Is Your Car Park Secure?
Updated: 11:06, Friday October 06, 2006
A Sky News investigation has raised concerns about some airport car parking facilities.
The "meet and greet" parking services advertise on the web, claiming to be cheaper than those offered by airports.
But we found that your car could be parked anywhere and if it is damaged, you would have to make a claim on your own insurance.
Sky News reporter Joel Hills dropped his car off at Pink Meet and Greet - who promise the "peace of mind" of a "dedicated secure compound facility" with "24 hour security patrols" and "high fences".
The car was fitted with a satellite tracking system and was to be left with Pink Meet and Greet for six days.
Sky News followed the car from the airport, using the GPS tracking system and, it was taken to a yard 10 miles away.
This is the "secure compound" that Pink Meet and Greet refers to on its website.
The yard is shared by several businesses so during the day the main gates are left open but there are high fences and, it would appear, 24-hour security.
Two days before the car was due to be collected they moved it to a road on an Industrial Estate close to the airport.
The Sky News team then tested the firm's pledge - and stole the car.
The
The "secure" car park
Steve Kittle, the owner of Pink Meet and Greet, told us the car had been stolen but he repeatedly failed to tell us where it had really been parked.
Sky News: "Where was it then?"
Steve Kittle: "Here."
Sky News: "And it was definitely here before it got nicked?"
Steve Kittle: "Yes. Only I've got the key."
Sky News: "And it was definitely here?"
Steve Kittle: "Yes."
Mr Kittle also insisted our reporter would have to claim it on his insurance.
Sky News: "But aren't you responsible for it, I've given you the keys?"
Steve Kittle: "I'm responsible when come to and from airport but when it comes into the compound it's the same as if you parked it at Tesco."
Sky News: "But then I might as well have parked it at Tesco."
Steve Kittle: "You read the Terms and Conditons, mate."
The company's insurance policy is mentioned in their terms and conditions as is their "right to move the vehicle outside the car park".
Mr Kittle later admitted his company uses the public road on the industrial estate as a half-way house for vehicles being transferred to and from the airport.
But he told Sky News that normally cars only spend a few hours here. In our case he said a mistake had been made and he blamed his staff.
Updated: 11:06, Friday October 06, 2006
A Sky News investigation has raised concerns about some airport car parking facilities.
The "meet and greet" parking services advertise on the web, claiming to be cheaper than those offered by airports.
But we found that your car could be parked anywhere and if it is damaged, you would have to make a claim on your own insurance.
Sky News reporter Joel Hills dropped his car off at Pink Meet and Greet - who promise the "peace of mind" of a "dedicated secure compound facility" with "24 hour security patrols" and "high fences".
The car was fitted with a satellite tracking system and was to be left with Pink Meet and Greet for six days.
Sky News followed the car from the airport, using the GPS tracking system and, it was taken to a yard 10 miles away.
This is the "secure compound" that Pink Meet and Greet refers to on its website.
The yard is shared by several businesses so during the day the main gates are left open but there are high fences and, it would appear, 24-hour security.
Two days before the car was due to be collected they moved it to a road on an Industrial Estate close to the airport.
The Sky News team then tested the firm's pledge - and stole the car.
The
The "secure" car park
Steve Kittle, the owner of Pink Meet and Greet, told us the car had been stolen but he repeatedly failed to tell us where it had really been parked.
Sky News: "Where was it then?"
Steve Kittle: "Here."
Sky News: "And it was definitely here before it got nicked?"
Steve Kittle: "Yes. Only I've got the key."
Sky News: "And it was definitely here?"
Steve Kittle: "Yes."
Mr Kittle also insisted our reporter would have to claim it on his insurance.
Sky News: "But aren't you responsible for it, I've given you the keys?"
Steve Kittle: "I'm responsible when come to and from airport but when it comes into the compound it's the same as if you parked it at Tesco."
Sky News: "But then I might as well have parked it at Tesco."
Steve Kittle: "You read the Terms and Conditons, mate."
The company's insurance policy is mentioned in their terms and conditions as is their "right to move the vehicle outside the car park".
Mr Kittle later admitted his company uses the public road on the industrial estate as a half-way house for vehicles being transferred to and from the airport.
But he told Sky News that normally cars only spend a few hours here. In our case he said a mistake had been made and he blamed his staff.
