Brisbane, site of Monday's two-hour car chase, seen from the air.
Brisbane, site of Monday's two-hour car chase, seen from the air. Reuters

Eight Australian teenagers pulled off a criminal stunt earlier this week worthy of only one moniker: real life GTA. Although there is no indication the teens were inspired by games like GTA 4, the randomness and driving style, as seen in news helicopter footage of the two-hour car chase, will seem familiar to many a gamer.

A car chase that lasted for two hours and ranged across Brisbane and Ipswich in Queensland, Australia, on Monday screeched to a halt at a shopping center in the city's suburbs when police stopped the two cars, a BMW X5 and a BMW Z4, and all seven teenagers, ranging in age from 13 to 19 are facing criminal charges, according to the Herald Sun.

The main defendant, William Joel Noel Compton, 17, will plead guilty to more than 10 criminal charges, including four counts of failing to stop a motor vehicle for police, and counts of disqualified driving, unlawful use of a motor vehicle and entering a premises to commit an offense, the Brisbane Times reported Wednesday. Compton is also being charged with multiple counts of burglary, including the theft of the keys to the two BMWs used in the car chase.

Compton and his compatriots allegedly got high huffing paint fumes and then took the two BMWs, a white X5 and a black Z4, for a joy ride. The car chase lasted for two hours, and was caught on camera by a local TV station in footage reminiscent of the O.J. Simpson car chase.

According to that TV report, the BMW X5 was even able to elude stingers placed in the road to puncture its tires, although a report by the Brisbane Times says that road spikes may have eventually been used to stop the BMW Z4.