Crime Dutch tourist arrested for drifting at Utsunomiya museum car park

Probably obsessed with "The Fast and the Furious": a Dutch tourist was arrested for drifting in the Oya History Museum car park in Utsunomiya. He refused to cooperate with the police.

Drifting is prohibited on public roads and on private property without the owner's permission. If damage is caused, offenders may face not only traffic violations but also criminal investigation for property damage. Under Japanese law, property damage does not necessarily require permanent destruction. A criminal offence may also be established if the use or appearance of property is significantly impaired.


Tyre marks left on asphalt surfaces can result in substantial repair costs, as affected areas often need to be cleaned, resealed or partially resurfaced. Police across Japan have been cracking down on illegal drifting for years. Remote car parks and lightly used roads, in particular, are repeatedly targeted for such driving manoeuvres.

Roy Witte, a Dutch national, is suspected of driving in a drifting manner in the museum parking lot on June 15, leaving tire marks on the asphalt and dirtying the road surface. "The tire marks are darker than usual," the museum director said. "If we have to repair this, I think it will cost quite a lot." According to police, Witte had come to Japan for tourism and is believed to have visited the site in a rental car before carrying out the drift driving.

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