A Lithuanian man drove through barriers at a closed border checkpoint with Russia and briefly crossed the state border on foot last month before being detained, authorities said Friday.
The incident occurred in the morning of July 22, at about 10:50, at the Nida border checkpoint, which has been closed to regular traffic, according to Lina Laurinaitytė, head of the State Border Guard Service’s communications department.
Border guards monitoring surveillance cameras saw the driver of an Audi A5 Sportback move a protective fence, return to his vehicle and ram through lifting barriers. The driver then manoeuvred around anti-vehicle concrete fortifications known as “dragon’s teeth”, stopped the car and crossed into Russia on foot.
About five minutes later, at approximately 10:55, the man returned to the vehicle and drove away from the checkpoint area. He was soon stopped and detained by Neringa border guard officers.
Authorities identified the suspect as T. A., a 40-year-old Lithuanian citizen from the Vilnius district. Tests showed he was sober and not under the influence of narcotic or psychotropic substances.
