Allotments 4 All

 In the early hours of yesterday morning we were woken by police 3am.
Our car had been broken into & was found about 50YDS away by the police, they did what they had to do then told my husband that it needed to be taken in for Forensic tests for prints etc: OK fair enough  also my mobility scooter which was removed from the car & found about 400yds away.
We rang this morning as advised to see if the car could be released only to be told we would have to pay £150 :o :o to get it back ALSO storage money between being released & us actually collecting it. Fortunately it is only about 10mins by taxi to get there.

Now who is the VICTIM here.
We were asleep when the incident took place our neighbours heard noise & called the police otherwise who knows where the car would be now.
I am so very angry about the way victims are treated.

Quick and easy answer there, Buds........you and Ron are the Victims >:( :'(

Should ( ::)) the perps ever be caught, you reckon that they'd have their benefits - even jail allowances) stopped to reimburse you?

(Rhetorical question only) >:( >:( >:(

That the p'lice themselves are charging you.......even for me, a mouthy Brummie, words fail me.

Keep strong, Mary. Love to you both,

Lish X

very unfair! 

That can't be right.  >:(

That does sound quite extraordinary.  I would expect your insurance to cover the cost though.

Was there some particular reason they took the vehicle away?  I've never known the police to do that.  Was there something else going on, or just a simple taking and driving away?

Words fail me  :o :o :o :o :o :o

Of course, they will charge, because the insurance company will cough up so that's an easy income for them.

No wonder insurance premiums are so high.  ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::)

 Unwashed, the police wanted to take the car to see if they could get any fingerprints, because there has been a lot of cars broken into over the last few months in & around the area.
We thought being a retirement area it would be safer  ::) ::) ::).
      Asbean,   If we claim on the insurance we shall loose the no claims bonus, so we have decided to pay ourselves otherwise when we come to renew it will probably cost a lot more we cannot win either way >:( >:(.

I cant get over the fact that your being charged because the police wanted to take the car!! Surely they should inform you of the charges before they take it? I wonder what would have happened if you had said no to them taking it away? At the end of the day you were trying to help them find who is responsible for the break ins and this is the thanks you get?

Crazy !

I think this practice is quite wicked.  Unfortunately it's become commonplace, and as others have said, it's because they expect that the insurance will pay.  It's a sort of stealth tax on victims of crime.

Some acquaintances of mine recently not only had to pay to recover their vehicle, but found that the police had left the windows open while the car was left outside, and it was full of snow!

And even if you don't make a claim, you may still lose your no-claims bonus if the insurance company even know about it.

After our house was burgled we just found it was a money making situation for everybody except us.

The insurance company usually finds some way of ripping you off e.g. vouchers for stuff that's not even replaceable. Also it's not one charge for excess is excess for each different section of your policy! Then there is the joy of sorting it out...months and months of it.

Sorry to hear about it, Rosebud and welcome to world of being a victimized victim.

Rosebud, I think they're charging you as if they had recovered a stolen vehicle - £105 + £12/day.  I don't think they have any power to charge you for storing a vehicle seized for forensic examination.  

Did they give you a receipt when they took the vehicle?

Ask them under what authority they seized your vehicle, and under what authority they are charging you for its storage and return.  Tell them that the vehicle was seized for examination and demand it's immediate release and refuse to pay the charge.  Then go and see Citizens Advice and get some help.  Like you say, you're going to be out-of-pocket if you wouldn't otherwise be making an insurance claim.

I hope other members can give you some more specific advice.

I'm screaming at the computer >:( >:( >:(
at first I thought it couldn't be right sadly it probably is
BUT I wouldn't leave it there,keep your reciept and write/email everyone right up to police commissioner.Were you told there would be a charge when they asked to remove it? I think if you weren't then somebody's guilty of something and it's certainly not you.
Sorry for your aggravation Rosebud  :(
just seen unwashed post I agree C.A.B.

 Unwashed, No they never gave a reciept. I am going to say no we shall not pay & see what happens.

The PC who dealt with the crime told my husband that there is usually a charge BUT, because the car was only yards from the house they would not charge. Never said there was any charge for release of our car or for storing it untill we picked it up after release.
Its all a Bl***y con to suit insurance if you ask me >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(.

Thank you all for your supporting replies. Mary ;D

They should of informed you of the charges before they took the car & given you the option to recover it yourself free of charge instead.
The £150 charge doesn't sound right though it should of been £105 + storage, this charge is not necessarily possible to claim for on your insurance even if you wanted to.
There is an old article about this fee here.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/crime/article1654994.ece

The police do have the power to remove vehicles that are illegally, dangerously or obstructively parked, or broken down or abandoned.  The police are also separately empowered to remove vehicles used in a manner causing alarm, distress or annoyance or driven without licence or insurance. This incurs a £150 charge for a vehicle on the road, upright and not substantially damaged or any two wheeled vehicle whatever its condition or position on or off the road. You wouldn't usually be given the option to retrieve it yourself in this instance but from what you said it doesn't sound like the car would fit into this category.
Further details of these charges can be found here in the article "NEW STATUTORY CHRAGES w.e.f 1 OCTOBER 2008".
http://www.rrra.co.uk/index.php?page=news

This from here

Quote
There is no legal precedence to remove and detain a vehicle solely for a  forensic  examination,  other  than  under  PACE [Section  19  of  the  Police  and  Criminal Evidence Act 1984],  and  if  this  power  is used  any  removal  and  storage  costs  will  be  the  responsibility  of  the Constabulary.

This is from Suffolk Constabulary's Vehicle Recovery Policy.  Unfortunately Essex Constabulary don't have a policy, but the law is the same, so I'd suggest that you write to the Chief Constable and explain the circumstances under which your vehicle came to be seized - that is was only 50 yards from your house and wasn't damaged, and that the constable told you it was required for forensic examination and that you were told you wouldn't be charged for it's recovery and that you weren't given a receipt for it.  And tell him that it was removed for forensic examination under Section  19  of  the  Police  and  Criminal Evidence Act 1984 and that the cost of any removal  and  storage is  the  responsibility  of  the Constabulary.  And that you'd like you vehicle delivered to you home address now please.

hiya sorry to hear that youve had insult added to injury
i agree with unwashed it is a mistake and the price of a stamp might rectify it.
hope all gets back to normal soon
x sunloving

Mary, I had to read this twice as I thought I had misread it, I have never heard of taking a car away for forensics, if they had towed the car if it had crashed yes, but a few yards from your house this can't be right.   >:(       ??? ??? ???

If the police recover your car for whatever reason then you are charged for the tow and the storage. They don't normally bother with forensics when a car has been stolen ( it's not a real crime innit) but if they do, then they always take it under cover so they can get round to checking it at leisure. I know someone who was without their stolen car for a week after it was recovered as forensics were busy.

It all sounds insane! Hope you get this resolved quickly and at no expense!

Take care
1066

Quote from: djbrenton on February 26, 2010, 17:53:42
If the police recover your car for whatever reason then you are charged for the tow and the storage. They don't normally bother with forensics when a car has been stolen ( it's not a real crime innit) but if they do, then they always take it under cover so they can get round to checking it at leisure. I know someone who was without their stolen car for a week after it was recovered as forensics were busy.

No.  Whether you're charged for the recovery depends on the power under which the vehicle is seized.  If it's seized under PACE it's free, otherwise charges apply.