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Original poster

Car's been stolen- I know where it is!

282 replies

SalomeNotThatOne · 31/03/2022 16:28

Just wondered if anyone had been through this?

My car's been nicked. I have a tracker in it and located it at an address about half an hour away. I drove round and it's there!

Tried to start it but I wouldn't recognise my electronic key.

Reported it to 101 but they have said that there is nothing the police can do- I need to get my insurer to collect it and fix whatever has been changed. Currently on hold to the insurer.

Just wondered if anyone had been through this?

OP posts:
NewYorkCityDreamer · 31/03/2022 21:47

This is shocking

MurmuratingStarling · 31/03/2022 21:47

Disgusting that the police don't wanna know about it.

Glad I don't live in the area the Met covers.

Also, how on EARTH did @nalabae know that the OP's car was near Woodford and Chingford? Confused All the OP said is that she's in London.

Circumferences · 31/03/2022 21:51

@Pluvia

Yes, tie a threatening suffragette ribbon on one of the wing mirrors. The police will be along shortly.
Yep that'll do it
BaileysBreakfast · 31/03/2022 21:56

This happened to a friend in London (also Range Rover). He basically went and found it and got it back. The police were useless. I don’t know the details of how he got back in though

Abetes · 31/03/2022 21:58

The police are always completely and utterly useless. I have no idea what on earth they do with their time as they aren't interested in solving crime.

SpringsSprung · 31/03/2022 22:08

@Notanotherwindow

When someone broke into our house, I had to tell the police I was going to kill him before they came out. We had him cornered in our kitchen by a very large, very protective dog. Phoned police and were told to hold him there until they arrived but could be up to 4 hours!

In the end I told them that the dog was getting more and more aggressive with him and that if he made a move towards me I was going to stab him.

They arrived in 10 minutes after that and yes the dog did bite him.

Please tell me the dog wasn't subsequently destroyed?
StScholastica · 31/03/2022 22:09

@MurmuratingStarling

Disgusting that the police don't wanna know about it.

Glad I don't live in the area the Met covers.

Also, how on EARTH did @nalabae know that the OP's car was near Woodford and Chingford? Confused All the OP said is that she's in London.

nalabae or her DP will be busy relocating it now Wink
Corblimeyguvnor1 · 31/03/2022 22:09

This happened to me. Police went and got the car and sent it off for forensics.

longtompot · 31/03/2022 22:14

@SenseFromThoughtDivide

This is the Broken Window theory of crime in action, little crimes begat bigger crimes as they corrode confidence in the police
Absolutely!
EmmaH2022 · 31/03/2022 22:14

@MurmuratingStarling

Disgusting that the police don't wanna know about it.

Glad I don't live in the area the Met covers.

Also, how on EARTH did @nalabae know that the OP's car was near Woodford and Chingford? Confused All the OP said is that she's in London.

Maybe there's been a spate of thefts in those areas?
yellowknit · 31/03/2022 22:18

What crimes do the police actually investigate these days? If you're a Tory partying during lockdown or a criminal you get a free pass. But watch out the police are on you like a ton of bricks if you're black or a women protester or even a 15 year old school girl.

MurmuratingStarling · 31/03/2022 22:36

@StScholastica Grin

herethereandeverywhere · 31/03/2022 22:38

Just to add to the 'police can't be arsed with car theft' anecdotes:

approx 5 years ago a neighbour witnessed someone IN our X5 attempting to nick it. Police did come out, with dogs at 3am and found the scumbags hiding in a hedge with the laptop they use to reprogram the cars.

Did they successfully prosecute? Hell no!
Months of taking the same statement multiple times from said neighbour, case being handed over through multiple officers, each of whom knew nothing and started from scratch. In the end apparently the evidence wasn't;t strong enough to prosecute (I can only assume that hiding in a stranger's hedge with a laptop for of car software is a trendy night out...) nothing happened and those scumbags are no doubt still robbing cars, in London, with aplomb.

OP, sorry this happened. 10/10 for finding your car!!!

