Stranger taking photos of the cars ????

[marc777]

On Saturday my neighbour watched a guy in his early 20's pull up in a grey Escort Van and take photos of their cars, and then over the road to photograph our cars. Took pictures from front or back (not side) - and the one thing we all have in common is cherished plates. We live on a very quiet cul de sac and are not on the main road.

Why do you think he was doing this?

After alot of thought I am concerned that with the address;colour;make;model;chassis no (in window) a duplicate registration document can be ordered to a new address (following say a bogus house move) and that then either a cloned car gets sold, or our cherished plates get sold from under us.

I called the DVLA and provided he could get my name (junk mail from the bin etc) - then getting a duplicate registration documents does not seem to difficult.

Any thoughts?

Marc

PS The neighbour took his van number and reported it to the police

 

[Flash]

I doubt the polcie would do anything as he has not yet commitetd any crime and telling the Police would be waste of time of ur time...

His obviously up to no good unless he is a "private plate" spotter like those who u see on railway bridges train spotting... - in the film "Gone in 60 Secs" they photographed the cars before they stole them - may be he is just a wanabe and been watching too much tv... and need to get a life...

Flash

 

[Mambo]

His obviously up to no good unless he is a "private plate" spotter like those who u see on railway bridges train spotting...

Or on this forum

 

[wallingd]

Or maybe he just has an interest in number-plates. Everyone is entitled to their own interests.

 

[scotth_uk]

Looking for plates to duplicate for London's congestion charging?

 

[GrahamC230K]

I would start putting the car in the garage or get some kind of CCTV/PIR Sensor/Bell type arrangement so you know when someone comes snooping again!

Also get a neighbour that can go outdoors and confront people instead of just watching!

 

[marc777]

Also get a neighbour that can go outdoors and confront people instead of just watching!

She was actually still in bed and heard his engine running and so went to the window.

I still think its cloning and not spotting or stealing.

I'll let you know if anything happens but in the meantime the DVLA have suggested I drop them a line and they will flag the cherished plate register should they receive any correspondence.

Marc

 

[GrahamC230K]

I still think its cloning and not spotting or stealing.

I'll let you know if anything happens but in the meantime the DVLA have suggested I drop them a line and they will flag the cherished plate register should they receive any correspondence.

Marc

At least they are taking an interest - more than can be said for the Police - limited they may be with no crime - but would they have even alerted any of the local beat guys to this? Doubt it.

Fingers crossed.

 

[scotth_uk]

Best thing to do regarding cloning would be to report the incidents to the police by written letter, which they will no doubt have to acknowledge. If you do start receiving fines for your plates being on another car, you'll have some doc evidence of having raised the issue.

 

[marc777]

Best thing to do regarding cloning would be to report the incidents to the police by written letter, which they will no doubt have to acknowledge. If you do start receiving fines for your plates being on another car, you'll have some doc evidence of having raised the issue.

I like that.

Thanks

Marc

 

[Flash]

I doubt that would do much good - I've sent written letters to the Police before (long story... I wont go into details) and even named the suspects through detective work of my own and it had no impact what so ever (as I was told to PROVE it with hardcore evidence) BUT I suppose that theres no harm in trying with the letter.

 

[Laters]

I’ve had people taking photos of my cars in the past (especially the quantum).
If I see them I will Always go out and ask them what they are doing.
Most are happy to tell you/talk and its easy to see their motives.
A few have run when approached in the past and I make sure that the car is secured and locked away.
If I see them again they don’t get away the second time

 

[glojo]

Definitely write to the Police. Old fashioned type letter that you post. Plus of course keep a copy.

You say you have got the number of the van?

I personally being a nosey devil would pay to get the registered keepers details because like has already been said the Police are far to busy telling us all how busy they are!!! (doing WHAT I ask?)

It could be that this person is merely concerned with parking issues?

Can fire engines get safely down your cul de sac?

Are all the vehicles legally parked?

It could be this driver was reported for parking his van facing the wrong direction at night?? and he feels that there is one rule for the working class and another for you lot

I am merely giving these options to try to get some sort of balance. If you treat it as the worst case scenario, anything better will be a bonus!

Regards,
John

 

[SilverSaloon]

if he was taking photos of both the car bodywork & the plates then that could be dodgy....

scenario: if the "owner" gets a speeding/camera fine and says it wasnt them as they are 300 miles away etc, the authorities will start to look at other things like bodywork damage, scratches etc that can identify the actual car from a clone.

he may of been taking a photo of the plate number but also the style of plate used, any flags, markings, dealer names etc on it, plus scratches, dents, stickers etc on the bodywork around the plates to create a "Perfect" clone, rather than just a car with the same plates....

ie a blue merc CLK with a GB badge on and the plate "1235D" could be cloned very easily and due to the markings being copies aswell as the plate - u would get the fine + probably avoids any evidence of a cloned car.

then again, it could just be me being cynical again he is probably just a "plate spotter"....

 

[prprandall51]

Have you tried the police yet?

Whenever I see anything dodgy, I phone the police. They have never yet told me - or intimated to me - that they are too busy. They even phoned me back once to update me on a suspected auto theft.

If they tell you they aren't interested, I suggest you ask for their name and number and the name of their superior officer. And then when your car is cloned, you can kick up merry hell and give them a roasting.

You can then also sell your story to the press and start to post cynical comments on the "159mph policeman let off" thread.

Seriously, I urge you to report it - especially if you have the registration number.

Philip

 

[marc777]

Have you tried the police yet?

Yes we did report the van and its owners behaviour. Believe me, it was odd.

By the way John, all cars were parked on our driveways - no need for on road parking here - and so in many ways it felt like even more an imposition.

Anyone on the forum had their registration doc or car cloned before?

Marc

 

[glojo]

Yes we did report the van and its owners behaviour. Believe me, it was odd.

By the way John, all cars were parked on our driveways - no need for on road parking here - and so in many ways it felt like even more an imposition.

Anyone on the forum had their registration doc or car cloned before?

Marc

Hi Marc,
Please do not think for one minute I was trying to insinuate anything about parking habits or anything else. I was just trying to give a different 'option'

I would sleep easier if I knew exactly what he was doing, hence my remarks about what I would do. Both yourself and no doubt your other half would sleep easier knowing the real reason and by having the registration details you are halfway there.

Have you put the number onto the RAC site to make sure the number relates to the van?

Take care,
John

 

[janner]

If you phone the police on their non emergency number they have to log the call. Just ask for the log number and you'll have proof that you called them if anything happens.

 

[GrahamC230K]

It could be this driver was reported for parking his van facing the wrong direction at night?? and he feels that there is one rule for the working class and another for you lot

Not often that people know about that one! It's amazing people still use that ruling in residential areas. I see no need for it.

I parked at a friends of a friends once and they told me, no, don't park that way the people across the road are wierd and will report you. Left the car as was but with my parking lights on - they must have known their rulings as I had no trouble! lol

Back on topic, I vote for tracking down van via the reg details you have and get a few mates with cameras to freak them out!

 

[com]

Yes we did report the van and its owners behaviour. Anyone on the forum had their registration doc or car cloned before?

Had my plates cloned a while back on the Honda, they had stuck them on a old type civic and I only found out when I got a NIP in the post. Wrote back explainig that was not my car, as mine was a brand new 53 plate version and the one in the picture was a old model and never heard back.

On a similiar note I had someone stop (pedestrians) and photograph my car with their mobile phone camera while I was parked up in London couple weeks ago and I just figured they liked the car I guess at home though its a bigger viloation of space and you have done the right thing in reporting it, sadly not much more you can do other then keep an eye out.