NIP for cloned plates - how to respond?

[Haggisman]

My partner has just had a NIP come through for a speeding offense on Christmas day.

We were about 400 miles away at the time using my car, with her car sat on the drive the whole time (although I'm not sure how we can prove this ).

However, I have an MOT certificate from 7th December, with the mileage at the time on it, and the current mileage on the car is only 2 miles more (basically the distance from the MOT centre to home), whereas the distance to the location of the offense is 14 miles by the shortest possible route - I assume this will be sufficient evidence that we couldn't possibly have been there at the time.

She is currently on the phone to 101 to report the plates being cloned, however wanted to check how we should respond to the NIP - there's no option for "it wasn't my car and I have no idea who was driving".

Yes we have tried contacting them, however it's an answer phone only number with an estimated response in 3 working days (so middle of next week at the earliest), and she's understandably a bit ****** off and worried about it

 

[Haggisman]

you both didn't meet anyone/witnesses, or pay anything (especially petrol) during that trip ?

We met plenty of people - spent the whole day with family, but as far as I'm aware my partner didn't pay for anything on her card, only me. Unfortunately since the offense was on Christmas day we didn't actually go anywhere that particular day - just chilled in the lodge we were staying at.

I did pay for lots of diesel enroute, both on the way there and back, but again that was on my card, and also doesn't really prove we didn't spend Christmas day driving from Inverness to Birmingham, quickly nipped to Coventry for the lols, found a garage to roll back the clock on the car 26 miles and then drove back up to Inverness in time for dinner

 

[Haggisman]

Photos with geo location?

Yeah, got a few of those - also Google Timeline places us both in the middle of nowhere in Scotland for the week

 

[Haggisman]

Our neighbours have one, as do the couple across the road, it's also on our Cctv (although you can't see the reg)

 

[Haggisman]

Yup, hers shows she was in the lodge all day, mine has no history since my phone was off all day (forgot to charge), but I'm in her photos and also the days before and after show me around the same area.

Looks like we have plenty of evidence, it's just what to put on the form...

 

[Haggisman]

That's still effort & having to take time off work though, and I assume we can't claim for wasted time/loss of earnings?

 

[Haggisman]

Already done

I'm relaxed, but she's fretting about it a bit, so trying to reassure her

 

[Haggisman]

We only had to check in on the first day, so doesn't really prove anything unfortunately

 

[Haggisman]

No pictures unfortunately, have requested them, but not expecting a reply until mid-late next week

 

[Haggisman]

Happens more than you think.

Check out the website of the force which had sent you the NIP and they will have an email there.

Just send an email with the reference number and just explain on there. You can also provide any photo evidence mileage etc.

Please don't just sit on it, the sooner you raise the less change you have to then needing to go to court and explain.

P.S what force is it out of interest?

Yup we've done all of this - the irony is that having to go to court to defend it would probably cost us more than just taking the points

It's West Midlands Police, the alleged offence happened in Coventry (well, as far as I can tell, it just says "on <RoadName A> between <RoadName B> and <RoadName C>", which matches a road in Coventry)

 

[Haggisman]

Yes... if it was me I would have pointed out that my car isn't invisible like the one in the photos they provided, but unfortunately I was asked to take that part out of the covering letter

Anyway, received another one this morning, from Christmas Eve, although at least Warwickshire Police actually have the sense to include an option for "it wasn't my car", so that's an easy one to respond to.

Shame there's no online facility to fill it in - waste of paper & time, and makes it impossible to provide any kind of decent quality photo or video evidence... might include a flyer offering my development skills for a very reasonable rate

 

[Haggisman]

Yes, we did that as soon as we got the first letter on 31st, however I can't imagine they're just going to stop sending the NIPs on our say so

 

[Haggisman]

Wahey, number 3, and a parking ticket

Unfortunately the photos show a dark coloured car in the dark - does appear to be the same make/model which isn't ideal, but it is missing the dealer details on the number plate which is handy

 

[Haggisman]

Look if you can to see how the plate(s) is/are attached, most of these scrotes velcro the plate on whereas most cars will have fixing screws with caps over them.

Unfortunately the pictures are pretty low quality and very dark

 

[Haggisman]

Well, we are in the process of selling it anyway (probably got the plate from the pictures in the ad ).

Taking it to a car buying place tomorrow to see how much they knock down their offer, and insurance expires in 2 weeks as well - if we don't end up with a decent offer we're going to SORN it anyway, so if they're still using it then they'll get pulled for no tax/insurance

 

[Haggisman]

They will get picked up straight away on fixed ANPR cameras with no tax. They are on most of all the major routes in to towns now.

Well, that won't do much good since the letters will come to us... they'd need to get pinged by a car and pulled over :/

 

[Haggisman]

Just to update this:

Car was sold - buyer knocked off £100 to replace the plates (yes I was honest and told them, gave them the crime ref number etc. would have felt bad if they got pulled over and ended up with no easy way to prove the car was legit).

Finally managed to speak to Warwickshire police and they reviewed all the evidence and accepted it was cloned - never saw a picture of the other car but they did say there were some differences to the photos we provided.

West Midlands Police also finally sent us a letter saying they'd reviewed the evidence and were happy it wasn't our car.

The parking company responded saying that as we told them my partner was neither the driver or registered keeper of the vehicle in question, they couldn't communicate with us due to data protection. Sent them a rather sternly worded email pointing out that since they had now accepted that my partner was NOT the registered keeper, they had no further reason to communicate with us, but we would be more than happy to assist with their investigation for a very reasonable daily fee. Got a response a few days later dropping the matter.

So, all resolved, but a real pain in the **** and costs us £100 (plus the time and effort collecting the evidence and sending it off etc.)