Clusterduck · 31/03/2022 22:48

Where is a lawyer or litigation funder when you need them? Nearly every time I hear of a car being stolen, it’s a Discovery or Range Rover. Can no one pull a class action together? These cars should be far harder to steal. Surely some of this now lies at the hands of the manufacturer?

Toomanyradishes · 31/03/2022 23:01

Its alwats the fucking met isnt it. Well done on finding your car though op!

Fleura · 31/03/2022 23:06

@SalomeNotThatOne

My tracker is just an Apple airtag to help me remember where I've parked Grin so not a proper tracking service.
Our car got stolen a few weeks ago, manufacturer’s tracker hacked within minutes 🤦‍♀️ We were thinking of using Apple tags but the fact that they send out an alert if not within the owner’s vicinity put us off…..but sounds like we should reconsider!
Fleura · 31/03/2022 23:10

@Duchess379

Omg!! I'm a retired Met officer & this is outrageous! I am so sorry that you've been let down like this. I'm not surprised you're fed up. Can I recommend you get a crook lock - I too have an JLR SUV & unfortunately they are the most desirable vehicles to nick, especially for parts. Again, I'm sorry we've been shite. But well done for finding your car again. 💙
They sawed through the steering wheel on our RR to get ours off 😱 CCTV didn’t put them off either. Gates or rising bollard I’m told are the best things.
EthelTheAardvark · 31/03/2022 23:10

I think there's a progress whereby you can ask for a decision not to prosecute to be reviewed - I'd suggest you use it, if only to push the police into explaining why they don't want to catch a criminal who has effectively been handed to them on a plate.

SenseFromThoughtDivide · 31/03/2022 23:18

they send out an alert if not within the owner’s vicinity put us off

Eh? As I understand this , a tag uses Bluetooth to talk to any iPhone within range (about fifty feet) that phone reports back to the Apple cloud so the tag owner can see where it is anywhere in the world. So if your tag is in San Francisco as long as there’s an iPhone somewhere close you can still locate it even if you are in Pago Pago

Ratatoo · 31/03/2022 23:19

How does someone know where it is? Ie chingford. Is the car thief on this thread? ShockWink

BitOutOfPractice · 31/03/2022 23:22

It’s so depressing isn’t it, to see a thread full of normal, law abiding, average citizens so disdainful and sceptical about the police. They have completely lost the trust of a large section of society.

I’ll add that I am one of those people too. It’s awful.

Kitty901 · 31/03/2022 23:44

Oh yeh, a friend car was stolen and when he called police she was told they don't deal with that sort of things because they have more important stuff like murders and to call the insurance company...how weird i know!

TopCatsTopHat · 01/04/2022 00:28

@BitOutOfPractice

It’s so depressing isn’t it, to see a thread full of normal, law abiding, average citizens so disdainful and sceptical about the police. They have completely lost the trust of a large section of society.

I’ll add that I am one of those people too. It’s awful.

My thoughts exactly. It doesn't fill me with confidence for society in the future. 😕
RealRaymondReddington · 01/04/2022 00:46

Not a car but ten years ago my 80 year old grandparents had an escapee from a mental institute break in and say he had been sent to kill them. He put a towel over his head and threatened them with a knife. When he heard the neighbours he fled. Police were called and turned up - 2 days later with helpful suggestion of a new lock gorgeous the back door. They said they knew who he was but had no evidence, even though there was a towel, a knife and lots of prints as he wore no gloves. Did nothing. Never been so angry in my life.

WhyBeMeanLikeThat · 01/04/2022 01:23

Have a look at the crime stats for the Met police LINK HERE Looks like are quite busy 😅 but the 'sanction detentions' for car crime seem amazingly low. Interesting to look at some facts rather than anecdotal moaning.
I was googling ways in which members of the public can become involved with helping the police become more effective at tackling crime and there looks to be plenty of initiatives. Maybe it's something that people should get involved with if they think they can help. Better than just complaining. 🙃
One scheme that I hadn't heard of and that I wish I were eligible for is the Met Police Ride-Along-Scheme. It looks amazing.