Lithuanian Mayor Crushes Mercedes with Armored Car

Sick of illegal parking in the Lithuanian capital Vilnius, mayor Arturas Zuokas has taken radical steps to warn wrongdoers by crushing a car with an armored vehicle.

Zuokas told Agence France Presse on Wednesday that his stunt, which has made him an overnight Internet star, was a novel way to call to account those who believe they are above the law.

"The aim is to draw attention to how we behave in our city and encourage people to report road-traffic offences to the police," the 43-year-old mayor said.

In a video posted on Vilnius city hall's website, Zuokas was shown sitting atop a camouflaged armored car which rolled over a blue Mercedes parked in a cycle lane.

In the video, which also showed Zuokas riding a bicycle, the mayor said that drivers of luxury cars often chose that particular spot in the center of the capital.

An actor playing the role of the car's owner was then treated to a lecture from Zuokas, and looked appropriately sheepish.

The car was bought secondhand especially for the stunt, city hall said.

The oddball event was dreamt up with the makers of Swedish television show "99 Things You Have To Do Before You Die", due to be broadcast in October.

"Things like this show the world how creative and original Lithuanians are," he told AFP.

Former war-reporter Zuokas became mayor in April after coming top in local elections at the head of a non-partisan slate that included big names such as world champion strongman Zydrunas Savickas.

That marked a major comeback for Zuokas, a former liberal party star in the Baltic state.

He ran Vilnius from 2000 until he lost office in the 2007 polls and the following year was disgraced after being convicted and fined for attempting to bribe another local politician.