18-year-old loses BMW after being caught driving without a licence three times

Romania’s Cluj Court of Appeal confiscated an 18-year-old’s BMW after he was caught driving without a licence three times. The court described his conduct as “exceptional criminal persistence,” and its decision is final.

The young man bought a BMW 5 Series but did not hold a driving licence. On July 30, 2025, police stopped him while he was driving with four other people in the car. A criminal case and penalties did not stop him from driving again. On August 2, he covered about 100 kilometers with two passengers before receiving further sanctions.

Police spotted him again on Nov. 8, 2025, on DJ 151 in Sigmir. When officers used their lights and siren to order him to stop, he accelerated and led them on a chase lasting about two kilometers. He drove at high speed and overtook across a solid line before abandoning the BMW and running away.

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exceptional criminal persistence

The court said he endangered other drivers, pedestrians, police officers and himself, with “only chance” preventing an accident. The car had an expired technical inspection and no valid compulsory insurance. Alcohol and drug tests were negative.

A lower court had imposed a combined sentence of one year and eight months suspended and rejected the confiscation request. After a prosecution appeal, the Court of Appeal confiscated the car and increased the sentence to one year, nine months and 10 days, while maintaining the suspension. The judges cited the dangerous social phenomenon of young thrill-seekers using powerful cars to assert themselves and defy the law. The BMW, a 2.5-liter 5 Series E60 with 177 horsepower, had been valued at 29,097 lei.

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only chance