Covid rule-breaker found travelling in car boot 160 miles from home
21 January 2021, 19:18 | Updated: 21 January 2021, 19:20
Covid rule-breaker found in boot of car 160 miles from home
This is the moment a coronavirus rule-breaker was caught by police travelling in the boot of his friend's car on a 320-mile round trip.
In a video shared by North Yorkshire Police, officers apprehended a group of five males near Northallerton who had broken Covid-19 lockdown rules.
Police stopped the vehicle on 15 January after realising it had no MOT certificate or tax.
After pulling the Audi over, officers spoke to the group before asking to see inside the boot of the car, where, to one policeman's surprise, he found a sixth friend hiding.
In the footage, one officer is heard asking: "What is in the back here, owt or nowt?"
"Nothing," one of the group replied.
However, upon opening the back door the policeman found the man lying down awkwardly in the cramped space.
He then said: "Oh, hello, jump out my friend."
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None of the group - who all received fixed penalty notices before being turned around - were willing to explain to the officers why they had travelled 160 miles from home.
Current lockdown rules only permit people to leave the house for essential purposes, such as food shopping, visiting the doctors and escaping danger.
When leaving home, people have been told by the government to keep any exercise or shopping local.
It was later revealed after further police checks that one of the friends was wanted for indecent exposure and for failing to attend court. He was then arrested and the vehicle was seized.
A spokesman for North Yorkshire Police said: "Thank you to everyone who continues to stay home, stay local and stay safe.
"And, if your journey is essential, please travel carefully and not in the boot."
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