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Stephen Chen

A group of children led by a 10-year-old boy found the ignition keys to more than 30 brand new electric cars which they proceeded to drive around a parking lot in southwest China as if they were dodgems.
All of the cars were damaged, ranging from small scratches to major damage, with the total cost of repairs exceeding 200,000 yuan (US$31,000), according to the car sales company in Chongqing that owned the vehicles, Thepaper.cn reported on Wednesday.
They had been stored in the underground car park of a residential compound.
Chinese car thief dies in crash 10 minutes after taking vehicle at knifepoint
A municipal police department spokesperson told the news outlet that the children were lucky no one was injured.
The company was negotiating with the children’s parents to work out compensation for the damage, the police said.
Officers began investigating after the company reported the damage, and found the ringleader, the report said.
The boy told police that he had learned the basics of driving by watching adults behind the wheel. He had discovered that some of the new cars in the parking lot were unlocked and the keys were stored under the steering wheel so he decided to take one for a brief test drive.
He then returned to the car park with more friends of a similar age, taught them to drive and they began bumping into each other for fun, according to the report.
Beijing’s smog ignites rush for electric cars which are not barred from hitting the road on ‘red alert’ pollution days
This continued for days until the damage was discovered by the car company.
The children told police that they regretted their behaviour, according to the report.


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China society

Children drive 30 new electric cars around parking lot like dodgems in China

One of the electric vehicles damaged by the children when they used them as bumper cars at a parking lot in Chongqing. Photo: Tech.sina.com.cn

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China

People & Culture

Group helped themselves to the keys and caused over US$31,000 in damage


Children in China

Children drive 30 new electric cars around parking lot like dodgems in China

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Group helped themselves to the keys and caused over US$31,000 in damage

Group helped themselves to the keys and caused over US$31,000 in damage