Hit by car while parked in private car park..

spacegirlfive

Hello,
I'm sure there have been threads about this before, but I can't find anything that fits my issue exactly.
I left my car in a shopping centre car park for four hours, and when I returned it had been hit and there was a dent in the nearside back panel (which had definitely not been there when I parked the car). The driver of the offending vehicle had driven off without leaving a note.
I reported the incident to security, there was a working camera nearby and as directed by the car park security, I sent a note requesting the CCTV footage from the shopping centre security team.
I received an email today saying "We have footage of your vehicle whilst parked, though we cannot see any clear evidence of damage being caused by another vehicle." They have said they will only release CCTV footage to my insurance company. I'm a bit cross because

1. I don't really know how to interpret "we cannot see any clear evidence of damage"
2. I'm undecided whether or not to have the repair through the insurance (no claims loss etc), but if this is the only way the footage can be viewed, I'm tempted to get them to review it.
3. Is it likely that the security team simply couldn't be bothered to sift through four hours of footage?
   

Any general advice appreciated; I really feel like I want to catch the B who did this and drove off, but am coming up against a brick wall.

Thank you.

Warwick_Hunt

Why not report it to the police and they will get the footage?

spacegirlfive

I was under the impression (from reading previous threads) that because it was a private car park, there would be no point in getting the police involved?

Warwick_Hunt

spacegirlfive wrote: »

I was under the impression (from reading previous threads) that because it was a private car park, there would be no point in getting the police involved?

It's a public place so the road traffic act applies.

unforeseen

What they appear to be saying is that there is no proof in the footage that another vehicle hit the OPs.

They are willing to give it to the insurers for further investigation because they will investigate properly. There is always the danger that if given to the OP they go off half cocked and start chasing the wrong person.

As for reporting to the police I reckon they will refuse to touch it when it becomes known that the OP has already been informed that the video can be made available to their insurers and it could have been a number of cars that were parked there, assuming that the VRNs are visible and readable of course.

Warwick_Hunt

unforeseen wrote: »

What they appear to be saying is that there is no proof in the footage that another vehicle hit the OPs.

They are willing to give it to the insurers for further investigation because they will investigate properly. There is always the danger that if given to the OP they go off half cocked and start chasing the wrong person.

As for reporting to the police I reckon they will refuse to touch it when it becomes known that the OP has already been informed that the video can be made available to their insurers and it could have been a number of cars that were parked there, assuming that the VRNs are visible and readable of course.

It makes no difference they'll still have to record it.

wgl2014

Record - yes.
Do anything else - unlikely.

Warwick_Hunt

wgl2014 wrote: »

Record - yes.
Do anything else - unlikely.

They'll get the cctv footage and make it available to the OP.

wgl2014

Or just advise the OP to go via their insurance. Especially if the security staff say the footage has been checked and shows nothing.

Warwick_Hunt

wgl2014 wrote: »

Or just advise the OP to go via their insurance. Especially if the security staff say the footage has been checked and shows nothing.

Well as it's going to cost the OP, they may as well give the offender some grief and probably a few points.

unforeseen

Warwick_Hunt wrote: »

They'll get the cctv footage and make it available to the OP.

No they won't. They might get the footage and review it but they won't hand it over.

The big problem will be if there is no clear evidence that a vehicle hit theirs then the VRNs of any vehicles will be hidden to meet the requirements of the DPA.