"And I would've gotten away with it too if it weren't for the classifides." is likely the thought swirling around the mind of a 21-year-old rider in Germany after his arrest. The suspect faces up to 12 years in prison after police put together a string of clues to nab him. And by the sounds of the situation, if I were him, I'd have thought I had gotten away with it before there was a knock at my door with the blues and twos behind it.
The suspect in question fled from a police car in August 2025 through a built-up area, hitting around 87 mph. The police weren't able to apprehend the rider at the time, partly because the Kawasaki ZX-10R was being ridden with a counterfeit license plate, meaning the registered owner couldn't be identified. But the police had suspicions about who it might be.
Investigators had suspected a 21-year-old rider for a few months, based on witness statements describing the rider and the motorcycle. Fast forward eight months to April 2026, and the police spot an advertisement in the motorcycle classifieds for a Kawasaki ZX-10R matching the description of the one involved in the chase. Following target inquiries, the police located the Ninja in a garage, secured and confiscated it. And wouldn't you know it, the 21-year-old rider they suspected was the person who listed the bike for sale.
The suspect faces several charges, including a charge under Section 315d of the German Criminal Code (StGB), which regulates illegal motor vehicle racing. In this case, probably paragraph 3: "(...) as a motor vehicle driver, traveling at an inappropriate speed and in a grossly negligent and reckless manner in order to achieve the highest possible speed." This carries a potential prison sentence of up to two years or a fine. Along with this, the forged license plate constitutes forgery of documents under Section 267 of the German Criminal Code (StGB). According to paragraph 1, this offense is punishable by up to five years in prison or a fine.
Finally, the rider may be charged with violation of Section 315c of the German Criminal Code (StGB): endangering road traffic. If the life and limb of other people were endangered in this context, a prison sentence of five years is also possible. If the rider is found guilty of all three charges and punished to the fullest degree, they'll face up to 12 years in prison. But at a minimum, they're facing a revoked driver's license and the confiscation of their motorcycle.
