This is how the Met deals with crime

[tombo]

Last night my wife's car was stolen from a busy main road. Opposite there is a BP pertrol station with CCTV cameras. We have filed a stolen car reprt to the Police - you can't even now get to speak to a human. This afternoon they have "solved" the crime. THEY FILED THEIR PAPERS. Not a finger was lifted to interrogate the CCTV - It appears the only fingers that were lifted were in our direction... Are we rapidly descending towards the banana republic standards?

[fat controller]

Aye, resources have been cut that far that they don't really bother with things like theft anymore - even many shops are not bothering to report shoplifting, as the police do nothing (or don't turn up) - and any Tory trotting out the age old 'it was Labour that dunnit' excuse just doesn't wash with me any more. I cannot wait until we get a chance to vote the buggers out

[Jim_S-V6_2004]

So what's the process now?

[fat controller]

So what's the process now?

You call up, get a crime reference number, inform your insurers. Police file their 'report' which is essentially just the crime being recorded on their system so that it can be verified as reported when the insurer enquires. Insurer pays out less than the car is worth, declaring a total loss. Owner suffers an increased premium the following year, and insurance prices generally rise. Thieves get away with the car, use it to rob/kill/maim etc and get off scot free - - occasionally they are caught when they are pulled over, but that is rare, and even then they go to court and tell the judge what a hard life they have because daddy left when he was a baby, and gets a conditional discharge......

[Jim_S-V6_2004]

So is it like before, years ago the insurers only pay if the car isn't found after 6 weeks if I remember?

I thought the insurers cough up average market value now, someone said in an older thread here?

And as I remember, we were required to report a car theft to a police station in person or by phone, and got the report/case number? I never had to do it so maybe that's Incorrect?

.

[fat controller]

It is something like that Jim - not entirely sure of the timescale, but by the time they faff about it won't be far from that. The average market value offered will be from their sources, not the ones you and I would use to buy a similar car, and therefore the value offered is often short of what it should be. There are a lot less police stations now as well, so you have to do it by phone or in some areas I believe you can do it online (I think the Met is one force that does online).

Sadly, I don't think that there is much if any investigation done, unless your theft is part of a spate in an area or there is some other reason, and as tombo rightly points out, you most likely won't even have human contact.

Now, if you call someone a nasty name on Twitter............. well, you will likely be raided at 4am, and be hauled off to the local nick in no time.

[Thomas Hayward]

You can get market value for your car, you have to be prepared to dig your heels in. They'll always low-ball.

So is it like before, years ago the insurers only pay if the car isn't found after 6 weeks if I remember?

I thought the insurers cough up average market value now, someone said in an older thread here?

And as I remember, we were required to report a car theft to a police station in person or by phone, and got the report/case number? I never had to do it so maybe that's Incorrect?

.

[fat controller]

You can get market value for your car, you have to be prepared to dig your heels in. They'll always low-ball.

Agreed - so after being robbed by someone taking your car, you have your insurer attempting to rob you also. The only difference between the car thieves and the insurers is that your insurer has a letterhead and you have no choice but to give them your money each year.

[Thomas Hayward]

Criminals in suits.

I remember years ago, a Friend's Cavalier GSI being written off (I was in the car at the time, and he'd only had the car 12 hours. Someone forced us off the road and we luckily ended up in someone's back garden rather than a telegraph pole. His insurance company offered him half the value of the car, initially. He got what he paid, in he end.

Agreed - so after being robbed by someone taking your car, you have your insurer attempting to rob you also. The only difference between the car thieves and the insurers is that your insurer has a letterhead and you have no choice but to give them your money each year.

[Lost it]

They just don't have the resources anymore. That'swhy the boss of the Met was saying they don't have the resources to follow up someone complaining that he has been called a name and it's hurt his feelings so they aren't able to waste their time chasing it now.