LisaP Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 As part of another post I mentioned that my son's motorbike had been stolen. When we got up on Wed 19 Mar we discovered it had gone and immediately notified the police. Anyway on 21 Mar (Good Fri) some of my son's friends who were on their way to a 6th form lunch, took a short cut and discovered his bike in the car park of a block of flats. It was only about a mile from our house! Again called the police and arranged for it to be collected to be fingerprinted etc. I received a letter from the police - it was dated the same day that we reported the theft - stating that they were taking no further action as they couldn't trace the culprits. This was before the bike had been found, let alone fingerprinted! We picked the bike up yesterday after paying a considerable fee to get it back and then this morning I received a speeding ticket - the bike is still registered in my name - for doing 52mph in a 30 limit, at 4.01 am in the morning it was stolen! They stated they have photographic proof so my husband phoned them and suggested they try to identify the thieves from that! Apparently I may even have to go to court because the law simply states that if you refuse to name who was riding the bike it automatically gets referred to the court - there is no option of simply saying "I don't know who the blighters were"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cinnamon Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 Crikey. You couldn't make it up,could you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaP Posted March 28, 2008 Author Share Posted March 28, 2008 I'm a worn out mum of 4 - joyriding my son's bike at 4 in the morning is not high on my list of priorities! But I have a horrible feeling I may have to prove myself Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janty Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 Another example of stupidity, I'm afraid. When I first moved to Suffolk, I wrote to the local council in Runcorn to inform them that I would no longer be liable for payment of Council Tax at my old address. About six months later, they wrote to me (at my new address that I had given them) telling me that they were taking me to court for non payment of Council Tax from the date that I moved. I telephoned them to explain that they must have received the letter informing them of my move if they were able to write to me. I also told them that I could provide a receipt for payment of C. Tax at my new address from that date. I was told that there was nothing that they could do as that was the information that they were being given by the computer. It took me several months to clear my name. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
superjules Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 Gosh, the Daily Mail would love that! What a ridiculous system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 How stupid is that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paola Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 I am sure that it will not go as far as court. I have had a speeding ticket for a car with the same reg as mine The reg plate was copied. I wrote to them with a photo of my car explaining the differences between them and all was sorted. I am sure if you wrote to them explaining the bike was stolen and quoted the crime ref it could all be sorted. Glad to hear that you got it back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 Why did you have to pay to get the bike back? That is outrageous. I think I'd be happy to go to court. The system would look ridiculous. You've reported the bike stolen and hopefully you don't look anything like whoever was photographed riding it. However you can't trust the court system either! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiggy Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 the more i hear about councils, police, utiliies they are all a law unto themselves & populated by jobs worths when I was a student nurse I moved into a rented house , a few months later the police turned up with a man from the electicity company & accused me of fiddling the meter because I had not used enough power (their estimate) I explained that I had been on night duty so would be in bed all day and at work all night, there was a fireplace with back boiler that I had been using to save on the electricity, but they turned off my power & left it off for 4 months all over the winter, eventually a solicitor friend contacted them, the power was restored but I didn't even get an applogy, and when I moved again they insisted on putting in a pre payment meter because I had a bad payment history bl**dy cheek. It was years ago but it still makes my blood boil. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 You have proof that the bike was stolen as you reported it to the police. I'd brazen it out in court. Bloomin' 'eck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hillfamily Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 words fail me you couldn't make it up if you tried Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ain't Nobody Here Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 For goodness sake - how ridiculous . Of course, we've only got your word for it that you weren't out racing around the streets at 4.01am . This is a bit different but also shows how computers are deemed to be in charge .... OH went to dentist. Filling required. Went back few weeks later to get filling. Temporary dentist couldn't find records which showed which tooth was to be filled. Didn't do filling. OH had scale & polish & left. Then we get letter saying "you owe us £15.81 for a filling, scale & polish". Phonecalls and discussions in person ensued. "He'll need to come in so we can check if he had a filling - the computer says he did." OK, let's have an appointment. "Computer won't let us give you an appointment as you have an outstanding bill." Eventually managed to get an appointment. Two days before appointment, got another letter saying "you owe us £15.81 for a filling. Pay up or we'll write to the NHS and get you removed from our list". Still wouldn't believe OH even when he showed them his mouth . He paid up to shut them up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoid Posted March 28, 2008 Share Posted March 28, 2008 Daft... Same thing happened to someone I know, they are allowed to park outside their work, but have to cross the pavement to get there, so the council are saying that he was parking on the pavement, when he was only crossing it! It was meant to be a 'live' camera operator too.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Christian Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 Then we get letter saying "you owe us £15.81 for a filling, scale & polish". Computers rule the world I would be over the moon if my dental appointment only cost me £15.81! The last bill was £300 and I only have 1 tooth! Good ol' chomper! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 Why not inform the local press? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 You have proof that the bike was stolen as you reported it to the police. I'd brazen it out in court. Bloomin' 'eck. I imagine it would all be sorted pretty quickly just before it got to court, or the case against you would be thrown out anyway My mum is currently arguing with Severn Trent as they say she has a public sewer in her garden, and building regs cannot be obtained for her new extension until she provides CCTV of the sewer so asset protection can assess if she has damaged it. There is no sewer, as the house it is supposed to come from was built several years after hers, and has suffered several sewer blockages and none have affected her property. She is really stressed by all this and hasn't slept properly for over a week because of their incompetence They sent a map of the sewers in our road and have said I have one too. It runs under the edge of my laundry, which was built several years before the house it is supposed to come from Fortunately, mums deeds name the houses who have shared responsibility for her sewer (just her and neighbour, same with my house too) . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucky1 Posted March 29, 2008 Share Posted March 29, 2008 Hiya Lisa P - You need to do the following: - You will NOT be required to attend court if you reply within 28 days of receiving the NIPS ' Notice of intended prosecution' - So you just need to reply with DRIVER unknown stating 'bike stolen at time of incident'. -State the Crime Reference number - which you should have - if not phone up the police and they will give it to you over the phone. Add a short letter with the NIPS outlining what happened. - This should clear it up. - Re. the photographic evidence from speeding offence. DO TELL the officer in charge of your incident (One is assigned to the incident and will be on their computer) as he/she will not know and this WILL help. Hope above is of assistance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paola Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 Hiya Lisa P - You need to do the following: - You will NOT be required to attend court if you reply within 28 days of receiving the NIPS ' Notice of intended prosecution' - So you just need to reply with DRIVER unknown stating 'bike stolen at time of incident'. -State the Crime Reference number - which you should have - if not phone up the police and they will give it to you over the phone. Add a short letter with the NIPS outlining what happened. - This should clear it up. - Re. the photographic evidence from speeding offence. DO TELL the officer in charge of your incident (One is assigned to the incident and will be on their computer) as he/she will not know and this WILL help. Hope above is of assistance You sound like somebody speaking from experience Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucky1 Posted March 30, 2008 Share Posted March 30, 2008 Just a 'little' bit .................................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaP Posted March 31, 2008 Author Share Posted March 31, 2008 Thank you once again - it's strangely comforting knowing that I'm not the only one these ridiculous things happen to Clucky1 - Thanks for the advice, I have today sent off the form and gave the relevant details. Just hope it all gets sorted now LisaP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...