Help - Letter from the police!

cyberwench

Something similar happened to me a couple of years ago. Got a call from my insurance company about an alleged accident in a road where I usually park my car for work; I knew I hadn't hit anything so they agreed to deny the claim until the third party provided proof (apparantly they had a witness, but nothing ever came of this).

After a couple of weeks of not hearing anything, I came home to find a compliments slip from the local police (local to where the 'accident' happened, but not local to my home) through my door with a handwitten note to call them :eek: This really shook me up, but I called the PC and agreed for him to come round and take some details.

Thankfully, he turned out to be really lovely, and obviously believed me from the start! Turned out that a car had been hit while parked in the same road that I park in, and someone had left a scrap of paper with my reg number under his windscreen wiper! I suspect someone else hit his car, saw my battered KA nearby with a memorable numberplate, and left the note with my reg no.

Anyway, the PC and the insurance company both inspected my car and saw no signs that it could have caused the damage (which was lucky, as it had plenty of bumps and scrapes on it from previous times that people had hit my car when it was parked :mad:); so nothing came of the claim, and I didn't get in trouble for not reporting an accident.

Hopefully this will turn out to be nothing for you, unless someone has witnesses or other proof that you definitely did hit something (and it sounds like you didn't) then I can't see anything coming of this.

meritaten

I would also say never ever agree to a police interview without a solicitor! especially if you know you have done nothing wrong.
to illustrate
a neighbour complained my son and his friend cause a broken window while playing ball in the street. (instead of coming over and telling us - he chose to go to the police)
the police asked son and friend to go for an 'interview'. I accompanied him as he was under sixteen and so did my sons friends mum. they wanted to interview them together but I refused.
the difference was I arranged a solicitor and my son made a statement saying the ball had never hit the window. I made a statement saying the window was cracked for years before. my son walked out of there with no caution or anything - we even got offered tea and biccies while there!

his friend however, got a very aggressive interview and his mum was in tears. the attitude of the police was markedly different and sons friend (who is not the sharpest knife in the drawer, got totally confused and ended up agreeing the ball COULD have hit the window on which statement they told him it was either a caution or court).
since then I would never ever talk to the police without a solicitor present.

philgr

I had an interview for this kinda thing a while back and I didn't feel the need to have a solicitor on hand. To be honest if it happened again, I'd not have one either.

Also for the sceptical types here a driving a lhd vehicle didn't know where the passenger side of her car was, drifted a good foot onto my side of the road and smashed my wing mirror off..... claimed I didn't leave my details, I caused the accident (I didn't) and she got nowhere. I did something novel to avoid prosecution. I told the truth.

Op: good luck an I hope the outcome is the right one.

sarahkmv

Cheers guys. I've sent the police letter off, guess I'll have to wait and see what happens next! I've found it interesting to hear different viewpoints and experiences.

I think having a witness will help (possibly two) and if the car park company comes through I can prove my car wasn't there at the time.

I really hope I get more info as I'm intrigued to work out how they got my number etc!