A 22-year-old man from Aurora, Ontario learned the hard way that posting videos of illegal activities online is not a good idea. The man, who was active on TikTok, filmed himself street racing in various areas of Toronto, including the York neighborhood. Unbeknownst to him, the entire time he was engaging in these illegal activities, the York Regional Police were watching.
The man was eventually arrested on August 16. However, the police didn’t stop there. They took to his favorite social media platform to teach him a lesson. The police posted a 46-second video on TikTok as part of a press release on September 1st. The video showed police officers towing the suspect’s car to the impound lot. Clips from the man’s original TikTok account, showcasing his street racing escapades, were interspersed with images of officers holding his fake license plates. The suspect had believed that using fake plates would prevent him from getting caught. Some videos on his account even boasted “No plates no case.” The fake plates had the words “SMURFY” and “WILL RUN” on them, likely a reference to the car’s color. Unfortunately for the suspect, his attempt to evade justice failed.
The driver had been taunting the York Regional Police publicly on TikTok since April prior to his arrest. It is likely this audacious behavior that prompted the police’s response. The suspect has been charged with three counts of dangerous driving and stunt driving. His license has been suspended for 30 days, and his car has been impounded for two weeks. The police inform that the investigation is still ongoing.
The response to the police’s video on TikTok has been highly supportive of the law enforcement agency. The local community has shown overwhelming approval for their actions.