None motoring but kinda legal...

[onedsla]

My flat was burgled on Monday, with one of the main targets appearing to be my flatmate's car - they'd found both sets of keys, plus had the V5, insurance etc in a nice pile, whereas every other document in the house were all over the floor.

Fortunatly the car's battery was completely flat - so on my inspection the car was unlocked but still there and undamaged.

The police managed to catch the criminal [url]http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/essex/3571356.stm[/url] and recover most (or all) of the stolen goods.

I feel the police handled everything really well on Monday - especially the fact that the thief was captured, plus statements etc, but I don't feel that is acceptable that they won't return the car keys - there's a decent sports car sat in East London with unlocked doors and absolutely nothing we can do about it for the moment...

I've asked 2 officers in person whether they can at least lock the car doors and phoned the call centre twice who promised a call-back from the officers involved.

Can anybody recommend any other course of action to get the car keys returned - we're not bothered about the DVD players or countless other items which were taken, but this is really annoying!! Is it worth logging a complaint with the police, or will this take too long to go through? As is the thief stealing my stash of contact lenses & glasses!!!

[Munter]

Phone them and say someone unauthorised is currently in the car. Could they come and lock it as they have the keys?...

[ohopkins]

Advise the police if they dont, you will have a locksmith/dealer out to the car to lock it, and invoice them. Don't know if you actually could do this, but the threat of the paperwork might work !

Grass the officers up to their crime prevention officer - this is something they go around telling people to do .

[onedsla]

Just tried the Crime Prevention Officer, although obviously you can't help prevent crimes on Wednesday mornings.... No reply

[burwoodman]

I'd call the Station Chief. If that fails do what I did and that was lay a compliant with the police complaints authority. This is beaurocracy gone mad!

As an interim solution why not call the manufacturer and get a duplicate key?

I too was burgled 6 weeks ago. They didn't touch the keys which were sat on the counter.

Good Luck

Adam

[Flat in Fifth]

"there's a decent sports car sat in East London with unlocked doors and absolutely nothing we can do about it for the moment... "

issue of keys aside

errrrr? what is wrong with opening doors pushing button/locking lever/ whatever and slam locking the doors?

[stepej]

I presume if its unlocked and anything happens to it your insurance wouldn't cover you.

If some scally set fire to it and wrote it off couldn't you claim for a new one from plod?

[Davel]

What type of decent car and whereabouts exactly?

[rsvmille]

Simply have it stored. Unless it isn't worth it!

[onedsla]

Flat in Fifth said:

what is wrong with opening doors pushing button/locking lever/ whatever and slam locking the doors?

Tried locking from the inside, but the car has an annoying habbit of not letting you lock it unless the doors are closed, then unlocking when you try to get out.

Davel said:

What type of decent car and whereabouts exactly?

I've tampered with the twin turbo wankel engine so now confident that even with a new battery, it's not going to get started. Also parked a British sports car so close next to it that it's impossible to open the door...