Hit and run :(

Solari · 6 May 2008 at 15:58

My sister's and 2 other people's motors just got smashed to pieces by a white van speeding down the road... he didn't even stop, just burned off with the side of his van mangled up!

A few of the neighbours in the area were standing outside and got the number plate but apparently it doesn't exist (according to the police) :eek:

The cops have said there's nothing they can really do and advice is just to get a crime number and report it to the insurance company. Fantastic, so that means you can drive around with a false plate, smash up what you want and get away with it

Bleh, so frustrating. I bet the cops won't even bother keeping an eye out for a mangled white van

Far too much like having to do some work.

[TW]Fox · 6 May 2008 at 15:58

With respect I'm not entirely sure what the police could do in this situation.

Solari · 6 May 2008 at 16:01

[TW]Fox;11635477 said:
With respect I'm not entirely sure what the police could do in this situation.

I'd like to think that the patrol cars could keep an eye out for a mangled white van in the area on the off chance?

Just annoyed really and believe that this is why less reliance should be placed on cameras. More cops out on patrol would have flagged up the plate and pulled the driver over, possibly before this happened.

</moaning rant mode>

snowdog · 6 May 2008 at 16:03

[TW]Fox;11635477 said:
With respect I'm not entirely sure what the police could do in this situation.

Check all damage repair places for a smashed up van (with fake plates)?
Radio in to all units in the area that they need to watch out for a white damaged van, possibly still with number plate ...
Send the fake registration to all damage repair places and tell em to report it in when they see a car with such a plate ?

[TW]Fox · 6 May 2008 at 16:04

snowdog said:
Check all damage repair places for a smashed up van (with fake plates)?

In a utopia, perhaps. We do not live in a utopia, we live in a world of finite resources, and sending police officers to search for a battered white van is rather less importing to responding to other crimes.

Solari · 6 May 2008 at 16:04

As a quick question - my sister is insured fully comp... is she likely to get a courtesy car at all while the claim is sorted? (I'm guessing not as it's almost certainly a write off)

[TW]Fox · 6 May 2008 at 16:04

Solari said:
As a quick question - my sister is insured fully comp... is she likely to get a courtesy car at all while the claim is sorted? (I'm guessing not as it's almost certainly a write off)

Yes, almost certainly.

Slinwagh · 6 May 2008 at 16:07

Over the Police Radio "Observations for a white Van, registration XYZ" would have been passed to all patrols.

Emlyn_Dewar · 6 May 2008 at 16:37

[TW]Fox;11635513 said:
In a utopia, perhaps. We do not live in a utopia, we live in a world of finite resources, and sending police officers to search for a battered white van is rather less importing to responding to other crimes.

Given the country we live in, you can guarantee the other crimes will be even less serious. Either that or there wont be any response as everyone will be stuck filling in paperwork regarding petty crimes that are years old.

Attu90 · 6 May 2008 at 16:42

Id put money on it that with the nice weather were having the van driver had probably been to the pub for a few for lunch.

Malt_Vinegar · 6 May 2008 at 16:50

Next time, tell them he looked like he had a gun, i am pretty darn sure they will go all out to catch him then

Its such a shame when things like this happen, but as said higher up, there is little or nothing that can be done especially as the guy is very likely to be off the road, parked up with the damage hidden from view by the time the Police are notified.

Why not phne around yourself, or have a quick drive about and ask at some local garage and put the word out yourself if you really want to nail him

Solari · 7 May 2008 at 00:00

After talking to the neighbour, it seems it was actually an open back van - the type you see ****** using to collect scrap metal. After hearing that it's no surprise the number plate isn't recognised

Cops weren't even interested in taking a description of the bloke either.

Ah well...

silversurfer · 7 May 2008 at 00:16

Did you mention it was speeding, might raise their interest

Skeeter · 7 May 2008 at 00:22

Emlyn_Dewar said:
Given the country we live in, you can guarantee the other crimes will be even less serious. Either that or there wont be any response as everyone will be stuck filling in paperwork regarding petty crimes that are years old.

My girlfriend was mugged. Police closed the case within 2 weeks. Theres no such thing as a case thats years old.

West · 7 May 2008 at 00:24

Fox is right.. you can 99.9% Guarentee that the plods wont do anything.

Skeeter · 7 May 2008 at 00:38

My primary concern with this incodent, seen as nobody was hurt, would be to ensure you were able to claim on your insurance without losing your no claims, because that would be the biggest kick in the teeth

Puppetmaster · 7 May 2008 at 07:34

silversurfer said:
Did you mention it was speeding, might raise their interest

only if they could gain some money out of it probably

Third Opinion · 7 May 2008 at 07:45

White Van, false plates usually = *****.

Case solved, maybe the plods could start to look there?

Solari · 7 May 2008 at 09:03

Skeeter said:
My primary concern with this incident, seen as nobody was hurt, would be to ensure you were able to claim on your insurance without losing your no claims, because that would be the biggest kick in the teeth

The neighbour reckons he will lose his 2 years NCB. Not sure about my sister though, she didn't say. The insurance company won't give her a courtesy car while the claim is processed as they have nowhere to recoup the costs from it seems.

Fr0dders · 7 May 2008 at 09:06

Losing 2 years NCB for a fault claim (or unrecoverable claim) is the norm

its what happened to me when i had a bump over christmas.