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Two 16-year-old French nationals were under arrest Saturday, May 9, 2026, after a stolen car crashed during a police pursuit on the A3 motorway near Rheinfelden. Zurich Cantonal Police said the car was stolen from a commercial garage in Volketswil during a break-in reported just before midnight Thursday. The two suspects were caught separately — one at the crash scene and one after a short foot chase at a railway station.
The chain of events began late Thursday, May 7, 2026, when Zurich Cantonal Police received a report of a break-in at a car garage in Volketswil. Officers arrived at the property and quickly determined that a motor vehicle had been stolen from the premises. The police statement did not identify the garage or the make and model of the car, and investigators did not immediately say what time the theft itself was discovered.
Because the vehicle had been taken during a burglary, an alert was circulated to police units across several cantons. The search was not limited to Zurich: the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security and local forces in neighboring regions were also brought into the operation. The vehicle was eventually spotted beyond the borders of the canton of Zurich, setting the stage for a dangerous late-night pursuit.
According to Aargau Cantonal Police, a patrol made up of Basel-Landschaft Police officers and staff from the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security spotted the stolen vehicle near the border area. Officers attempted to stop the car, but the driver refused to comply. Instead of pulling over, the driver accelerated and fled at high speed.
The resulting chase took the stolen car onto the A3 motorway in the direction of Zurich, near the town of Rheinfelden in the canton of Aargau. There, the pursuit ended in a single-vehicle crash. Police described the incident as a collision involving only the stolen car, with no second vehicle involved. The exact cause of the crash has not been disclosed, and investigators have not said whether the driver lost control or whether road or speed factors played a role.
No other road users were reported injured in the crash. But one of the two teenagers inside the vehicle suffered injuries in the impact and was taken to a hospital for evaluation after being detained by police.
Aargau Cantonal Police took the injured 16-year-old into custody at the crash site. The teen was first examined by medical staff to determine whether the injuries were serious enough to require further treatment. Police did not immediately disclose the nature of the injuries, but they were described as non-life-threatening in the context of the initial police statement.
The other occupant of the car did not stay at the scene. The teen fled on foot in the darkness after the crash, triggering a short manhunt. That search ended during the early morning hours when customs and border security staff located the second 16-year-old at Rheinfelden railway station. He was stopped and arrested without further incident.
Both suspects are French nationals. Because Swiss authorities generally do not release the names of juvenile suspects, the two teenagers were not identified publicly. As French citizens, they are also entitled to consular assistance under international agreements.
One question remains at the center of the investigation: which of the two teenagers was behind the wheel when the car was spotted by police and when it crashed. Aargau police said the driver and passenger roles are still being determined, and that this point will be a key part of the ongoing investigation.
The answer matters for legal reasons beyond the initial theft. The person driving the stolen car could face additional charges for failing to stop for police, dangerous driving, and fleeing the scene of a crash. The other teenager may also face charges related to the original burglary and theft, even if he was not the driver, depending on what investigators learn about their roles.
The Zurich Cantonal Police are leading the investigation into the original break-in and vehicle theft because the garage is located in Volketswil. The two arrested teenagers are expected to be presented to the Zurich Cantonal Prosecutor's Office, which will decide on the next procedural steps.
Under Swiss juvenile criminal law, suspects aged between 10 and 17 are generally handled through a separate justice track designed to prioritize education and social reintegration over punishment. Custodial measures are possible, but they are considered a last resort. For 16-year-olds, the focus is usually on supervision, community service, counseling, or placement in an educational facility if authorities believe it is necessary.
In this case, prosecutors will weigh the seriousness of the alleged crimes, the fact that a high-speed chase took place, and any risk that the two teenagers might reoffend or attempt to flee before the case is resolved.
The case also highlights the degree of cross-border coordination used by Swiss enforcement agencies. The patrol that first spotted the stolen vehicle was not made up of Zurich police, but of Basel-Landschaft Police and Federal Office for Customs and Border Security staff working near the German border. This kind of mixed patrol is routine in the region around Rheinfelden, a town that sits on the Rhine and borders Germany.
Stolen vehicles can be driven across the Swiss-German border in a matter of minutes from certain points, which is why customs and border security units are often involved in recovering stolen cars before they leave the country. The fact that the second suspect was arrested at Rheinfelden railway station shows how closely authorities are watching transport hubs as well as road corridors.
The incident is also likely to renew attention on the risks of police chases involving stolen vehicles. High-speed pursuits are dangerous for officers, suspects, and other road users. Swiss police are trained to assess whether continuing a chase is proportionate to the offense being investigated, especially when the suspect appears to be a juvenile.
In this case, the chase ended without involving another vehicle, but it still resulted in at least one injured suspect and a crash on a major highway. Police have not said how fast the stolen car was traveling when it crashed, nor have they stated whether officers were close behind at that moment. Those details are expected to emerge as the investigation continues.
As of Saturday morning, both teenagers remained in custody. Zurich police have not filed formal charges yet, and no court date has been announced. The next public update is likely to come after the two have been questioned and the Zurich Cantonal Prosecutor's Office decides whether to request pre-trial detention or release them with conditions.
Because the suspects are minors, court proceedings in Switzerland are usually closed to the public. The case may therefore produce few additional details unless investigators release a formal statement. For now, the key facts are clear: a garage break-in, a stolen car, a high-speed chase, a crash near Rheinfelden, and the arrest of two 16-year-olds who are suspected of carrying out the theft.
