The Queenstown crashed car that nobody can touch

A crashed BMW is trapped in an expensive Queenstown suburban paddock after being rendered untouchable by a legal loophole.

Police have told Crux that the car crashed through a fence in Dalefield and was abandoned between November 7 and 11 last year (2024).

A neighbour told Crux today that locals believe the driver may have been drunk and fled to Australia immediately after the crash.

The problem is that the car itself is still private property, apparently without insurance, sitting on private land.

The landowner can't touch it or remove it because it is not his property.

The Queenstown Lakes District Council has confirmed that as the vehicle is on private property they can't move it.

They do admit that its something that their Regulatory Team will take a look at but their view was that this was a police matter.

Police issued the following statement:

"Police received a report of a car that had crashed through a fence and was abandoned in a paddock on Dalefield Road, between Thursday 7 and Monday 11 November.

"Police conducted enquiries in an attempt to identify the driver however there were no further lines of enquiry and the case has since been closed."

"Regarding the removal of the vehicle this is a civil matter."

It will be interesting to see how long the car stays there.