Image Credit: Metropolitan Police / The Guardian.Every once in a while, police work comes with a fringe benefit nobody puts in the job posting. That is exactly what happened in London last weekend, when a Metropolitan Police officer traded his usual patrol car for a few unforgettable minutes behind the wheel of a Ferrari Monza SP2. The catch? He wasn't cruising for fun. He was driving it straight to the police pound.The open-top Ferrari, one of only 499 ever built, had been in the country for a single day before it was seized. Its Dubai plates and nearly $5 million price tag didn't earn it a pass. The young driver behind the wheel had only a provisional license and no insurance, which, in the eyes of the law, makes even the fanciest car about as street-legal as a shopping cart.Rather than strap the supercar onto a flatbed truck like the other 89 vehicles rounded up that weekend, officers decided the Ferrari deserved a more dignified exit, reported The Guardian. So one lucky officer, sunglasses on and looking every bit the part, drove it through Mayfair and Marble Arch with a full police escort trailing behind, including the now-empty flatbed truck that had clearly lost its assignment.AdvertisementAdvertisementBystanders pulled out their phones fast enough to make the officer a minor internet celebrity. Social media users joked he must have won the honor fair and square, with one commenter picturing a game of rock-paper-scissors among his colleagues to see who got the keys. It is a fun image, and honestly, we would not blame any of them for fighting over it.A Very Expensive Weekend for Uninsured DriversImage Credit: Metropolitan Police / The Guardian.This wasn't a one-car story. The Ferrari was part of a larger weekend operation targeting uninsured and dangerous driving across Kensington, Chelsea, and Hyde Park. In total, police impounded 90 vehicles worth more than $10 million combined, including Lamborghinis, Aston Martins, McLarens, and a fleet of high-end BMWs, Mercedes, and Range Rovers.Fifteen of those cars were seized under newer police powers that allow officers to take a vehicle immediately for anti-social behavior, rather than issuing a warning first. Officials leading the crackdown said the goal was to respond to residents who are tired of reckless driving and noisy modified exhausts that turn their neighborhoods into racetracks.Given how often we hear about roaring supercars terrorizing quiet streets, it is hard to argue the effort wasn't overdue.A Joyride (Sorta)There is something almost poetic about a car worth more than most houses getting escorted through the city like royalty, only to end up parked behind a chain-link fence. It is a good reminder that insurance and a valid license matter regardless of how many zeros are on the sticker price.AdvertisementAdvertisementAs for that officer, he may not get another shot behind a Ferrari wheel anytime soon, but he certainly made the most of this one.If you want more stories like this, follow Guessing Headlights on Yahoo so you don't miss what's coming next.
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