04.11.2025

Scissor lift rampage

Four men were filmed driving a Rough Terrain scissor lift through the streets of Cork in Ireland on Sunday night.

The incident occurred around 20:30 when the lift, a Genie 5390 from the Height for Hire rental fleet, was stolen from St Patrick’s Quay and driven at full speed into a number of bollards before heading onto the open road and Grand Parade.

Gardaí finally stopped the machine at a roadblock on the South Gate Bridge as they tried to cross the river. They arrested two men aged 20 and 31 for causing criminal damage and were taken in for questioning. The others have got away, at least for now, however their fingerprints are all over the platform.

No injuries were reported in an incident that lasted around 15 minutes from start to finish.

A Gardai (Police) statement said: "An unauthorised taking of a utility vehicle at St Patrick’s Quay" occurred at approximately 8.30pm on Sunday. The vehicle was located on South Gate Bridge, Cork City and two men were arrested and detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1984 at a Garda Station in Cork City.”

The video clip below is just one of many now on social media


Vertikal Comment

With the popularity and wider use of aerial work platforms in public places, the more likely we are to see such incidents, especially when a few ‘lads’ have had a drink or two too many. It possibly highlights the importance or benefit of installing operator validation devices that require an IPAF or other card or a code to be keyed in before the machine can be started.

It could be that one of those on board was a certified operator and was showing off to his mates? In which case, he would be recorded as having started the machine.