Hi this is my first post so sorry it's a bit of a gloomy one. My beloved old car, a blue Vauxhall Belmont (real rarity by all accounts) was stolen from Radlett Avenue Friday night/Saturday morning. Police tell me it probably will not have gone far so this is just a plea to anyone who notices it near where they live to please let me or police know! Easy to remember registration: ends in COD.
Been living in Sydenham since '99 and this is first criminal activity I've experienced.
Thanking you in advance for your vigilance.
Stolen car
Yep - its a bit of a shock when it happens. I have lived in Sydenham for over 20 years and we have had one car stolen which is probably fair going for inner London.
I just hope they don't dump it in Croydon!
We lost our car for two months. Eventually we received a fine from Croydon for parking on the pavement. No location and all Croydon's automated fining system wanted to do was take my money. Eventually (because I know how their switchboards work) I hacked through and found a real person who could tell me where it was. By the time I got there Croydon traffic gestapo had put a second ticket on what was a relatively new car obviously abandoned for two months on an empty pavement next to an empty road which had no parking restrictions!
Croydon had to check with DVLCC to find the address to fine and the record they got indicated 'police interest' the code for stolen vehicle. When challenged they claimed it wasn't their job to tell the police they knew where it was. And their was no duty for the traffic warden to report a suspicious vehicle. There was a duty to slap a ticket on it twice!
I found their attitude mind boggling. I pointed out as a private citizen I had a moral duty to report a suspected crime and I was surprised that did not require it of their staff. It was like talking to the deaf. That's wrong - the deaf are usually more responsible!
Then, although they knew it was stolen, they required us to twice write a full justification why we should not pay the fines (which had been redoubled because of the time elapsed).
The final insult was the police took the car away for forensics and then sent us a letter in the Christmas post telling us to collect it by a certain day which had been passed and with the Christmas break we were charged a fortune for 'storage' when we desperately wanted the vehicle.
They guy who stole it was known to the police who wouldn't even allow us a chance to identify him (we had seen him driving around in it). So the guilty got away scot free and we were punished. Sorry for the rant but it still hurts.
Stuart
I just hope they don't dump it in Croydon!
We lost our car for two months. Eventually we received a fine from Croydon for parking on the pavement. No location and all Croydon's automated fining system wanted to do was take my money. Eventually (because I know how their switchboards work) I hacked through and found a real person who could tell me where it was. By the time I got there Croydon traffic gestapo had put a second ticket on what was a relatively new car obviously abandoned for two months on an empty pavement next to an empty road which had no parking restrictions!
Croydon had to check with DVLCC to find the address to fine and the record they got indicated 'police interest' the code for stolen vehicle. When challenged they claimed it wasn't their job to tell the police they knew where it was. And their was no duty for the traffic warden to report a suspicious vehicle. There was a duty to slap a ticket on it twice!
I found their attitude mind boggling. I pointed out as a private citizen I had a moral duty to report a suspected crime and I was surprised that did not require it of their staff. It was like talking to the deaf. That's wrong - the deaf are usually more responsible!
Then, although they knew it was stolen, they required us to twice write a full justification why we should not pay the fines (which had been redoubled because of the time elapsed).
The final insult was the police took the car away for forensics and then sent us a letter in the Christmas post telling us to collect it by a certain day which had been passed and with the Christmas break we were charged a fortune for 'storage' when we desperately wanted the vehicle.
They guy who stole it was known to the police who wouldn't even allow us a chance to identify him (we had seen him driving around in it). So the guilty got away scot free and we were punished. Sorry for the rant but it still hurts.
Stuart
Stuart,
Sorry to hear your tale of woe but glad you got your car back eventually. Still no news of mine but hopefully that means it has not been involved in a serious accident.
Apart from losing the car the hard part has been dealing with the insurance company who make you feel like a criminal "please think carefully before you answer this question..." Am not even planning to make a claim until I know what has happened to the car.
Not only that, the renewal notice had come through on our other car (yes we're fortunate to have a second) and just reporting the incident immediately put up the premium by £100. Local police have been very helpful and concerned though. Unfortunately no CCTV in our neck of the woods.
Jane
Sorry to hear your tale of woe but glad you got your car back eventually. Still no news of mine but hopefully that means it has not been involved in a serious accident.
Apart from losing the car the hard part has been dealing with the insurance company who make you feel like a criminal "please think carefully before you answer this question..." Am not even planning to make a claim until I know what has happened to the car.
Not only that, the renewal notice had come through on our other car (yes we're fortunate to have a second) and just reporting the incident immediately put up the premium by £100. Local police have been very helpful and concerned though. Unfortunately no CCTV in our neck of the woods.
Jane
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Greg Whitehead
- Posts: 474
- Joined: 11 Apr 2005 15:44
- Location: SE26 5RL
Hi wish I could help but who on earth takes photos of their car? Insurance company asked me for the same thing. I'll have a hunt but doubt I have one- then I would have to work out how to post it ! Slightly technically challenged I'm afraid.
However, it's that old bog standard Vauxhall Astra blue colour (Belmont was the unsuccessful saloon version of the Astra).
No hub caps (Honiton Motor Sales sticker in back window) - oh dear not even a Charlton sticker - and same name round tax disc. Full registration is E320 COD. Orange brolly and bright yellow Crook lock (ha ha) in front seat.
Ah brainwave - do you mean post a photo of any Belmont of that colour?
Anyway, thanks so much for caring... I'll be thrilled if it ever turns up (depending on its condition of course).
Jane
However, it's that old bog standard Vauxhall Astra blue colour (Belmont was the unsuccessful saloon version of the Astra).
No hub caps (Honiton Motor Sales sticker in back window) - oh dear not even a Charlton sticker - and same name round tax disc. Full registration is E320 COD. Orange brolly and bright yellow Crook lock (ha ha) in front seat.
Ah brainwave - do you mean post a photo of any Belmont of that colour?
Anyway, thanks so much for caring... I'll be thrilled if it ever turns up (depending on its condition of course).
Jane
yes just put a pic up cos i'm not that up on what make cars are,
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Greg Whitehead
- Posts: 474
- Joined: 11 Apr 2005 15:44
- Location: SE26 5RL
Annie,
For some reason that I don’t understand, abandoned cars are the responsibility of the council and not the police. I reported an abandoned car in our road to Lewisham council and they dealt with it reasonably efficiently. See http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/TransportAnd ... hicles.htm for the number.
For some reason that I don’t understand, abandoned cars are the responsibility of the council and not the police. I reported an abandoned car in our road to Lewisham council and they dealt with it reasonably efficiently. See http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/TransportAnd ... hicles.htm for the number.
Update re stolen car
Thanks for looking out for the car but sadly it is no more. Bromley police reported that it had been involved in a serious crime - armed robbery (someone got hit with a hammer) and then they set fire to the car and abandoned it.
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brittneywood
- Posts: 1
- Joined: 22 Oct 2020 12:11
Re: Stolen car
It’s often impossible to tell if a vehicle is stolen by looking at it. This type of information is not available for free anywhere. If you are buying a used car then finding out if it has ever been stolen or not, is a good idea.
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Parker1970
- Posts: 512
- Joined: 4 Nov 2014 22:36
- Location: Anerely
Re: Stolen car
Well, as it is now 14 years after this thread was made, some progress has been made...brittneywood wrote: ↑22 Oct 2020 12:23 It’s often impossible to tell if a vehicle is stolen by looking at it. This type of information is not available for free anywhere. If you are buying a used car then finding out if it has ever been stolen or not, is a good idea.
https://isitnicked.com/