We’d like to remind Forumites to please avoid political debate on the Forum.
This is to keep it a safe and useful space for MoneySaving discussions. Threads that are – or become – political in nature may be removed in line with the Forum’s rules. Thank you for your understanding.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!
The Forum now has a brand new text editor, adding a bunch of handy features to use when creating posts. Read more in our how-to guide
Is the car where you left it or has an EU economic migrant just pocketed £150 for it?
VictimOfImpersonation
Posts: 334 Forumite
I hate to say it, but I have again become the Victim of Impersonation. This time one of our EU cousins was involved.
I happened to pass my car in its private parking space 15 minutes ago just as a recovery truck pulled up.
As I was passing I noticed one of the yellow jacketed occupants lay hands on my car in an acquisitive, meaningful and workmanlike sort of way
I asked what the hell he thought he was doing. What was it to me he asked. I told him in no uncertain terms :mad:
Oh well this fellow here called us up to take it away. Enter stage left, one unassuming Lithuanian with some English. His "friend" had asked him to get it moved. Oh really?
I did not have my phone on me or I would have called the police immediately. The recovery team were not keen on calling them for me as they had better things to do than get caught up in the paper trail if the police were even bothered, and the Lithuanian wasn't keen on hanging around while I went to get my phone.
As I can be quite controlling and somewhat dominant in these kind of situations he did answer some of my questions. Yes he had a job he worked at a "Building station" a what? He said it again. A builder! Oh right. So you were supposed to get paid? "Yes my friend said if you want some money you go to such and such a place you will see such and such a car and you call this number and they will pay you".
What is your name? No answer. Where do you live? No answer. Where are you from originally? "Lithuania." Is this normal in Lithuania? You choose a car in the street and then call up a scrap dealer and sell it giving false ID? No answer.
What is your friend's name? No answer. What is your friend's number? To give them their due, the recovery guys also interrogated him a bit (I think they were slightly embarassed but not too much). They tried calling him on the number he had called them on. No phone rang but he had two other mobiles in his pocket. They checked the last numbers dialed in his phones but they were not interested in arresting him while I called the police, so off he trotted when he thought I was going to do so.
The recovery team were apparently about to give him £150 in exchange for some ID if he hadn't got the log book. He had already given a false address.
Clearly he needed the money as he hadn't got a decent coat and it is chilly today.
Now then I feel a bit like Pudsey bear knocking on the window ... "Er Hello ... I know it is 2011, but er ... is this normal?"
Anyone?
Is it? Or am I just having an interesting day?
I happened to pass my car in its private parking space 15 minutes ago just as a recovery truck pulled up.
As I was passing I noticed one of the yellow jacketed occupants lay hands on my car in an acquisitive, meaningful and workmanlike sort of way
I asked what the hell he thought he was doing. What was it to me he asked. I told him in no uncertain terms :mad:
Oh well this fellow here called us up to take it away. Enter stage left, one unassuming Lithuanian with some English. His "friend" had asked him to get it moved. Oh really?
I did not have my phone on me or I would have called the police immediately. The recovery team were not keen on calling them for me as they had better things to do than get caught up in the paper trail if the police were even bothered, and the Lithuanian wasn't keen on hanging around while I went to get my phone.
As I can be quite controlling and somewhat dominant in these kind of situations he did answer some of my questions. Yes he had a job he worked at a "Building station" a what? He said it again. A builder! Oh right. So you were supposed to get paid? "Yes my friend said if you want some money you go to such and such a place you will see such and such a car and you call this number and they will pay you".
What is your name? No answer. Where do you live? No answer. Where are you from originally? "Lithuania." Is this normal in Lithuania? You choose a car in the street and then call up a scrap dealer and sell it giving false ID? No answer.
What is your friend's name? No answer. What is your friend's number? To give them their due, the recovery guys also interrogated him a bit (I think they were slightly embarassed but not too much). They tried calling him on the number he had called them on. No phone rang but he had two other mobiles in his pocket. They checked the last numbers dialed in his phones but they were not interested in arresting him while I called the police, so off he trotted when he thought I was going to do so.
The recovery team were apparently about to give him £150 in exchange for some ID if he hadn't got the log book. He had already given a false address.
Clearly he needed the money as he hadn't got a decent coat and it is chilly today.
Now then I feel a bit like Pudsey bear knocking on the window ... "Er Hello ... I know it is 2011, but er ... is this normal?"
Anyone?
Is it? Or am I just having an interesting day?
0
Comments
-
I would have been tempted to wait for the driver to pay him then say its your car and he had better put it back.
If the driver was out of pocket then they will insist on a logbook next time.
Unless your chilly guy had his jacket inside the truck of course. Working in pairs?Censorship Reigns Supreme in Troll City...0 -
Yeah if only I could have been so quick thinking.
Crossed my mind about working in pairs, but there were already three yellow jacketed types of a different persuasion squeezed in the truck and they were wearing web addresses on their jackets, had a smart truck and they talked a reasonable game after chilly guy had it on his toes.
No doubt the police will make some enquiries. Just when you need a phone (and camera) you don't have it in your pocket .... d'oh!0 -
Sounds like something out of GTA IV! I have no explanation to offer. Bizarre...0
-
-
Sounds like a scam they were operating between themselves if you ask me. I hope you got the recovery trucks number. It's not exactly a legitimate sounding scenario to meet a foreigner, take some ID and then take a car with no logbook.
I'd put money on the recovery truck people being in on it.0 -
Is the car taxed? Short or long tax?
Just thinking if the taxed expired they were chancing their luck on the owner not being around.Censorship Reigns Supreme in Troll City...0 -
What would they have done with the car if they had lifted it?0
-
-
The_ICT_Engineer wrote: »Chop shop, In bits within hours
Yup, parts are mega money and almost untraceable. The chassis gets crushed and put in the melting pot (the only bit that has any sort of reali identifiable infomation other than the engine). The car can vanish completely within 2 days.
It's terrible isn't it. So much hard work goes into creating a car and then people are so happy to deprive you of it just to destroy it.0 -
So they will buy a car without any paperwork to break into bits, why would they pay someone else, when they could just go and lift any car themselves.?0
This discussion has been closed.
Confirm your email address to Create Threads and Reply
Categories
- All Categories
- 354.6K Banking & Borrowing
- 254.5K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 455.5K Spending & Discounts
- 247.5K Work, Benefits & Business
- 604.4K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 178.6K Life & Family
- 261.9K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
- 37.7K Read-Only Boards