Clown Fish Orange Car Shows Color Can Be A Criminal’s Biggest Mistake

Authorities say the BMW M5 driver sped away at over 100 mph but was easy to locate afterwards

Movies sometimes place flashy, high-end cars in chase scenes, but there’s a problem with that: rolling around in something rare and bright makes it easy to track. The California Highway Patrol has just proved that. It chased an alleged speeder, lost them, and then found them a day later. And they managed it in large part because the car in question didn’t exactly blend in.

In fact, the Modesto department called the driver out on Instagram, saying “It Kinda Stands Out.” It’s speaking specifically of the car in question, an orange BMW M5. And we’re not talking burnt orange, or some sort of dark orange and black combination. We’re talking Clown Fish orange.

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According to authorities, the driver of this clown car evaded a pursuit at speeds of over 100 mph. They managed that by using the right shoulder of SR-99, but their success was short-lived. The very next day, officers identified the car, obtained a warrant, and seized it. Now, it’s sitting in an impound lot, and the owner is in for a hefty bill.

This isn’t some simple one-time fee to get the car out of the impound lot either. According to Modbee.com, drivers could pay anywhere from $39-$65 a day for their impounded car. In a best case scenario, that means a bill of $1,170 before we talk about additional fees. On the high end, it’s $1,950.

In a world filled with dangerous police chases that sometimes go horribly, it’s cool to see a different tactic work so well. No doubt, this strategy won’t be effective on every car. After all, a gray Honda Civic doesn’t stand out at all, but the detective work that went into this result is worthy of commendation. 

Credit: CHP Modesto