Drivers in a quiet Belgian neighbourhood confused by mysterious fines tucked under their wipers for days

Residents of Mol-Achterbos, a small Belgian district, spent several days baffled after fake parking tickets began appearing on windscreens across the area. Some confused car owners took the notes straight to their local station for answers.

Tickets can be destroyed

Officers from the Balen-Dessel-Mol zone soon posted a reassuring message online, confirming the notes carried no legal weight and could safely be binned. That announcement only deepened the mystery, leading to gossip about who was really behind the scheme. Answers arrived when parents Elke and Glen stepped forward to admit their son Mason, aged six, was the mastermind. Dressed in a toy uniform and patrolling on a go-kart converted into his own miniature squad car, the youngster had been taking his self-appointed job extremely seriously, complete with a booklet given to him by his grandmother for writing up offences.

Even grandma wasn’t spared a ticket

Elke told a local news outlet that her son wants to become a police officer and treats the role with total commitment. According to her, nobody escapes his rounds, not even close relatives, after his own grandmother received a ticket for parking incorrectly. Neighbours have been warned, half-jokingly, to mind their speed and indicators, since “Agent Frikandel”, his new nickname locally, shows little mercy.

Real police play along

Rather than scold the boy, officers invited him to visit their station once his identity became known. Once there, he toured the garage, posed on an official motorcycle and explored several vehicles used during genuine shifts. His visit ended with a ride in a squad car, sirens wailing and lights flashing, giving him a genuine taste of the job he has been imitating around his street.

Colleagues from the station have left the door open for a return visit if his passion continues, joking that such dedication at such a young age marks a promising start to any career.