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Original poster

Just had police at door

99 replies

Auntieobem · 26/02/2023 10:44

Saying that a note was left on a car saying that it had been hit my my DPs car. They looked over the car and said there was no evidence of any accident damage. Had no witness details, didn't even have a date of alleged accident. It allegedly happened somewhere where DP sometimes parks. DP denies and knowledge.

Anyone have this happen to them? I assume it won't go any further?

OP posts:
Poisonrunningthroughmyveins · 26/02/2023 10:54

Yes this happened to me.
Supermarket carpark.
I had no clue what they were on about but my insurance paid out and I got a caution on record. I’m still so mad about it several years on. Absolutely not a scratch on my car and no evidence of any kind of impact at all but I was still cautioned, and the policeman was hateful.

Original poster
Auntieobem · 26/02/2023 10:57

@Poisonrunningthroughmyveins bloody he'll! Did they have "witnesses" to the accident you were accused of??

OP posts:
Original poster
Auntieobem · 26/02/2023 10:58

Policeman didn't ask for any insurance details - but assume they'd have access to some sort of database soight not need to ask?

OP posts:
Nimbostratus100 · 26/02/2023 10:59

Poisonrunningthroughmyveins · 26/02/2023 10:54

Yes this happened to me.
Supermarket carpark.
I had no clue what they were on about but my insurance paid out and I got a caution on record. I’m still so mad about it several years on. Absolutely not a scratch on my car and no evidence of any kind of impact at all but I was still cautioned, and the policeman was hateful.

why on earth did you accept a caution?

Goodread1 · 26/02/2023 11:03

@Poisonrunningthroughmyveins
@Auntieobem

I think I have heard about insurance scams in past type of thing too,

@Nimbostratus100

I agree with your comment too

Seeline · 26/02/2023 11:04

@Nimbostratus100 can you refuse a caution?! How does that work - I assume the police don't just say OK, doesn't really matter 😁

Nimbostratus100 · 26/02/2023 11:06

Seeline · 26/02/2023 11:04

@Nimbostratus100 can you refuse a caution?! How does that work - I assume the police don't just say OK, doesn't really matter 😁

They can only give you a caution if you agree to it

Then that is as far as it goes

If you don't agree to accept a caution, they have the option of charging you and taking you to court, but why would they do that if there is no evidence?

If you accept a caution, you are admitting you have done wrong, and agreeing that you will admit it before going to court

WeCome1 · 26/02/2023 11:07

We had this, but it was hundreds of miles away so easy enough to prove it wasn’t us.
If it’s a place that your DH sometimes parks then it’s quite a coincidence for it to be a number plate mistake.

Nimbostratus100 · 26/02/2023 11:08

a caution is a quick and easy short cut to a guilty plea, without the court costs and consequences

and it remains on your record just as long, sometimes longer

OneFrenchEgg · 26/02/2023 11:09

My dsis had this. No recollection of an accident, apparently witnessed by an off duty officer. Ended up paying out via insurance

Original poster
Auntieobem · 26/02/2023 11:09

@WeCome1 but he knows nothing about it? Why would he havevto prove it wasn't him if they have no evidence apart from an anonymous note that it was??

OP posts:
AmandaHoldensLips · 26/02/2023 11:11

NEVER accept a caution for something you are not guilty of. Police often pressure people into accepting a caution as it results in a quick "win" for them.

Original poster
Auntieobem · 26/02/2023 11:11

If it came to it there's no way he'd accept a caution!

OP posts:
WeCome1 · 26/02/2023 11:11

Auntieobem · 26/02/2023 11:09

@WeCome1 but he knows nothing about it? Why would he havevto prove it wasn't him if they have no evidence apart from an anonymous note that it was??

I wonder how it came about, that’s all?

I have not said he will need to prove anything.

NoInvitesEver · 26/02/2023 11:13

My assumption would be that the person who "found" the note had some damage to their car (probably caused by themselves or maybe not) and decided to set themselves up to claim against someone else.
Probably they parked somewhere and looked for a car to blame that was next to them and wrote the note themselves.
I assume that's how a scam would work for this but not heard of it. It avoids them paying an excess, and I suppose only worth it if significant damage.

TheYearOfSmallThings · 26/02/2023 11:14

It depends whether they have CCTV or ring doorbell footage to show him colliding with the car.

In the absence of that (and especially where the "witness" pointing the finger at your husband has not left contact details) nothing will happen, because obviously the person who actually did the damage could have written the note before driving away.

