Morris Minor Owners Club

Evening All,

I have a (urgent if possible) request for help please.

My friend returned to her car tonight, after leaving it for the day in a local railway station car-park only to find it had gone!
Obviously first thoughts are it has been stolen BUT;-

Is there a chance it has been towed?
If the ticket has not been displayed does NCP tow away or clamp only?

Can anyone shed any light?????????????

Thanks in advance

Martin

I'm not aware that NCP do either - I would guess that a fine would be displayed on the windscreen- - At least that is what I have had in the past when I have overstayed my time. I don't get the tow away bit though - how do they let you know that your car has been towed ??

First thing I'd do is phone the police.

police will know if it has been removed "legally"

Did she travel by railway ? If so - ask at the Station!

Best ask around, call police and see if the station saw anything - what car was it?

most station car parks have CCTV might be useful

BigDawgV8 wrote: My friend returned to her car tonight, after leaving it for the day in a local railway station car-park only to find it had gone!
Can anyone shed any light?????????????

Thanks in advance

Martin

Did she return to the same station as she departed from? You are quite close to Essex!!

RogerRust wrote:

BigDawgV8 wrote: My friend returned to her car tonight, after leaving it for the day in a local railway station car-park only to find it had gone!
Can anyone shed any light?????????????

Thanks in advance

Martin

Did she return to the same station as she departed from? You are quite close to Essex!!

Guessing she did!

As a regular train user I have noticed that many of the carparks associated with railway stations are either run by NCP or similar private concerns or by the Local Council/Authority.

If a parked car was in any violation then a windscreen ticket would be issued. The wardens all have cameras as proof of crime and I have never seen a car clamped in station carpark. I would therefore contact the Police and your insurance company as it has probably been taken.

Having had one of the daily driver Minors I have owned stolen I know when returning to where it was parked to find it missing is very disorientating. I walked around the car park and all the others in the vicinity looking for it until the truth struck home.

Hope you hear something positive soon.

Regards Ian

So - what was the outcome - had it been towed - or stolen ??

Hi All,

I'm having a few pc probs at the mo!

Anyhow, looks as though it has been stolen
The car park is run by NCP and they only tow a car if the tax has expired and this is done by the Police. The tax was due end of this month.

There are no cameras but it was parked under lights next to the pay machine and was over-looked by offices

There was no glass or debris left on the floor.

It is a 2007 Ford Fiesta, my gut feeling is it has been stolen for parts or to be 'cloned' and sold on to an unsuspecting buyer!

The owner is obviously gutted.
There was a kids seat and push-chair in the car as well as cd's and clothes so I'll be watching E-Bay for those!
The insurance will pay out after 7 days so it's doubtful this will all be sorted by Christmas.

Cheers

Martin

Oh dear - at least it was insured. But with modern locks/immobilser etc I do wonder how they managed to take it away!

bmcecosse wrote:Oh dear - at least it was insured. But with modern locks/immobilser etc I do wonder how they managed to take it away!

On the back of a big truck with "recovery" signs on it! No-one would ask any questions, would they!!

It's about the only way - unless it had been left unlocked - or the key fob had been 'cloned' as the door was being locked!

There was a kids seat and push-chair in the car as well as cd's and clothes so I'll be watching E-Bay for those!

She could try her house insurance for the other items if the car insurance won't pay (I have done that in the past). My house insurance only covers stuff in the car if it's out of sight (e.g. the boot).

even if someone cloned the "plipper" on a ford they would only be able to get in, the ignition is a seperate system and works based on the proximity of a coded chip (like RFID)

Matt wrote:even if someone cloned the "plipper" on a ford they would only be able to get in, the ignition is a seperate system and works based on the proximity of a coded chip (like RFID)

Looks like someone might have found a way around that!
Also, there is not enough space in the car park to drag it onto a low loader unless it was 'lifted'.

Someone definitely wanted it for more than just a ride home.

The same thing happened to my Dads Metro MPI years ago, but fortunately it had a tracker fitted. The police for weeks kept telling him they hadn't heard or seen anything. One day he had a phone call from the police asking if they could pick him up as they think they have found his car. They drove him to a big house in Birmingham out the back was a lock up. Apparently they picked up the bleeping tracker on the M42, ten minutes after it went missing and the thief led them to the lock up. They lay in wait for the next person to enter the lock up (it took a few weeks for a man to turn up) and when he did they subsequently arrested him. There were several other cars in there some stripped completely down. The guy had his house taken off him as it had been paid for by stolen vehicles and parts. My dad got his car back untouched.

Must have had a screw loose- stealing a Metro! You can't give them away nowadays!