Scratch on colleagues car

[Aiminghigh123]

Ok. My work called me into a meeting and accused me of scratching a colleagues car.

We all park in a busy public car park.

Now a colleague of mine claimed someone scratch his BMW (I think it’s an m3 or m5) on the rear wing, door, front wing and complained to our manager. CCTV is limited in the car park but they have footage of someone, who they claim is me walking past his car and have not found anyone else walking past his car at any other point during that day.
They claim the CCTV is not clear enough to see faces and they only found it was me because they saw me get into my car and it got clocked as the next car to drive out of the car park via the number plate recognition system.

It happened about 4 months ago and I can’t really recall the days they are talking about equally I have asked to see the footage myself but this isn’t possible for security reasons. I also spoke to my car insurance and they said the fact it happened in a public car park starts coming into grey areas on car insurance and it does state on entry “parking is at owners risk” but also as I wasn’t in my car at the time I wouldn’t be covered.
I am at odds as to what I should do.
I haven’t contacted the person directly, I don’t really know the person but we do work together occasionally. I have been off work for a while so haven’t seen them.
Now my sceptical side says what if it happened by someone else and CCTV didn’t see it?
They can’t actually see it’s me so what legal basis do they have?
Did the person have the scratches before they came to work and want to try and get someone else to pay for the damage? Or they just didn’t notice scratches until that day?
I did not intentionally scratch there car may have caught it with my bag/jacket zip if it was me who walked past there car but all the way down the car?
Do I just bite the bullet and pay for his repairs and accept it may have been me?
Do I wait and see if he takes me to court?

Thanks

[The Surveyor]

Its unclear, is the accusation that you vandalised the car when you walked past it, or that you accidentally scrapped it whist driving out of the adjacent space. If the latter, is there any damage on your car?

Did you do it? is there any reason you may have done it? why are they spending so much time trying to pin this on you? and why have they kept CCTV images for 4 months?

[donkmeister]

Aiminghigh123 said:

Do I just bite the bullet and pay for his repairs and accept it may have been me?
Do I wait and see if he takes me to court?

Thanks

That would be an interesting day in court... "He scratched my car, I have video evidence!"
"Show us this evidence."
"No... Because... Security! Take my word for it!"

Assuming you genuinely didn't scratch his car, they've got to do better than that.
If you are in a union, get advice from them. If not, see what CAB can advise.

You say you didn't, he says you did. Don't introduce doubt by saying "well I might have done but don't remember".

I fail to believe a PHer would unknowingly drag something along a car.

[InitialDave]

Aiminghigh123 said:

I have asked to see the footage myself but this isn’t possible for security reasons.

I'd tell them to fk off. Vary politeness depending on your position in the company.

[Aiminghigh123]

No the accusation is I walked past his car and scratched it.

I think the car park company keeps CCTV for 6 months the main reason it is in place is because people have been assaulted in the car park.

[Who_Goes_Blue]

InitialDave said:

Aiminghigh123 said:

I have asked to see the footage myself but this isn’t possible for security reasons.

I'd tell them to fk off. Vary politeness depending on your position in the company.

Same here - it`ll never get near a court. They are a chancer

[graylag]

Aiminghigh123 said:

Ok. My work called me into a meeting and accused me of scratching a colleagues car.

We all park in a busy public car park.

Now a colleague of mine claimed someone scratch his BMW (I think it’s an m3 or m5) on the rear wing, door, front wing and complained to our manager. CCTV is limited in the car park but they have footage of someone, who they claim is me walking past his car and have not found anyone else walking past his car at any other point during that day.
They claim the CCTV is not clear enough to see faces and they only found it was me because they saw me get into my car and it got clocked as the next car to drive out of the car park via the number plate recognition system.

It happened about 4 months ago and I can’t really recall the days they are talking about equally I have asked to see the footage myself but this isn’t possible for security reasons. I also spoke to my car insurance and they said the fact it happened in a public car park starts coming into grey areas on car insurance and it does state on entry “parking is at owners risk” but also as I wasn’t in my car at the time I wouldn’t be covered.
I am at odds as to what I should do.
I haven’t contacted the person directly, I don’t really know the person but we do work together occasionally. I have been off work for a while so haven’t seen them.
Now my sceptical side says what if it happened by someone else and CCTV didn’t see it?
They can’t actually see it’s me so what legal basis do they have?
Did the person have the scratches before they came to work and want to try and get someone else to pay for the damage? Or they just didn’t notice scratches until that day?
I did not intentionally scratch there car may have caught it with my bag/jacket zip if it was me who walked past there car but all the way down the car?
Do I just bite the bullet and pay for his repairs and accept it may have been me?
Do I wait and see if he takes me to court?

Thanks

Based on what you’ve described, you’re talking about keying his car, not scratching it. Taking it at face value that it’s a true story, then I think there’s a lot more to this incident, especially from your side.

