Mr.Cookie

Hi Guy's

Gonna try and make this as short as possible a friend of mine passed his driving test on monday just gone, on wednesday his car was stolen but recoverd alas no wheels or stereo which i'd just put in the week before.

When he recieved phone call from police to say it had been recovered he went straight over to it, it was parked up on bricks in a safe position in a little close.
Anyway police said they were moving it because they did'nt want the rain to wash away prints, so a tow company came out and removed it to a safe location.
His insurance was only third party no fire and theft (not sure why im asuming cost) anyway he spoke to insurance compay and as he could'nt make a claim they said to cancel the policy and gave him all the money back.
On saturday a bill arrived from tow company for around £250 which he's been told he has to pay both by the tow company and by police.

My thought on this are that the police wanted it removed as it was evidence and therefore needed to be moved, so it should be down to them to pay it IIRC we all pay into a pot when we get insurance that covers events where third parties have no insurance etc..

Also two of the little S**T'S have been caught both are around the 16 yo area so a private procecution seems pointless or am i being silly here.

Once again thanks for reading through that little lot and any advice very welcomed

Thanks
Simon

Stuart H

Hi Si

In a case like this where the vehicles owner cannot arrange for it to be removed the Police will call out a rota garage who do the honours. Was it removed to a police compound or just a garage?

The two little sh*ts will hopefully be charged, however you know as well as I do, what the justice system does after that point is anyones guess.

The purpose of the Motor Insurers Bureau is to provide compensation where someone is unable to pursue a claim against another following an accident because the other party is:<UL TYPE=SQUARE>

<LI>Not insured
<LI>Not known/traceable
<LI>Insured by a company who have gone into liquidation
</UL>

However, they generally do not pay out in cases where you are a victim of a deliberate criminal act.

If theres anything else e-mail me offline.

Cheers

S

[This message has been edited by Stuart H (edited 26 November 2000).]

Mr.Cookie

Cheers Stuart

I think you just confirmed my worst fears that there's bugger all that the poor lad can do

Si

Mr.Cookie

Cheers Guys

I'll be going to citizens advice with him today and then off to possibly pick car up and see what sort of damage the little sh*ts and tow company did as it needed to be lifted.

Si

Ps Barge similar thing happened to me on way to work once wheelbearing colapsed (i know how you felt Mr Burns) and lft the car imposible to move and in quite a dangerous position, got into work phoned RAC and police, police turned up first but luckly officer was quite friendly and waited about 10 minutes before calling there guys to to it just so happens it was the same company RAC where going to use

robski

Stuart,

I thought they were only allowed to move it if it was in a hazardous position?

There have been loads of cars left round my way for a month. Police said they couldnt move them for 1 month as they wernt a risk to anyone. Usual stuff police aware signs, then they gradually got dismantled by the local youths!

If this car wasnt in a dangerous position, I cant see how they were allowed to move it?

robski

barge

If your mate is a member of the AA they may be able to recover some or all of the costs of the car being moved.

I had a big pile up some years ago, PC Plog got my car towed to my house buy their favorite to truck I then had to fork out, i call the AA and they said I should have told PC Plog I was a member and that they would move it, The AA then contacted the tow company and I got all but about £10 back.


Barge.

Stuart H

robski,

Because it's technically classed as a crime scene it can be removed. It also helps that the owner was present.

Vehicles <I>without</I> owners present/contactable cannot be removed until notices detailing their removal have been in situe for 1 month (unless its causing an obstruction)

[This message has been edited by Stuart H (edited 27 November 2000).]

Yex

Simon,

Sorry to hear about the guy's car, perhaps the local officers can give you their address. You and your friend could then both see if their parents warrant a visit to enlighten them about what their little darlings get up to when not in bed.

Stuart,

Interesting about the tow away policy...I'm assuming it should be a little more urgent when a car is abandoned at the side of a main road. The A13 near me has several cars left pushed onto a very small hard shoulder for 2-3 weeks sometimes. The local "scum bridgade" then strip off what they want until the car is removed. In the mean time the abandoned car is left in quite a dangerous place.

Yex

robski

Stuart,

surely then the police should pay for this?

Ive heard rumours of "back handers" to police forces for using certain tow truck firms, as a bonus for getting them work? This was from an AA man, and related to motorways rather than other roads.

Mr cookie, did they give the car straight back?
If not, he could send them a bill for hire, of say an amount equal to the cost of the tow truck? Unlawful seizure of goods, or something like that!?

robski

mattski

sorry to hear all that

I think the best thing to do is pay 'big ron' 50 quid and get him to give them a visit...

I know the law is the law but what sort of state is the country in when 16 year old kids (and younger) go around nicking cars?

Without doing the 'when I was 16' thing, we just didn't do that! All we where interested in is the odd bottle of cider and staying out late...and women

buddy

Totally agree scum bags should be strewn up and slowly tortured