Car Crime in the UK- Your views...
Quad Bike and Car Stolen While Parents Away
" On Saturday the 3rd of April 2010 my Mum and Dad went away on holiday. I was looking after the house while they were away. I had been at work all day then went to the farm. I went to bed at 1am and turned the bedroom light off at 2.40am, I must of fell asleep as I was woken at 4 am by my brother telling me that we had been burgled.
The thieves had broken into the garage and stolen his quad bike, he told me that the thieves had been into the house and took his keys to the quad, they had even cut the lock on the garage door. I went upstairs to check my car keys were still there which they were and thought nothing of it it was until about 20 minutes after i had phoned the Police that i had realised they had also stolen my car. They had searched the house and found my master key and stole it. It was a T reg Peugeot 206 not worth much at all so dont understand why they took it.
This has left me a complete wreck i havent been able to sleep since the Police feel confident they will find my car, however they have not done so as of yet. I thought they had been helpful up until they accused me and my brother of having a party that went wrong. I am absolutely gobsmacked and even told my Mum they had ran our names through the system which of course did not show anything back as we have never been in trouble. I wish they would just stop messing about and look into the names we have given them about the theft. I understand they are only dong their job but feel let down and just want my car back. Really annoys me that peopler get away with this and have the audacity to go into peoples houses and steal things that they have worked damn hard for!!! "
StaceyPearl Wedding Anniversary Present Stolen
" I just thought it would be good for people to know that it is bad enough having a 3 month old Mercedes stolen that was a Pearl Wedding Anniversary present to my husband. When the thief or thieves enter your house to get the keys it makes it even harder to accept. Many tears shed and sleepless nights. "
RitaMotorbility Car Stolen Within Two Minutes
" So we thought we were safe, our keys were in the kitchen, and our car parked outside the kitchen window, in the space of 2 minutes, both were gone, from the time it took me to get up and go into the kitchen the car was nowhere to be seen. My biggest gripe. The insurance company, they don't want to know, they will investigate the situation and get back to me, in about a week if we are lucky, maybe up to a month before making a decision. No chance of a curtosey care, and they might say its our fault. In the meantime no transport. Can't get to work, therefore no money. And its a Motorbility car, so as a disabled owner, what am I supposed to do. "
JohnFiesta Stolen and Set Fire to just Streets Away
"Got a knock on my door this morning at 2am - it was the police. I immediately saw my car was missing from my drive, an 18 year old red ford fiesta, which had only 70K miles on the clock and was very reliable. The police said it had been reported on fire just a few streets away. The car had been easily broken into but why they set it on fire is a mystery, and the fact that they saw it was a family car because of the two child seats in the back just shows these thieving b******s have no morals or any kind of conscience."
DaveyA New Type of Vehicle Immobiliser - Biometric Fingerprint Immobiliser from Absolute Car Security
Car key crime is soaring and it is just getting worse, It is such an easy way for theifs to steal cars. Once they have your key that's it simple, they have your car. Hot wiring is rarely happening but burglaries for the car keys are just increasing! We have a product to combat this type of crime and beat the theifs. We specialise in biometric fingerprint immobilisers. Only some one with a registered fingerprint will be able to start the vehicle. So even if someone does steal your car keys they will not be able to start the vehicle as there fingerprint is not registered. The system really can help combat car key theft. Please visit www.absolutecarsecurity.com for more information.
Mondeo Stolen in Manchester Using Tow Truck
"My car was stolen yesterday from a side street in Manchester. It was an old Mondeo and not worth much money at all. I had a wheel lock on it, the glove box was open to show that I kept nothing in the car and it still went. A red tow truck calmly drove by a couple of times, then two men wearing high visibility jackets attached it to their truck and drove off. The police and local authority do not operate red tow trucks and have logged it as stolen. A shop next door has CCTV and I managed to look at it."
3 Series, Taken Whilst Present
"This is an account of what happened to me 3 days ago & my beloved 3 Series Coupe - maybe this might just make everyone a litte more aware - i mean cos it'll never happen to me; will it?
Can you believe this, I exited my car to go to the boot (after pulling over due to a burning face & splitting headache) went to the boot to retrieve tissues & then to the passenger side door to gather fresh cool air... with me so far?
Then some person literally walked towards my car & jumped in as I had my back to the passenger door & the rest as they say is history.
This was a truely horrendous experience. Watching your car credit cards & any othe belongingings being driven away as you gave chase on foot; am fast but...
This happened at 10am a 1/4 mile from the busy Jcn 27 M62 on the A650 Bradford Rd. Please be warned & be weary.
The culprit is on Video as i have given it to the Police - but hey I have to say the Police have been next to useless. Sorry but its true!!! (i was brought up to respect the police...) they put the wrong number plate out & when I informed them of a video they never passed on the info. No Confidence there then.
So please don't get caught out like i did, it CAN & DOES happen to You & Me.
