When the Italian Job goes wrong....

When the Italian Job goes wrong: Four banned from Venice for driving over pedestrian bridge

By DAILY MAIL REPORTER
Last updated at 8:18 AM on 24th February 2011

To onlookers, it might have seemed like another remake of the classic 1969 film The Italian Job, where Mini Coopers hare around Turin and hurtle down church steps.

But the car seen speeding across a pedestrian bridge in Venice in the early hours of yesterday morning was a grey Volkswagen Polo - and its occupants were breaking the law.

The Ponte della Costituzione, which was only opened in 2008, was certainly not meant for cars - but that did not deter the two Italian couples, in their twenties, who decided to take a short cut across it.

Scroll down for video of the CCTV footage (and car chase from The Italian Job film)

This bridge is meant for walking: The Polo is caught on CCTV going over the Ponte della Costituzione in Venice

After reaching the other side, the group decided to go for a stroll, unaware that their movements had been captured on CCTV.

They were arrested by police and breathalysed when they returned to their car at around 5am.

Three were found to be over the legal limit.

In their defence, they claimed that they needed to find a quick way from one side of the Grand Canal to the other, as they had to meet up with some friends.

You're nicked: Police catch the four adrenaline junkies after they return from an early morning stroll

Special: Ponte della Costituzione was the first bridge over Venice's Grand Canal in 70 years - and is still only the fourth to go over it

The city's authorities have banned all four of the adrenaline junkies from returning to Venice for three years.

Venice's chief of police, Fulvio Della Rocca, told the Daily Telegraph: 'This city is unique - it's a sort of open air museum, and people cannot be allowed to behave like this.'

The city's mayor, Giorgio Orsoni, hinted that they may erect barriers at either side of the bridge in order to prevent the stunt from happening again.

Engineers have already checked the structure for damage and were satisfied that there was nothing serious found.

The Ponte della Costituzione was the first bridge built over the Grand Canal in some 70 years and is still only its fourth.

Self-preservation: One of the three Mini Coopers zooms down some steps, interrupting a wedding in the 1969 classic film The Italian Job

This is how you do it: Scenes from The Italian Job, the classic film starring Michael Caine 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1359937/When-Italian-Job-goes-wrong-Four-banned-Venice-zooming-pedestrian-bridge.html#ixzz1EsFw4RTg