Car stolen three times in one day

Nicola Dowling

July 18, 2009

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A DRIVER had his car stolen three times in one day - and police failed to turn up even once.

Scott Lloyd then received a letter to say his stolen 1980 Ford Escort XR3i had been impounded and that he had to pay a £150 release fee.

He is now demanding an apology from Greater Manchester Police after accusing the force of incompetence.

Mr Lloyd, 35, was woken at his home in Winton Avenue, Moston, at 1am, when neighbours told him a gang of youths was trying to take the car from outside his house.

The youths fled as he went outside, leaving the car in the middle of the road - and he called police for the first time.

Officers told him not to move it, as forensic experts would be there within the hour to search for fingerprints and other evidence.

Dumped nearby

Mr Lloyd waited . . . then eventually went back to bed at about 4am.

When he got up to take his son to school at 7.30am, he found the car had been stolen a second time.

Mr Lloyd called police and reported it missing again, but at 1pm he found it had been dumped nearby.

He called police to say he had found his car and was asked to stay with it until an officer arrived.

However, he had to leave and when he returned about 90 minutes later, the car had gone for a third time.

Mr Lloyd received a call from the police at 5pm to say they had found the Escort abandoned in Charlestown Road - and it had been impounded. As it was a Friday evening, he couldn't collect it and went for it on the Monday.

The garage where his car had been kept later wrote and asked for a £150 release fee, plus £20 for each day it had been stored.

Mr Lloyd said: "I'm disgusted at the police.

"If they had come out as promised the first time, the car wouldn't have ended up in this state, as it wouldn't have been stolen a second and third time.

Incompetence

"I was thinking about all the excuses they might have had - being busy with murders or something like that - but I think it was just incompetence."

Mr Lloyd fears his car will have to be written off: "It's quite badly damaged, so I don't know if it's worth trying to repair."

He added: "The police told me they'd be there in an hour, but I didn't see them at all.

"They only came after the M.E.N. contacted them."

GMP said it would be `reviewing procedures' and the £150 release fee and garage fees have been waived.

Chief Insp Leon Jacob said: "In this case, officers did not respond within the required time.

"This response is disappointing and an inspector will be contacting Mr Lloyd to discuss any concerns he might have about the service he received.

"We will now be reviewing our procedures to minimise the chances of this kind of incident being repeated."

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Knowsleyman, Paphos (18/07/2009 at 08:17)

Nothing new here then!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One of my cars was stolen from the rear of my property in Bury and I did not notice it had gone.
The first I knew was that I got a bill from a recovery company. The Police had not bothered to tell me at all, but they did, of course, give the garage my name and address.
The car was recovered, crashed into a wall a full 50 yds away from my house.
Greater Manchester Police absolutely useless!!!!!!!!!!!!

Voter (18/07/2009 at 08:21)

It is easy to criticise the police but they have much more important things to do than dealing with crime: ensuring that people are not measuring in feet and inches; walking in Gay Pride Marches; helping to ensure gipsy awareness; snooping in dustbins to make sure that the ukases against waste are being upheld; and checking on racism, sexism, ageism, genderism, homophobia, environmentalism, multiculturalism, etc. They have to deal with the priorities as laid down by the government.

Angie33 , Manchester (18/07/2009 at 08:44)

All different proffessions create work for one another.

Big Brother, North West (18/07/2009 at 08:59)

I have had a similar experience with my stolen car with the police. The bottom line is that when a stolen car gets recovered the responsibility is on the keeper to pay for the recovery which is 150 pound sterling plus storage costs. Only then will the police forensically examine the vehicle.
If the owner does not request this then the vehicle will not get recovered unless in a dangerous place and even then the keeper will have to pay the costs.
The scum who have stolen the car have won once again as the victim of the crime is basically paying to try and get justice. If the victim does not pay then there is no justice.

TheRealWorld (18/07/2009 at 09:13)

Perhaps ther police were busy pandering to the needs of the pathetic, dole dossing, trouble making, law breaking, violent underclass that is growing like a disease in this city, and they were simply too overstretched to investigate the theft of this vehicle?

Remember, it is the people of Manchester who have spawned the feral youths who are causing so much trouble and misery for the rest of us, lawless, cap wearing hoodied layabouts who call the shouts on the street and in their own homes because mummy and daddy have not got a clue.

What about being disgraced at the upbringing of the thieves instead of pointing the finger at GMP yet again.