Anyway if anyone sees this or my car please give me a call or email - sinfull1@tiscali.co.uk
THANKS ROB"
Rob, E-MailStolen While We Slept
"On the 3rd of June, two of my cars were stolen while i was asleep at home, both cars were parked off the road and on private parking which is for the residents of the flats. One car was a Maserati 430se and the other was a Honda Legend Coupe. I was working on both of these cars, the Maserati had some rust which i sorted out, and resprayed those panels and just had a few finishing touches to make, and then someone came along with a Tow truck and took them. I just got up when they were being driven off on the back of a tow truck, I looked out of the window and saw the white Maserati on the back, i quickly got dressed and jumped in my car to try and catch these scum bags, but could not see where they went. I have asked around and have heard many similar incidents where peoples cars have been taken away with tow trucks, exactly what they do with these cars is not know, these criminals look for untaxed cars and help themselves to these cars, if you think about it the chances of a tow truck getting pulled over by the police is so rare, and even if they do get stopped they probably use an excuse that the car was dumped and not taxed, or that they work for the council. The thing is I buy and sell cars for a living and tend to do bits and pieces on them myself its also a hobby, when a car is untaxed then I declare it sorn, so as long as the car is off the road the council cannot take it away. Yep car crime is definitely on the increase!"
H Christou, E-Mail
Keys Stolen While We Slept
"On the 16th June 2005 our home was broken into while we slept soundly upstairs. Stole the keys to our BMW convertible as well as my mobile, purse and credit cards. I am so distraught. The impact on us is unbelievable. I cant sleep properly even though the alarm is now set each night.These thieves are likened to vermin whom also, are active at night. The really disturbing thought is that they may have been watching us for a while, to ensure the car belonged to us and not a visitor. The Police advise us to not keep the keys on show - we never, however, they found them. What if we had taken the keys upstairs with us? It does not bear thinking about. Insurance companies now interrogate people like us, just to ensure we didn't plan it. You can eventually replace stolen items, but if you no longer feel safe in your own home - there's no hope. I read in our local Brentwood Gazettte this week of a BMW X5 owner. A vehicle alerted him to smoke pouring out of his rear exhaust. He got out, thanked them and investigated. They then jumped in and drove off in his vehicle. Is there no stopping these b******s?"
Corinne, E-Mail
Justice?
"I had my car stolen about 6 months ago. I think if you catch the thieves red handed with your car or trying to take it, you should be able to remove all there teeth with a pair of rusty pliers. A bit brutal I know, sorry!"
Stu W, E-Mail
House Broken into and Car Stolen
"Like the owner of the XKR, I bought a BMW 735i in November which was my pride and joy. Last Saturday, 08/01/05 we went out in my wife's car for 3 hours to see my son. On our return, we found all the lights on in the house and the side door open. They had jemmied a first floor window. Not only had the thieves taken my car and all my wife's jewellery, they also took our dog, a two year old Staffordshire bitch. How they took the car is a mystery as we had all the keys on us an the car was both alarmed and immobilised. It changes your perception of life. I can forgive the car but not the dog."
J F Griffiths, E-Mail
Stolen Just 2 Months After Passing Driving Test
"
I passed my driving test about 2 months ago and bought myself a Vauxhall Nova 1.2, Im only 17 and I have paid nearly £1,000 for TPO insurance, and it has all sadly gone to nothing as my Nova was nicked and crashed into the back of a parked Vectra a few streets across, i only paid £395 for it but I really struggled to pay for the tax and insurance and I have to suffer because of a scumbag joyrider, I really think more needs to be done about car crime, i think it is getting to an uncontrollable level, I used loads of precautions aswell including a steering lock but even these can be easily broken. I also had my moped hijacked by some scumbag last year and never seen it again, and nothing could be done."
Liam P, E-Mail
"I have read the story from Rowland Fawcett, and feel the same. I feel I need some sort of victim support. In March, after working very long and hard to save up, I purchased my dream car; a Jaguar XKR. The car was beautiful, and in mint condition. Last night, at 3:30 am while I slept someone broke in through a downstairs window, stole my Mobile Phone, Video Camera, £500, Wallet, Jag, and my wife's 2 year old top spec Mondeo. I feel sick and violated. Our 1 and 2 year old children where in bed and I know the situation could have been much worse."
Jeffrey Cumpsty, E-Mail
"I've just had my car - a taxi actually - nicked from my drive. They came into my house while i slept and stole the keys - house keys as well. Now i can't even bloody work! They know the score. I know the score. I'd love a national vote on what we should do with these ******"
Chris Regan, E-Mail
"It looks like we are winning - they are cracking down on the ease of obtaining duplicate plates. I just wanted to add something to my letter you have published on your website. Apparently some of the thieves who walk into your home to take the keys (and whatever else) will be female. If they are confronted, they are likely to appear to be in distress saying they have had a fight with their boyfriend, or something similar, in the hope of a sympathy vote. This usually enables them to walk away scot free. Please don't fall for this line, call the Police and let them sort it out.
Also, just for your information, I am now in a wrangle with the CPS after they decided to drop the case against the guy who was found driving my car. Apparently he told the Police he had bought the car for £5000 from 'someone' but wasn't prepared to say who. The Police charged him with handling. Bearing in mind this guy is a car dealer, he must have known there was something untoward about being able to buy a brand new GtTdi for that price. The CPS have a lot to answer for. four weeks on I have still had no response from them other than to say it is being passed from pillar to post."
V Pawson, E-Mail
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