[megaphone]

You say this is a public car park? Or is it the company you work for's car park? Why have Security let the company you work for see CCTV and not you?

All sounds a bit iffy, are you sure there is no back story here?

[Aiminghigh123]

To me it’s the fact of the claim being scratches down the whole side of the car on the passenger side as well I believe.
I have had my door dented before, only a small dent on my drivers door but I knew it wasn’t there before.
Partly why I have an older banger for my commute.

[Aiminghigh123]

megaphone said:

You say this is a public car park? Or is it the company you work for's car park? Why have Security let the company you work for see CCTV and not you?

All sounds a bit iffy, are you sure there is no back story here?

It’s a public car park but our company pays for us to use it.
It’s managed by a separate car park security.
I asked to speak to the car park security manager but he is on holiday until new year.

[Aiminghigh123]

graylag said:

Aiminghigh123 said:

Ok. My work called me into a meeting and accused me of scratching a colleagues car.

We all park in a busy public car park.

Now a colleague of mine claimed someone scratch his BMW (I think it’s an m3 or m5) on the rear wing, door, front wing and complained to our manager. CCTV is limited in the car park but they have footage of someone, who they claim is me walking past his car and have not found anyone else walking past his car at any other point during that day.
They claim the CCTV is not clear enough to see faces and they only found it was me because they saw me get into my car and it got clocked as the next car to drive out of the car park via the number plate recognition system.

It happened about 4 months ago and I can’t really recall the days they are talking about equally I have asked to see the footage myself but this isn’t possible for security reasons. I also spoke to my car insurance and they said the fact it happened in a public car park starts coming into grey areas on car insurance and it does state on entry “parking is at owners risk” but also as I wasn’t in my car at the time I wouldn’t be covered.
I am at odds as to what I should do.
I haven’t contacted the person directly, I don’t really know the person but we do work together occasionally. I have been off work for a while so haven’t seen them.
Now my sceptical side says what if it happened by someone else and CCTV didn’t see it?
They can’t actually see it’s me so what legal basis do they have?
Did the person have the scratches before they came to work and want to try and get someone else to pay for the damage? Or they just didn’t notice scratches until that day?
I did not intentionally scratch there car may have caught it with my bag/jacket zip if it was me who walked past there car but all the way down the car?
Do I just bite the bullet and pay for his repairs and accept it may have been me?
Do I wait and see if he takes me to court?

Thanks

Based on what you’ve described, you’re talking about keying his car, not scratching it. Taking it at face value that it’s a true story, then I think there’s a lot more to this incident, especially from your side.

So you think I did this deliberately?

A. I wouldn’t scratch someone’s car.

B. I would have to know who’s car to target. I didn’t know he had a BMW.

C. It happened ages ago. I can barely remember things that happened last week let alone month. My misses would vouch for my memory.

[Torquey]

graylag said:

Aiminghigh123 said:

Ok. My work called me into a meeting and accused me of scratching a colleagues car.

We all park in a busy public car park.

Now a colleague of mine claimed someone scratch his BMW (I think it’s an m3 or m5) on the rear wing, door, front wing and complained to our manager. CCTV is limited in the car park but they have footage of someone, who they claim is me walking past his car and have not found anyone else walking past his car at any other point during that day.
They claim the CCTV is not clear enough to see faces and they only found it was me because they saw me get into my car and it got clocked as the next car to drive out of the car park via the number plate recognition system.

It happened about 4 months ago and I can’t really recall the days they are talking about equally I have asked to see the footage myself but this isn’t possible for security reasons. I also spoke to my car insurance and they said the fact it happened in a public car park starts coming into grey areas on car insurance and it does state on entry “parking is at owners risk” but also as I wasn’t in my car at the time I wouldn’t be covered.
I am at odds as to what I should do.
I haven’t contacted the person directly, I don’t really know the person but we do work together occasionally. I have been off work for a while so haven’t seen them.
Now my sceptical side says what if it happened by someone else and CCTV didn’t see it?
They can’t actually see it’s me so what legal basis do they have?
Did the person have the scratches before they came to work and want to try and get someone else to pay for the damage? Or they just didn’t notice scratches until that day?
I did not intentionally scratch there car may have caught it with my bag/jacket zip if it was me who walked past there car but all the way down the car?
Do I just bite the bullet and pay for his repairs and accept it may have been me?
Do I wait and see if he takes me to court?

Thanks

Based on what you’ve described, you’re talking about keying his car, not scratching it. Taking it at face value that it’s a true story, then I think there’s a lot more to this incident, especially from your side.

I think you'd be well aware if I'd scratched a rear wing, door and front wing, even if it was accidental. You don't catch the full length of a car with a zip or bag. I'm not saying it was you but whoever it was surely know they did it (given the amount of damage to you imply).

