Stolen/Abandoned Cars - What Now??

[BigDawgV8]

Hi All,

I need to pick your brains a bit if I may!

There has been a car (MK 2 VW Golf) parked in a side road near me for a couple of months now and I'm pretty sure that it hasn't moved in that time.
It is well looked after, has been modified quite a bit and has owners club stickers down the side so I'm assuming it's someones pride and joy that has been stolen or 'lost' (?!).
It is also taxed.
However, there is no obvious damage outside and the ignition barrel is still in one piece.

If it were mine I would want someone to tell me where it is.

Soooooooooooo! What do I do and who do I contact in this case. Local police? DVLA?

It might just be parked there perfectly legally but...............

Any advice anyone?

Ta!

[Tenaka]

Report it to the local police - they'll check if its reported stolen & take the appropriate action if it is. I don't think the DVLA will do anything - if you want the owner's details you have to give them a valid reason & pay a fee.

[chickenjohn]

Yes, contact the Police. It is possible that no-one has done this yet and the car is stolen abandoned.

Is the car locked?

[Peetee]

It's possible it's not locally owned and has not been reported to your local police. And that it has stayed witin the same region since registration. That age of car should have a regional numberplate (second and third letter of the plate). The Potteries Minor group has a page with regional plates. Perhaps you can look it up and phone the police where it was registered.

[irmscher]

have a look on the tax disc it might have been taxed near you

[mike.perry]

There is a green Traveller on the Eastenders set which does not appear to have moved for years. Has it been abandoned?

[moggie-tom]

It's possible it's not locally owned and has not been reported to your local police. And that it has stayed witin the same region since registration. That age of car should have a regional numberplate (second and third letter of the plate). The Potteries Minor group has a page with regional plates. Perhaps you can look it up and phone the police where it was registered.

I'm not sure that would work, my parents just bought a new car from a local dealer and it has an Inverness registration.

There is a green Traveller on the Eastenders set which does not appear to have moved for years. Has it been abandoned?

We were discussing this on the Young Owners Facebook group, apparently it belongs to Dot.

[Kevin]

There is a green Traveller on the Eastenders set which does not appear to have moved for years. Has it been abandoned?

What's Eastenders Mike

[mike.perry]

You have led a sheltered life Kevin.
TheTraveller has MMOC sticker in the window. I wondered if the real owner ever got to drive it.

[Peetee]

Getting back to the original question, There are a few high profile GTi owners groups out there. Perhaps it would be constructive to leave outline information on the website forums and wait for some feedback. Make sure they are genuine by finding something distinctive on the car that they can volunteer inforamtion about.

[BigDawgV8]

Sorry, I've been away for a while!

Thanks again for all the replies!

Sadly the car is still there and clearly hasn't moved.

Time to call the local plod I guess.

Thanks again.

[kennatt]

it dosen't matter where it was registered the police national computor will have it either as stolen or not,they will also be able to get the reg owners details in seconds,all you need to do is take the reg number and give your local police a ring .But they will also then know if it is mot'ed and insured and taxed ,if its not then it can be removed and taken to the police pound where the owner will have to pay to get it back or it will be crushed eventually.

[mike.perry]

Are we still talking about the Eastenders Traveller? That would make an interesting storyline. Police towtruck arrives to remove Dot's uninsured Traveller
Better than some of the storylines.

[Kevin]

Are we still talking about the Eastenders Traveller? That would make an interesting storyline. Police towtruck arrives to remove Dot's uninsured Traveller
Better than some of the storylines.

I think you need to get a life Mike or at least get out more if the highlight of your day is a soap opera

[rayofleamington]

But they will also then know if it is mot'ed and insured and taxed ,if its not then it can be removed and taken to the police pound where the owner will have to pay to get it back or it will be crushed eventually.

Or in some areas of London, the untaxed car is just taken and crushed, without prior contact to the owner... Which is rather adding insult to injury if the car is stolen (I still miss that Civic )

[MarkyB]

I think they have purges rather than it being an ongoing process.
They did it round here last year, lots of bright yellow stickers then a couple of weeks later there were a few less cars about.