police in London as part of a major crackdown on uninsured, unlicensed and anti-social driving.

The Ferrari Monza SP2 was one of 90 vehicles worth more than £8m taken off the roads by the Metropolitan Police during a three-day operation in central London.

Officers targeted drivers around Hyde Park, Kensington and Chelsea between Friday 7 August and Sunday 9 August, with the operation involving 120 officers and support from the Motor Insurers’ Bureau.

It was the biggest operation of its kind in five years in terms of both the number and value of vehicles seized.

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This multi-million-pound Ferrari was seized after licence and insurance issues

The most eye-catching vehicle caught up in the crackdown was a Ferrari Monza SP2.

The exclusive supercar had reportedly been in the UK for just one day when officers stopped the driver.

Police said the motorist was driving without insurance and was not driving in accordance with their licence. The driver held only a provisional licence and had been behind the wheel of the Ferrari for less than 30 minutes when they were stopped.

The Monza SP2 is an exceptionally rare car, with just 499 produced by the Italian brand. One example sold at auction earlier this year for almost $5m – around £3.7m.

In other words, a single stop potentially took one of the world’s most valuable road cars off the street.

Police seized 90 vehicles this year

The Ferrari was far from the only vehicle caught in the operation.

The Met said 90 vehicles were seized during the three-day crackdown, including 15 vehicles seized under new powers targeting anti-social driving.

The powers allow police to seize vehicles being used in ways that cause alarm, distress or annoyance, meaning motorists can have their cars taken away rather than simply receiving a warning.

Police targeted a range of motoring offences and behaviour, including dangerous driving, driving without insurance and disruptive vehicle modifications.

Special chief inspector Geoff Tatman, who led the operation, said: “We regularly hear from local people who are fed up with people driving cars dangerously in the area, or with modifications which make them a nuisance to those who live nearby.

“Through operations like this, we’re arresting these drivers and seizing their cars so we can keep our roads safe and send a clear message that we won’t put up with their reckless and dangerous behaviour.”

How to avoid having your car seized

You don’t need to be driving a £3.7m supercar to risk having your vehicle seized.

One of the biggest issues highlighted during the operation was incorrect or inadequate insurance. Met officers encountered motorists whose policies listed the wrong registration or vehicle, while others did not have insurance that covered them to drive in the UK.

Angus Eaton, CEO of the Motor Insurers’ Bureau, said the crackdown showed that “the rules apply to all motorists, regardless of the value of the vehicle they chose to drive”.

He warned that while some drivers deliberately break the law, others can be caught out by “making a genuine insurance mistake”.

To reduce the risk of having your car seized, you should:

• Check you’re insured before driving.
• Make sure your policy covers the right car and has the correct registration.
• Check you’re covered for how you use your car, including commuting or business trips.
• Make sure you have the right driving licence for the vehicle.
• Check the insurance rules for UK driving if your car is foreign-registered.
• Check someone else is insured before lending them your car.
• Avoid dangerous or anti-social driving, including street racing and aggressive manoeuvres.
• Keep your car road-legal, including any modifications.
• Update your insurance details if your car or circumstances change.

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