Someone has scratched my car - what next?

[marctwo]

I came home the other day to find a note on my windscreen with the make and model of a car together with it's registration number. Checking my car there is some scraping above the wheel arch, no dents or anything else. Clearly the person who did it didn't stop and a witness has left the reg of the offending car.

I'm not really sure what to do next. Should I contact my insurance? Should I call the police and report it?

[kambites]

Unless the witness left his/her contact details, there's not much you can do. An anonymous note is hardly what could be considered "evidence".

[marctwo]

That's what I thought.

[NiceCupOfTea]

Memorise the reg and inflict some vigilante justice when you see it. Other than that nothing will happen without an independant witness.

[nottyash]

Yes there is.
Police can test the paint left on your car against the paint on the car of the details left.

Happened to a mate of mine on a Nova GTE in 1991, They had the car up to his and checked them together and tested the paint from each.
Mind you the Police are too busy eating donuts and arresting someone for doing 61 in a 60 to do any real detective work these days.

[djt100]

kambites said:

Unless the witness left his/her contact details, there's not much you can do. An anonymous note is hardly what could be considered "evidence".

Anonymous, are you sure it wasn't you wife, Gf, neighbour who left the note just as they were popping out

[soad]

nottyash said:

Yes there is.
Police can test the paint left on your car against the paint on the car of the details left.

Valid point, but will they make the effort though?

[LuS1fer]

nottyash said:

Yes there is.
Police can test the paint left on your car against the paint on the car of the details left.

Happened to a mate of mine on a Nova GTE in 1991, They had the car up to his and checked them together and tested the paint from each.
Mind you the Police are too busy eating donuts and arresting someone for doing 61 in a 60 to do any real detective work these days.

With respect..pahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Back in the 90's, Police had the budget to do stuff like this but not now the forensic examination has gone private and costs in the thousands.

Best bet is to find the registered owner and go and challenge them without saying you don't have the witness details. Often they will cough and pay for the repair having been "found out". You'll have to pay to get the info from DVLA though.

[marctwo]

soad said:

Valid point, but will they make the effort though?

I doubt it. I live in SE London. They are too busy chasing/being chased by kids with Glocks.

[hornetrider]

marctwo said:

I doubt it. I live in SE London. They are too busy chasing/being chased by kids with Glocks.

I'm sure you could find a 'friend' who could write a duplicate note, with the same vehicle details, signed by himself. There's your witness. Cough.

[marctwo]

hornetrider said:

I'm sure you could find a 'friend' who could write a duplicate note, with the same vehicle details, signed by himself. There's your witness. Cough.

The Crack Fox said:

Be careful, maybe the person who scratched your car left the note with someone else's reg on it ? Make it look like they were doing the decent thing, but lying. I hope you see what I mean.

[chris7676]

The other thing is how big the scratch is. It may not be worth involving the insurance at all (although you are probably technically obliged to inform them).
And sadly, ze Police are likely to be useless. My colleage got dented by a likely drunken person he saw, spoke to before he escaped + had a witness and the blues didn't want to bother!

Edited by chris7676 on Friday 3rd June 11:56

[JulianHJ]

How much damage is there? More than your excess? If it's more than the cost of a smart repair (£150 tops) then it may be worth reporting it, getting a crime ref. and getting your insurance to fix it. Provide them with the offending party's reg number and it might be treated as a non-fault claim.

[marctwo]

JulianHJ said:

How much damage is there? More than your excess? If it's more than the cost of a smart repair (£150 tops) then it may be worth reporting it, getting a crime ref. and getting your insurance to fix it. Provide them with the offending party's reg number and it might be treated as a non-fault claim.

I would say less than excess and probably less than £150.