An independent investigation into a car smash which killed two young men after a ram-raid at a garage has been dropped.

Kurt Ferrari, 17, and Glen Stevens, 25, died when their car ploughed into some railings on Tuesday after a short police chase.

The pair had smashed their way into a BP garage, in Dollis Road, Mill Hill, before driving away in a black Mazda convertible in the early hours of the morning.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC)spent 24 hours assessing what happened before referring the matter back to the Met police.

The commission said any police chase had been “brief and at a distance”.

According to investigators, police received an emergency call to reports of a ram raid burglary at the garage at about 12.25am.

Several police vehicles saw a car matching the description given by a witness driving at speed in the vicinity.

The car was later found crashed on the A1 near Apex Corner. The driver and passenger died at the scene.

The Metropolitan Police Service’s Directorate of Professional Standards launched an investigation and the IPCC sent two investigators to the scene to carry out an assessment.

Deborah Glass, IPCC Commissioner with responsibility for the Metropolitan Police area, said: “Our investigators have spent the last 24 hours carrying out an assessment of what happened. This included reviewing the CCTV, police records and initial witness accounts.

“It appears that any pursuit of the vehicle was brief and at a distance. We have therefore referred this matter back to the Metropolitan Police Service to complete its investigation into this tragic incident for HM Coroner.”