People want to hold the police responsible for everything nowadays. I don't - you would not be able to steal my car at 1am, 1pm and 2.30pm in the same day - I would be at WORK Mr Lloyd!

And I certainly would not be criticising other peoples occupations when I have not done a days work in years!

lovinthebanter, Manchester (18/07/2009 at 09:24)

GMP always are and always will be useless. Their fantastic at causing inconvienience but try gettin them to do something usefull and you might aswell just do it yourself.

john davis, Broughton, Salford (18/07/2009 at 09:46)

Sounds sopt on for the cops and I get criticised for calling them all the time, listen they get wages for supposedly doing their job, if you or I didn't do our work we would be sacked. Write to the IPCC as this way the matter will get investigated and the lazy cops will start panicking, trust me outside of the Met Greater Manchester Police are the worst, the other day I saw a lorry stuck on a steep hill in Marple , gues how many Police were there 22, of which 19 were doing diddly squat, nice easy way to waste half your shift ,

Captain Sensible (18/07/2009 at 09:52)

I think it's ridiculous that GMP respond to crimes in Greece.

Greater Manchester Police absolutely useless!!!!!!!!!!!!
Knowsleyman, Paphos
18/07/2009 at 08:17

nicked-name, greater manchester (18/07/2009 at 10:09)

not the police fault some criminals wanted to steal a car the car being stolen looks like they done him a favour £150 fee let them dispose of it saves the owner paying the scrap yard to remove it for him its not worth £150 unless he sells it with the 8 track and wham tapes with a bit of george michael thrown in

Disco Stu (18/07/2009 at 10:28)

john davis you really should get out more!, if fact instead of whining about the cops all the time (which does seem to be your life!). Get off your lazy rear end and join the Specials, then you can show the 'lazy' cops how to do it! but then again that might involve you doing something constructive with your time and that clearly isn't your ethos!! Sad!!!

john davis, Broughton, Salford (18/07/2009 at 10:29)

Contact your local neighbourhood police team and ask them to respond as to why they didn't assist, then mention the Police Pledge as every Police division in Greater Manchester have to comply with this where they make claims every call is answered by an officer within a certain set time and arrangements made to come out and see the caller. Then mention the Y Dept which handles complaints, trust me these officers really will investigate your complaint as they know how bad policing is in Greater Manchester, I Know as I have complained in the past.

nicked-name, greater manchester (18/07/2009 at 10:55)

some very sad people write to the IPCC do you not think the bobbies have enough work to contend with and limited resources without people writing to the IPCC regarding what is a minor incident they do a brilliant job and i am not a copper plus i have recently been given a ticket regarding my number plate not to regulation i whinged a bit but then just get on with it the car is not worth 150 pound unless he throws the bay city rollers 8 track in as well as sounds of the 70s

Mark,Radcliffe. (18/07/2009 at 11:01)

GMP is a 'Service',and if it fails to provide that 'service' we have every cause to complain...It is certainly not whining on...If it highlights something that is wrong within a process,it can,in the final outcome be beneficial for both Police and Public alike...What GMP likes to call 'Best-Practice'

It's City Time !, enduring the ups and downs since 1978 (18/07/2009 at 11:01)

Looks like a 1990 Escort to me, not a 1980 one

J smith (18/07/2009 at 11:07)

The only way to get the police to visit you is say that you run a massarge parlour. I once saw 8 police officers attend a massarge parlour on Shudehill in Manchester (don't bother looking i don't think its there anymore) because one bloke wasn't happy with the service (2 of the officers were women).

Then officers will go on the Telly and ask for support from the public. After the way i was treated by the police i'll never help the police out and a lot of people now feel the same.

Michael Wiffen (18/07/2009 at 11:21)

If is my belief that the police will only respond quickly (If they indeed attend at all!), if they have a vested interest to do so. And it fits in with their political master agenda! EG: If their Mason friends(i.e. Solicitors) can make money out of the situation!!

Ace , manchester (18/07/2009 at 11:26)

Big Brother, North West (18/07/2009 at 11:34)

Bottom line is that the police employ some lazy people who use the system to their advantage and by the time the organisation realises that they have employed the wrong people it is to late to get rid of them. What the police need is a 5 year contract which is renewable only upon effectivness.

Michael Wiffen (18/07/2009 at 12:11)

Well judging by the letters in this newspaper the police have a problem with image!But judging by the police responce to everything is to baffle us all with with percentages and graphs. and statements like crime is down by 20% but what they forget to tell you is what they base the 20% on.
Ace , manchester
18/07/2009 at 11:26.