Why has it taken 4 months for this to come about?

Edited by Torquey on Tuesday 11th December 15:08

[geeks]

OP assuming you are innocent then I would be telling them firmly to get fked!

[Aiminghigh123]

Torquey said:

graylag said:

Aiminghigh123 said:

Ok. My work called me into a meeting and accused me of scratching a colleagues car.

We all park in a busy public car park.

Now a colleague of mine claimed someone scratch his BMW (I think it’s an m3 or m5) on the rear wing, door, front wing and complained to our manager. CCTV is limited in the car park but they have footage of someone, who they claim is me walking past his car and have not found anyone else walking past his car at any other point during that day.
They claim the CCTV is not clear enough to see faces and they only found it was me because they saw me get into my car and it got clocked as the next car to drive out of the car park via the number plate recognition system.

It happened about 4 months ago and I can’t really recall the days they are talking about equally I have asked to see the footage myself but this isn’t possible for security reasons. I also spoke to my car insurance and they said the fact it happened in a public car park starts coming into grey areas on car insurance and it does state on entry “parking is at owners risk” but also as I wasn’t in my car at the time I wouldn’t be covered.
I am at odds as to what I should do.
I haven’t contacted the person directly, I don’t really know the person but we do work together occasionally. I have been off work for a while so haven’t seen them.
Now my sceptical side says what if it happened by someone else and CCTV didn’t see it?
They can’t actually see it’s me so what legal basis do they have?
Did the person have the scratches before they came to work and want to try and get someone else to pay for the damage? Or they just didn’t notice scratches until that day?
I did not intentionally scratch there car may have caught it with my bag/jacket zip if it was me who walked past there car but all the way down the car?
Do I just bite the bullet and pay for his repairs and accept it may have been me?
Do I wait and see if he takes me to court?

Thanks

Based on what you’ve described, you’re talking about keying his car, not scratching it. Taking it at face value that it’s a true story, then I think there’s a lot more to this incident, especially from your side.

I think you'd be well aware if I'd scratched a rear wing, door and front wing, even if it was accidental. You don't catch the full length of a car with a zip or bag.

Why has it taken 4 months for this to come about?

That’s what I think a scratch full length with a zip or bag I would know plus can you do that much damage with a zip or bag?

4 months well the only logical reason is I see we have had a change of manager and maybe the older manager couldn’t be bothered.

[Du1point8]

The OP knows damn well if they scratched someones car, something like that is a massive scratch that would need some pressure to scrach the paint.

If you're asking then it sounds like you know a lot more than you are letting on, and trying to work out if they can tell its you.

Did you scrach the car OP?

[CrgT16]

If you are clean in your story they are just chancing it!

So you walked by the side of his car... The CCTV actually does show you clearly? Or shows you keying his car? I don't think it does...

It has been many months... maybe his car was scratched last week! You just don't know. I would deny scratching and you say you wouldn't do it anyway. Let them prove that you did it... they can't!

Off course you also should be mindful of your career path in said company.... Problem is if you taken this hit just to be nice and compliant you will not go far in the company ladder.

Stick to the truth and your beliefs. Ask for evidence, if irrefutable apologise and say you honestly where not aware of the damage. If evidence is lacking then stick to the truth you know.

[Aiminghigh123]

Du1point8 said:

The OP knows damn well if they scratched someones car, something like that is a massive scratch that would need some pressure to scrach the paint.

If you're asking then it sounds like you know a lot more than you are letting on, and trying to work out if they can tell its you.

Did you scrach the car OP?

No I didn’t scratch his car.

I’m asking because I spoke to my car insurance about it. Spoke to car park security and both have been very unhelpful.

[majordad]

I think you did it deliberately based on my intuition.

[Aiminghigh123]

Surely keying a car would involve taking time?

My manager just said I was the only one they could see who walked closest to his car. Those were his exact words.

[graylag]

Aiminghigh123 said:

So you think I did this deliberately?

A. I wouldn’t scratch someone’s car.

B. I would have to know who’s car to target. I didn’t know he had a BMW.

C. It happened ages ago. I can barely remember things that happened last week let alone month. My misses would vouch for my memory.

I don’t know if you did it or not, but whoever did it, did it deliberately. You don’t get scratches of the length by accident from walking past.

A. I don’t know you, so that’s a bit moot. However, if that’s the case why is there such circumstantial evidence against you? Do you and this colleague have history? Is he part of your reason for being off work for a while?

B. Very true.

C. You’d remember if you did it. There is some evidence piling up though.

I’m finding the refusal to let you view the video as a bit strange though, ditto the car park manager being off til the New Year. Doesn’t he have a Deputy?

How long have you been off work? 4 months?

Lots of questions and you’ll need to answer them.
Also, why would you contact your car insurance. Strange thing to do when you’re innocent.