Wing Mirror keeps being damaged on purpose

KnightSmile

My dad just told me that his van wing mirror has been purposefully knocked off 4 times in the space of a month. he parks it in different spaces near our house.

The wing mirror is damaged when it has been parked in different spaces, sometimes facing the road and other times facing the pavement (so it can't be another driver knocking it by accident) and obviously due to the amount of times it has happened as well makes it obvious its intentional.

We have lived in our house for 20-odd years and we are on good terms with our neighbours and generally keep ourselves to ourselves.

Someone obviously thinks its funny or may have a grudge, perhaps personal to my dad or because of a parking space type issues perhaps. Although he honestly doesn't know what may have triggered it and isnt the type to have confrontations with people.

My dad wants to find out who is and is thinking of setting up CCTV!!

Does anyone have any bright ideas about catching this person? Its all a bit strange!

KS

BitterAndTwisted

What does he intend to do once he has this incriminating evidence? Catching is one thing, getting them to stop is quite another.

KnightSmile

Thats a good question. I don't think he has thought that far ahead yet!

He wouldn't be the type to resort to violence. I suppose identifying the person is the first step and if thats successful then thinking about ways to prevent it happening again.

maybe letting them know they are rumbled and giving them the repair bills (obviously unlikely to pay it!) or report it to police (who may pop over if the person is identified and have a word? or perhaps they have better things to do to be fair!)

krlyr

Maybe have a word with the local police station/drop an email to the local PCSO for advice. I know there are rules about CCTV and where you can record.

Janepig

Does he live on a route that people walk when they're on their way home from pubs/clubs? We aren't in a rough area but we do get drunks who over the years have targeted our cars. We had a Corsa a while back and in the end I was convinced someone had a vendetta against us, the amount of damage that was done to it, but it wasn't. The last time this happened was to DH's car about 3 weeks ago (the wing mirror was already merely gaffer taped onto the car after the last attack) and the Police were around because the same vandals had jumped on the bonnets and roofs of afew cars further down the street.

The problem with CCTV is that you can legally film your own property as long as you have a sign up saying that you're doing so, but afaik you're not allowed to film out onto the street, although I know that some people do. I wouldn't be particularly thrilled if my neighbours were filming me when I left my house!!

Jx

KnightSmile

Noted about the rules on CCTV. i will look into this.

Janepig- its not really near any pubs and is quite a quiet area.

Valli

Does he not fold it in when parking?

hollydays

Is the vehicle a lot bigger than other vehicles, how long has he had it?? Does someone think it's blocking their light, making access up the road difficult to wider vehicles. If someone's unhappy, neighbours tend to talk to each other. Could he ask around?

go_cat

Albeit it facing different directions, is it the same space roughly... If so I would say one of your neighbours was objecting to him parking there

Years ago I lived in a house which had communal parking I.e you in theory could park anywhere however when I parked in one particular space I had oil poured over it... Asking around anyone who parked there had some damage done to their car so even though wasn't a designated space for anyone someone took it upon themselves that was their space

globalds

nothing stopping you leaving a dash cam recording in your van ..just leave it pointed in the direction you think the damage will be done

fluffnutter

Yep, it's perfectly legal to video people, despite what common perception says. What you can then do with that video is another thing. But taping someone? No law against it.