LakeTiticaca · 26/02/2023 11:15

I didn't think the police got involved in minor bumps with no casualties?
Don't they have anything better to do like investigating actual criminal activity?

Misslizzie96 · 26/02/2023 11:19

I had this once years ago. It was a work lease car so they eventually traced me through work, I explained wasn’t a mark on my car and when I looked back at my time sheet at the time of the accident I’d logged my time as report writing so I must have been in the office rather than where they said I was (was about 2 miles away). The policeman was very rude said he’d been given the run around by the lease company (hardly my fault) and it would be so much easier if I just admitted it and he could close his case, I refused and offered to send him photos and a copy of my time sheet and said I wasn’t happy with the way he was speaking to me and wanted my details passed on to his supervisor, although inside I was crapping my pants I was only in my mid 20s and hadn’t been driving for that many years. I have all my details and nobody ever called me back. I think it must have been a mistake or something malicious.

VirginiaQ · 26/02/2023 11:30

Poisonrunningthroughmyveins · 26/02/2023 10:54

Yes this happened to me.
Supermarket carpark.
I had no clue what they were on about but my insurance paid out and I got a caution on record. I’m still so mad about it several years on. Absolutely not a scratch on my car and no evidence of any kind of impact at all but I was still cautioned, and the policeman was hateful.

You can only get a caution for something if you admit it. Do you mean you were read the caution before being questioned which is a completely different thing and has to be said before interviewing someone who may have committed and offence.

coffeecupsandwaxmelts · 26/02/2023 11:47

LakeTiticaca · 26/02/2023 11:15

I didn't think the police got involved in minor bumps with no casualties?
Don't they have anything better to do like investigating actual criminal activity?

They will get involved if someone (supposedly) drives off from the scene of an accident without leaving their details. It's still classed as failure to stop even if nobody is injured.

If you have an accident and cause damage, you either have to leave your details at the time or (if that's not possible) contact the police within 24 hours. Failure to do so is a crime, even if all you've done is scratch some paintwork or dent a wing mirror.

I once got hit on a road and my wing mirror was smashed off - I stopped, but the other driver didn't. They never gave their details but I had a dashcam and reported them to the police and they were prosecuted for it.

Seeline · 26/02/2023 11:48

Nimbostratus100 · 26/02/2023 11:06

They can only give you a caution if you agree to it

Then that is as far as it goes

If you don't agree to accept a caution, they have the option of charging you and taking you to court, but why would they do that if there is no evidence?

If you accept a caution, you are admitting you have done wrong, and agreeing that you will admit it before going to court

Show quote history

Thanks for explaining. Not something I've come across, so useful to know just in case!

Knitterofcrap · 26/02/2023 11:51

I would want to know exactly when the incident took place and fathom whether his car could have been there.

It’s probably a nasty scam as PP have said, and insurance will sort it.

With regards to police caution, you can absolutely refuse to sign it, and then police have to decide whether or not to charge you. With no evidence it seems unlikely.

BitOutOfPractice · 26/02/2023 11:52

I reckon someone else hit this car and whoever did it wrote the note, pretending they were leaving their details but instead looked around for another car reg and put that on.

Original poster
Auntieobem · 26/02/2023 11:56

BitOutOfPractice · 26/02/2023 11:52

I reckon someone else hit this car and whoever did it wrote the note, pretending they were leaving their details but instead looked around for another car reg and put that on.

This is what I think may have happened. Glad it wasn't my car - I hit the side of my car on a barrier a few weeks ago, so they may have thought that was accident damage?

OP posts:
Ketanne · 26/02/2023 12:04

Happened to me in a supermarket car park. I can tell you what happened now - I am almost certain it was the man staring and making faces at me because he had to wait for me to finish pulling out (slowly and safely to avoid any bumps!) before he flew out his space at speed.

The police came to my door a few days later, said a lady had reported me as a "witness" had left a note on her car with my reg, make, model and a description of me!! The officer said he has already inspected my car (parked outside) and saw no signs of damage. He did say he wouldn't be taking it further as the police are only involved if it's a criminal matter (ie if I hit her car, knew what I did and drove away anyway), and that it was for the insurance to sort out.

In the end, my insurer said they were going to defend it, and the burden was on the other side as they wouldn't even consider a pay out without solid evidence not only that I hit her car, but that I was even there. They couldn't provide anything at all apart from an invoice for the damage, insurer sent out an inspector as a preemptive measure who confirmed no corresponding damage, and it was closed because the other side couldn't prove a thing.

Annoying because it did drag on for almost a year, and I had to declare it as an open incident when I renewed, which temporarily increased my premium.

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