Who do you call when the Police takes your car?

AnotherJoe

Car_54 wrote: »

Why do you think there may be a fee?

Where is the evidence of corruption?

Isn't it reasonable that the investigation of a serious violent crime (possibly a murder) should take priority over the OP's inconvenience?

Its reasonable that they would provide a courtesy car whilst the OPs car was being investigated, because looking at the bigger picture, anyone here fancy telling the police their car was near an incident now?

This kind of high handed attitude doesn't win any friends or engender cooperation.

TonyMMM

The police have the power under common law (and also under PACE in certain circumstances) to seize items that may be or may hold evidence relating to an offence - which the car may be in this case.

Forensic examination can take time to carry out, but you have the right to expect the vehicle to be returned as soon as that is complete. Complications can arise if a suspect has been arrested and any evidence found is disputed and they want to organise their own examination of the car.

Worst case scenario is that the vehicle could be kept to be used in a court case - but that would be rare.

All you can do is keep in contact with the officer dealing with the case.

Guest101

Presumebly the OP would have civil recourse against the offender

GingerBob_3

Guest101 wrote: »

Presumebly the OP would have civil recourse against the offender

In theory, I suppose yes, but good luck with that one. It would be like those dopey signs in shops about civil recovery.

Guest101

GingerBob wrote: »

In theory, I suppose yes, but good luck with that one. It would be like those dopey signs in shops about civil recovery.

Well not all criminals are poor people.


Of course there's no point chasing Homeless Bill through the courts, but if there's assets worth anything...

thescouselander

AnotherJoe wrote: »

Its reasonable that they would provide a courtesy car whilst the OPs car was being investigated, because looking at the bigger picture, anyone here fancy telling the police their car was near an incident now?

This kind of high handed attitude doesn't win any friends or engender cooperation.

Lol - I can only imagine what a police courtesy car would look like:

NBLondon

Hang on a tick... The OP says he told the police on Friday night that his car was right where it happened. Why? Presumably because the fight(?) may have bounced off the car and left traces that could identify a suspect. Did the officer at the time take that as implied permission to seize the car or indicate that it was likely? If so, the OP would probably have offered the spare keys and asked how long they would need it?
But apparently they have chosen to seize it later with no sensible effort to warn the registered keeper - which must be a failure of process and that has now got mired in bureaucracy. So - I'd say yes - make a complaint to a senior officer with as many names/numbers of those involved stressing that you wish to help if you can but you are being inconvenienced with no proper response.

pusched

Thanks for all the replies...wish I could reply to all individually but been quite busy.

Just thought I would post an update.

Wednesday afternoon I did not get a call from the detective as promised, didn't have much hope to be honest. Instead I called the pound and was told the car still hadn't been checked.

Friday morning I believe someone from the police tried to call me, no number, but unfortunately I missed it by 5 minutes. I called 101 and told them my reference number but this time the person on the line said they had no means to pass my message - even though someone else managed before.

Anyway, I thought I would wait until lunch time and then called the pound. I was told the car had been checked but not released by the detective. I called again at the end of the day and was told the car had been released but the detective did not state the name of the person it could be released to. He told me just to go there with my paperwork and it should be fine. He wished me "good luck" at the end, I thought it was rather ironic.

Saturday morning I called the pound again, just to make sure the car had indeed been released. I was told yes so off I went.

I arrived at 12.10pm but the gates where still closed even though they open at 11.30am. A truck arrived after 10 minutes with a seized car so someone came out and noticed 6 people outside and then they opened the door. We all waited for about 10 minutes inside with no indication of what was happening, staff walking back and forth but noone bothered to turn around and say something.

Finally we started to be served. I was the 3rd in line so after another 20 minutes I was being served. Didn't take too long since I had nothing to pay. I once again asked under what power my car was taken but was just told to speak to the detective in charge.

When they brought the car over, the guy just said that comes off easily. Wasn't sure what he meant but I was just glad the car had started. As I got closer and he walked off, I noticed that my car was covered in a silver shimmery dust. Guess part of the forensics but surely they should at least wash it off.

Anyway the worse part was when I drove off and at some point did a sharp turn, I heard a sound, looked back and saw that my back seat was unattached. At this point, I was quite angry. Not only they took my car without telling me, they have also not told me under what power my car has been taken, they do not bring it back, leave it covered in god knows what and get into my car and then don't leave it how they found it.

Twice I asked if they needed my car keys, twice I was told they did not have to get into the car since the incident happened outside. Not only they did get into the car but they had no care for it. I noticed they also went through my glove box. Baring in mind that the incident happened at the back of the car, I am not sure what evidence they would find in my glove box.

I got nothing to hide and don't leave anything valuable in the car ever so them going through the car doesn't bother me. It is the way it has been left and the terrible communication throughout.

I have been trying to figure out under what power they took the car and it looks like it may be under PACE. Reading it online it states:

"In all cases, police should therefore:
 exercise their powers courteously and with respect for persons and property"

It also states that property should be returned amongst other things. Not sure if it applies or not but surely they should have left my car in the same condition.

I was ready to forget all about it as at the end of the day, there is a much bigger issue in all of this but this has really annoyed me.

Tomorrow at lunch I am gonna try and find one of the screws that seem to be missing and hopefully can put it all together and then right a letter as suggested in one of the earlier posts.

I appreciate the police has a tough job and a big problem to solve but having seen 15-20 police staff standing around on the night of the incident plus 2 sitting in the van the following morning having a chat, it is hard to believe that the person that ordered my car to be taken away, could not have instructed someone to knock on my door the following morning and go through things with me. We had police standing pretty much outside our kitchen window for 48h!

Anyway, rant over, have a good week!

thescouselander

That's absolutely outrageous. What possible reason was there break into your car and go through your stuff. I'd definitely be raising a complaint of I were you.

m0bov

Speak to your local paper? PCC?