A Holden Commodore was impounded and an expectant father is awaiting charges after police allegedly found him doing burnouts in a cloud of blue smoke as part of a gender reveal party.
Police were inundated with calls about a hoon doing burnouts on Frankston Gardens Drive at Carrum Downs about 2pm on Saturday, with an audience of about 20 people gathered to watch the Commodore’s tyres kick up blue smoke.
A baby gender reveal burnout done in a suburban street, south of Brisbane in 2021.Credit: Queensland Police Service
Senior Sergeant Phil Hulley said officers got down to the area quickly and were able to see the smoke.
The alleged driver confessed he was the father of the unborn child being celebrated — apparently, a boy.
“It’s rather gobsmacking, really, and very fortunate members of the public called it through,” Hulley told 3AW Breakfast on Tuesday.
“We’ve obviously got an ongoing investigation because there may be other people involved and engaging in similar behaviour prior to the blue smoke going up in the air.
“It’s like something with the Pope, really, isn’t it? The blue smoke coming up.”
Gender reveals are popular on YouTube, where videos are uploaded of people revealing the gender of their child. In this screengrab, a YouTuber reveals the gender of their child as a boy while doing a burnout using blue smoke.Credit: YouTube/BIGOCHUBS
Police were able to track down dashcam footage of the celebration and CCTV from surrounding factories showing the “ridiculous” behaviour, Hulley said.
“You can see people, young children, at this event, and one would think this car would only have to spin out of control and could have the potential of seriously injuring or killing people,” he said.
“Not a great start for a young man about to have a child.”
Police said they would not be releasing any vision of the incident as the dashcam and CCTV footage were part of their investigation and expected charges before the court.
The alleged 29-year-old driver of the Commodore, from Frankston North, had his car impounded at a cost of $1120.50, Victoria Police said.
He was expected to be charged on summons with traffic offences.
Hulley said burnout gender reveals were becoming more common.
Packages of pink and blue powder are inexpensive online, with some retailers offering tyre sticker strips or burnout bags that emit pink or blue smoke from $10 to upwards of $45.
Pink and blue tyres that release coloured smoke are also sold, and can cost about $200 each.
Our Breaking News Alert will notify you of significant breaking news when it happens. Get it here.