5-Year-Old Who Stole Parents' Car Gets Rewarded With Lamborghini Ride
A 5-year-old Utah boy who police caught driving his family’s SUV this week may have discovered that crime does pay.
That’s because an adult who heard how Adrian Zamarripa stole the keys to his family’s Dodge Journey, then started off to California to buy a Lamborghini, decided to give the kid a taste of supercar life with a ride around the neighborhood.
Jeremy Neves, a local businessman, said he reached out to the Zamarripa family after the story of the kid’s automotive exploit went viral.
“I’m absolutely inspired by the principles that he displayed of success ― knowing what he wants, going after it,” Neves told local station KSL-TV.
Neves insisted he doesn’t approve of Adrian’s actions (though it kinda seems like he does).
“Absolutely, I’m not encouraging kids to go out and take their parents’ car, and do anything else that’s illegal,” he said. “I’m not advocating that at all.”
Clips of the Lamborghini joyride show Adrian, sitting on someone else’s lap without a seatbelt, driving around the block with Neves behind the wheel of his dream car.
“This car’s fast,” the kid exclaims.
Okay... I couldn't wait. Here's a little teaser. "This car's fast! My Lamborghini's fast!" 😄 @KSL5TV pic.twitter.com/4QnfirpUQF
— Mike Anderson (@mikeandersonKSL) May 5, 2020
The Utah Highway Patrol said it won’t cite anyone for Adrian’s motoring on Monday, according to Fox13Now.com. Police said they stopped the SUV after noticing it swerving on an interstate. Adrian said he was on his way to California to buy a Lamborghini because his parents refused to get him one.
Adrian’s sister, Sidney, told CNN that her little brother has been grounded for the caper and his chore list has gotten bigger.
Neves sympathized with the little boy’s self-inflicted plight.
“I thought it would be really cool to say, ‘Your dreams aren’t as far away as you think they are,’” he told the Deseret News.
But many people on Twitter thought that was exactly the wrong message for the kid.
Thank you!!!! 5 yo steals a car...let’s take him on a joyride in a sports car without a car seat. 🤦🏽♀️
Normally I’d say he didn’t know better. But he knew enough to head to the dealership & to pull over when the cops busted him. This is crazy.— Tamarra The Aries (@T_monster) May 6, 2020
Kid risks his own and many others' lives. News rewards him. Not shocking.
— J. Walter Weatherman (@ReddRightHand) May 6, 2020
This disgusts me... everything about it. Ksl for airing it, this guy for facilitating the ride (for views I’m sure) but, most of all this kids parents. I hope he turns out to be a great kid but, if he doesn’t, reflect back to this whole situation.
— Crimson Carl (@801FuNk801) May 6, 2020
Good way to teach him not to act out again pic.twitter.com/dCWWqalAGs
— Fire Larry Scott (@Utesince84) May 5, 2020
I get both sides of this... he’s a cute kid, but the weightier side of this is that he did something illegal and dangerous - and is now being rewarded for it with positive attention. That’s about the last thing I’d want to do to a five year old. It could be very confusing.
— 𝙽𝚊𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚊𝚎𝚕 𝙳𝚊𝚟𝚎𝚗𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝 (@ntsdavenport) May 6, 2020
Also on HuffPost
Love HuffPost? Become a founding member of HuffPost Plus today.
This article originally appeared on HuffPost.