Wednesday 2nd February 2005

Stolen Noble spotted by PHer

But police don't manage to catch it...

---

Following the theft of a trio of Nobles last week (story link below), a PHer spotted the company's Portifino Blue M400 press demonstrator car, registration 'M400 GTO' last Saturday night in Norwich, travelling towards Great Yarmouth.

Simon Hucknall, Noble's press relations man, said, "the PHer spotted the car and immediately reported it to the police (many thanks for this, Peter). However, the police would not investigate the sighting because the car was not showing on their Stolen Vehicles Register. It turns out that they had forgotten to list it after we'd reported the car missing.

"However, my intention is not to bash police incompetence, but to alert anyone in the Norfolk area that the car just may still be around. The thieves have obviously not changed the plates (remarkably), but even if they now have, this car is the only Portifino M400, so it will still stand out to those in the know.

"Please also let me add, on behalf of everyone here at the factory, our thanks for the kind words and support expressed on this forum, since the break in last week."

Let PistonHeads add that we wish Noble the best of luck in retrieving the cars.

www.pistonheads.com/news/default.asp?storyId=9818

[Stig]

On it's way to Yarmouth doesn't bode well though does it

Straight on a boat and away....

[tvrinbfg]

Good luck getting them back. One of my TVRs, plus a customer's TVR were both stolen from a paint shop in Birmingham in 2003. The thiefs appearred not to use the cars for about a month (fear of Tracker perhaps?) and then when they did, one of the cars broke down. Police dusted it for finger prints and were then able to catch the thiefs and trace and return the other car.

Doesn't the Navtrak work? I thought all Nobles had it.

[gooby]

I cant believe it! The police incompetance is INCREDIBLE. They have blown what is probably thier last chance to recover a very valuable car. I used to think the only thing they were good at was hiding behind bridges with radar guns. They dont even do that now they have gatso's. I think the police should shoulder the insurance costs.

[DanH]

Navtrack works to the point of irritation for me!

As to the police footing the bill, that sadly = the tax payer.

Pretty gutting that it was seen though

[kentviking]

call me stupid... (no, please don't) but if I were the thief I would have housed the merchandise in a lorry for any potential export.

If they are heading towards yarmouth in the hot rod [sic] then surely they can expect to be stopped by customs or the ferry people whom (I would have thought) should have been alerted to this particular exotica potentially trying an exit route

[Podie]

PH weekend away in Yarmouth anyone..?

[cotty]

kentviking said:

call me stupid... (no, please don't) but if I were the thief I would have housed the merchandise in a lorry for any potential export. If they are heading towards yarmouth in the hot rod [sic] then surely they can expect to be stopped by customs or the ferry people whom (I would have thought) should have been alerted to this particular exotica potentially trying an exit route

Perhaps they were going to load it into a container before it gets to a port. Driving it is probably the quickest way of getting it there, I don’t believe the police have anything that could catch an M400 except mabey a Gatso

If any speeding fines are issued after the car was reported stolen somebody needs their ass kicked.

[Harry Flashman]

gooby said:

I cant believe it! The police incompetance is INCREDIBLE. They have blown what is probably thier last chance to recover a very valuable car. I used to think the only thing they were good at was hiding behind bridges with radar guns. They dont even do that now they have gatso's. I think the police should shoulder the insurance costs.

Echoed for agreement - how village idiot are our police anyway?

Unbelievable. Great at revenue generation. Rubbish at actually doing anything else useful. What a joke

[AMG Merc]

cotty said:

I don’t believe the police have anything that could catch an M400 except mabey a Gatso

cotty, would that be a twin turbo Gatso then?! :-)

[gooby]

How would customs know to keep a look out for the car. If the police can not even update their stolen car register, would they have informed any other authority? If the car was leaving the country then it would be crated and customs would not check the crate unless they had a reason to be suspicious. Even if the police had stopped the car, pulled it over and questioned the "person" who had stolen it, they would not have done anything more as they would not know it was stolen. If this doesn't define incompetence what does? How is the officer who did not update these records being dealt with? Does anyone believe that this is a one off. The thief was driving a high value and very distinctive car in the open, probably cos he knew he could get away with it. When are we going to stop settling for this incompetence, what are the police doing?

[lucozade]

just a change of slant on this one. Perhaps the cop involved is in-on-the deal too !

[AMG Merc]

lucozade said:

just a change of slant on this one. Perhaps the cop involved is in-on-the deal too !

...blimey, I'm getting my coat!!!

[busta]

Im going back home to Norfolk this weekend, I'm not far from Yarmouth so i'll keep my eye out just incase its still about. I wouldn't be surprised if they went and did a lap of the 'front while they were there, its the done thing. In which case i know a couple of guys who hang around there quite a bit so i'll put the word out.

Bernie

[gooby]

We are all in the same situation. Generally if we visit this site we have a love of cars and probably we each have our own pride and joy. I can barely conceive the work that has gone into producing those noble's and the heartbreak of getting nothing for you investment must hurt. It makes me bloody angry to think that if my car was stolen the police would basically sit back and let them get away with it. What is even worse is that we do everything we can to help the police. We fit alarms, immobilisers, trackers, dead locks. They still can’t do their job. That kind of incompetence would get me sacked and I would like too see the same on their behalf. I would like some questions answered, I expect the guys at noble would too.
1)What prevented "navtrack" from working?
2)why did the police not at least chase and question the driver of the car when it was sighted, stolen car register or not.
3)who is responsible for not updating the register and how is he/she being disciplined. (he owes the guys at noble a huge apology!)

[kelvyn]

The police in this country are muppets imhao.

They are quick enought to catch people for speeding, eating apples while driving etc,
but as soon as they have to do some REAL WORK like catch people driving stolen cars,
they stear clear.

AGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Rant over

Hope you get the cars back soon guys!!!!

[Ev_]

I expect to see various Noble bits appearing on Maxxed Novas around East Anglia shortly.

[kaiowas]

Erm anyone know what portifino blue looks like, it's not a bright metallic is it?

I Read about the thefts last week and whilst pottering around at Saturday lunchtime saw a blue Noble of some kind (I'm no expert on them) behind me in traffic and thought "nah, what's the chances". Saw this story and was somewhat surprised to see Norwich mentioned as it's where I live.

The car I saw was wearing "GT03GTO" though so either it was a different car or the plates have now changed

[kelvyn]

i belive its like the one in the picture on the top of this post??

[venom]

Portifino is a pale metallic blue is the best description I can give from memory.

[cdp]

I bet the owners will be getting speeding tickets though. And will have to jump through hoops to prove it isn't them.

I know somebody who sold his car and correctly sent the v5 off to the DLVA. The person who bought it used a false name and address.

The seller received 2 speeding tickets a day (when the roadworks were on at Stanstead), and had to fill in forms for each and every ticket, plus lots more aggro like calls to the police. I think the tickets were even at the same time of day so the guy shouldn't have been too hard to catch!

I think I would send a letter indicating that any more form filling would be billable and that receiving another (invalid) speeding ticket would be consent to that contract.

I don't know how far it would get but it would be worth a try.