A 12-year-old boy in southern China, identified by local media as Luo, was caught driving a stolen car for six hours on a busy motorway before attempting to deceive authorities by claiming he had dwarfism. The incident occurred on June 15, 2026, when Luo stole his neighbor's vehicle and drove it for approximately six hours before being stopped at a toll booth.
Toll Booth Encounter
When Luo reached the toll booth, he had no cash to pay the fee, prompting staff to approach his vehicle. Upon closer inspection, booth workers noticed the driver appeared unusually young and began questioning him. In response, Luo boldly asserted that he was an adult and attributed his short stature to dwarfism, according to Chinese news outlet SOHU and other reports.
Officials saw through his brazen attempt and called the police. When officers arrived, they discovered that Luo did not possess a driver's license. He told police that he was driving to his grandmother's house, claimed the car belonged to his aunt, and admitted he had never driven before but was learning on the go.
Stolen Vehicle and Investigation
Further investigation revealed that Luo had actually stolen the car from his neighbor. He had reportedly learned to drive in secret with a couple of friends back home. The neighbor was unaware of the theft until police contacted them. Despite the seriousness of the situation, no formal punishment was given to Luo or his father. However, police emphasized the dangers of the reckless escapade and criticized the father for poor supervision.
Police informed the father that he could be held civilly responsible for any damages and ordered him to improve parenting, supervise the child better, and teach traffic safety at home.
Official Statement
In a statement, a Chinese Transport Management spokesperson said: "Traffic safety education for minors is an important part of family education and social safety governance. Parents must earnestly fulfil their guardianship responsibilities, strengthen daily supervision and traffic safety education for their children, properly keep vehicle keys, and strictly prohibit minors from driving without permission or a license."
