Request from the Police to inspect car

[benm3evo]

Hi all.

Bit of a weird one. Girlfriend's Mum had a visit to the house from local CID asking to have a look at the underneath of her car. Reason being she has an apparently rare car & there's some kind of scallywag in our area with the same car & they're looking for a good place to put a tracker on said scallywags car.

CID had identification & gave G/F's Mum the number of the local station to call to confrm all is legit.

For info, car is a VW Scirocco, can't remember the year but possibly 2013.

We're not thinking it's anything sinister as such, just wondering if it's normal procedure? Just doesn't sound quite right to me. Any thoughts?

Thanks.

[paddy1970]

Sciroccos aren't particularly rare and police typically have access to identical vehicles through impound lots or police fleets.

For peace of mind, I would call the police station (using a number you independently verify, not the one they gave).

[Nurburgsingh]

Sounds to me like the scallywag is impersonating the CID and wants to put a tracker ion the car so they can nick it when its not covered by all of the Ring cameras in the neighbourhood..

Call the police station by finding the number yourself not using the one on the card they provided.

[benm3evo]

Thanks both, good shout.

Small update, girlfriend's Mum declined the request at the time as she was about to go out so the CID said they would come back which I presume will be today.

I will pass on the advice.

Thanks

[ARHarh]

First thing is why would they even do this, who (even if they think they are being followed) is going to check under their car for a tracker, let alone be able to spot one. My gut feeling says scam.

It would not be difficult to get access to Golf platform car to check if they want.

[thisnameistaken]

This was my job for a number of years. Vehicle location devices or VLDs require some of the highest authority for surveillance and as such are used in the operations which carry the most threat and risk. Putting a VLD on a car is hugely risky in itself and requires extraction teams and surveillance. To that end, you'd never mention it to a random member of the public who owns the same car. If we really needed to look for opportunities to attach the VLD, we'd have just done it without the owner knowing and written it into the operational log and used an extraction team to "arrest" the officer attaching the VLD if they were rumbled. Suggest speaking to local plod as something isn't right.

[rpguk]

I'd expect that they'd just call a dealer as a first port of call who might be able to actually advise. Seems an odd scam to pull too though.

I'd certainly call the station on a number found myself to verify. If all checks out I'd make a moral call myself.

All that being said, if I were CID I could also imagine just passing a matching car by chance and thinking it might be worth a quick knock on the door. I could see the value in seeing underneath for a good place to attach - not just so it's not found but also so it sticks well, isn't vulnerable to being knocked etc.

[LivLL]

The whole thing sounds like a very tall tale.

[The Gauge]

Try and speak to the officer, if you can ‘track’ him down.

[The Gauge]

I’m ’following’ this thread

[carguy45]

I would google the number of the local police station (not the one they gave you) then physically go there and ask for the officer by name.

If they don't exist, it sure would be fun to call them back on the false number, agree to the tracker and ask them to call at a specific time to fit it, but be sure to have the real police there at the same time.

[benm3evo]

Thanks for the replies. I'm glad I wasn't the only one who thought it didn't sound right but I couldn't really think of an alteria motive as it's just an old Scirocco.
Having said that, the girlfiend has an 20 plate Audi TT 2.0 TFSI but has the black edition body kit, in other words, looks like an RS from a distance & it is a longish drive to a house in the middle of nowhere so I wonder if someone has seen what they thought was a TTRS & has come up with this excuse to get a better look perhaps?.....although, the TT wasn't there when they initially knocked the door.

I will pass on the advice & strongly suggest they call the local station, not the number given by 'CID'. Will be back when I have an update. Thanks again all.

[Greendubber]

thisnameistaken said:

This was my job for a number of years. Vehicle location devices or VLDs require some of the highest authority for surveillance and as such are used in the operations which carry the most threat and risk. Putting a VLD on a car is hugely risky in itself and requires extraction teams and surveillance. To that end, you'd never mention it to a random member of the public who owns the same car. If we really needed to look for opportunities to attach the VLD, we'd have just done it without the owner knowing and written it into the operational log and used an extraction team to "arrest" the officer attaching the VLD if they were rumbled. Suggest speaking to local plod as something isn't right.

Yep, no one carrying out that kind of work will ever be doorstepping folks asking to look at their car.

She needs to call 101 and report it.

[boyse7en]

As the "officer" supplied ID and a number to call, surely a phone call to the local Police Station will confirm or otherwise?

It does sound like a tall tale, but it also sounds way too complicated a story to invent if it was a criminal looking to nick either the Sirocco or the Audi. You could come up with a far easier excuse, that was less easy to disprove.

[Super Sonic]

boyse7en said:

As the "officer" supplied ID and a number to call, surely a phone call to the local Police Station will confirm or otherwise?

It does sound like a tall tale, but it also sounds way too complicated a story to invent if it was a criminal looking to nick either the Sirocco or the Audi. You could come up with a far easier excuse, that was less easy to disprove.

The supplied number could be an accomplice who will "confirm" the caller was indeed police.

[InitialDave]

Super Sonic said:

The supplied number could be an accomplice who will "confirm" the caller was indeed police.

That's why they suggested calling the station, rather than the number supplied.

[Super Sonic]

InitialDave said:

Super Sonic said:

The supplied number could be an accomplice who will "confirm" the caller was indeed police.

That's why they suggested calling the station, rather than the number supplied.

"the "officer" supplied ID and A NUMBER TO CALL"
I was under the impression this implied "calling the station" on the supplied number.

[HantsRat]

Nurburgsingh said:

Sounds to me like the scallywag is impersonating the CID and wants to put a tracker ion the car so they can nick it when its not covered by all of the Ring cameras in the neighbourhood.

You think they would go through all that hassle to nick a 2013 sirocco?

[dundarach]

It's nothing to worry about really is it.

Why would someone want to track mum?

Why would someone want to announce they wanted to look under the car if they were dodgy?

Why impersonate a cop, isn't, 'excuse me I think my cat ran under your car, can I take a quick look' must be simpler?

Life ain't a crime drama, let them look and forget about it, or don't.

I thought I was paranoid.

[PhilkSVR]

Sure, but it’s worth ringing the police direct to confirm or otherwise. I am interested in the result of that out of interest. If, if it is a scam for whatever reason I for one would be interested to know. Thanks for raising it OP. Let us know how you get on.