Spot on Ace,

I was at a District Assembly some time ago in Tameside. An officer from GMP was giving out details of reductions in crime from the previous month to this month. He stated that car theft was down 20%. I put my hand up, and said " I'm sorry, but that figure means nothing to me! How many car thefts were their last month, and how many this month?" He could not give me the figures, and advised that he received the figures in that format.

Also the % they give are based on RECORDED crime. An awful lot of people are deterred from reporting crime for a number of reasons. This applies to many types of crime within the community, not just car theft. I have had many experiences myself(and i know of many others who have experienced similar problems) where the police have been reluctant to log the crime against me. Especially when approaching them on Domestic Abuse issues!

clone ranger, uranus (18/07/2009 at 12:52)

at least he got it back 3 times. i might get one of those.

gillykins, urmston (18/07/2009 at 12:58)

Mine was stolen twice in a day but the Police were very helpful. It was taken from my house in the night and found the next morning in Salford precinct car park. The Police informed me of this and my brother came to help me locate it. We searched all over and it just wasnt there, so we went back home and told them again. Two hours later they stopped two lads driving through Harper hey in it. They had bashed it about so it was taken straight to a garage where they wrote it off. All in all I found the Police very very helpful - but they dont have time to be staying with the stolen property until someone arrives to pick it up.

Acid, Chadderton (18/07/2009 at 14:28)

"
What about being disgraced at the upbringing of the thieves instead of pointing the finger at GMP yet again.

People want to hold the police responsible for everything nowadays. I don't - you would not be able to steal my car at 1am, 1pm and 2.30pm in the same day - I would be at WORK Mr Lloyd!

And I certainly would not be criticising other peoples occupations when I have not done a days work in years!
(NotIn)TheRealWorld ,
18/07/2009 at 09:13"

I take it you know the gentleman in this story personally as I cannot find anything that says he is unemployed(!) The fact that he was home could mean that he is self-employed, a shiftworker or even on holiday. The truth of the matter, regardless of who spawned what, is that the police were called 3 times and failed to attend each time. They are public servants and should serve the public to the best of their abilities. It appears from many of the articles printed in the press (not just the MEN) that there are a large number of police officers who haven't done a day's work in years!!

irrelevant, Salford (18/07/2009 at 16:06)

Michael Wiffen: spot on ... half the time they don't even record crimes that are reported to them.

We used to have a bit of a problem around here with youths,and I'd occasionally phone it in when they got a bit rowdy, or were trying to knock holes in the post office wall. They'd go through the details with me, say thank you, goodbye, and I'd say "can I have an incident number please?" "um, hold on" they would say, and there would be the sound of frantic typing before they could give it me. Surely if they were actually logging the call in the first place, they would have had the number to hand.. So, when you call up, always ask for an incident number, and write it down. .. that way they have to record it, and they can trace the call when you complain afterwards, and they can't massage the figures by only recording crimes they are actually going to bother about.

Steve Smith (18/07/2009 at 17:53)

I am sorry to all those who are deluded and think every thing is fine and dandy and we have a wonderful police force, sorry I mean service (sic), but we dont. I have to say this. When I receve my council tax bill and see the increase the only part of the increase i object to paying is for the Police. Why? I am paying for a service I dont receive. I know that if I have to call the fire brigade they will be there. I know if i put my bin out it will be emptied. I know that if i report a street light out they will come and change the bulb. The cleaners will turn up each week and sweep the road, but God forbid if i need a policeman. You will be lucky if you can get one to answer the phone. Until they are made more accountable and get off their backsides its money down the drain.

john davis, Broughton, Salford (18/07/2009 at 18:08)

I read with utter contempt the comments posted which seem to support GMP in their non attendance, lets put the story another way if a Police Officer son breaks their arm and leg and they call an ambulance they should quite rightly expect the ambulance to arrive within a certain period of time usually 15 mins for a 999 if the ambulance doesn't show and the boy then breaks another arm and the ambulance is called again and still doesn't show the ambulance service has failed in its duty of care, the same standards apply for the Police but are violated every single day, all crime figure are massaged and in this case the crime will be recorded as one not three but who cares as GMP certainly do not they are a complete disgrace and will remain so until a government takes action. The GMPA are equally weak and tend to agree with the Officers 99.9 % of the time.

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