Lying copper just cost us £100

[sirwiggum]

There used to be a member of the office that used to be next door who had a poor attempt at the MG version of the Rover 200 (ZXR or something?) in bright bumblebee yellow, that had an alarm anytime you went *near* the car.

Said something like "stand back from the vehicle".

As if the average thief would want it anyway, they would rake it down the road and the head gasket would blow.

[steve_earwig]

I always thought Ian Paisley would have had the perfect voice for one of those speaking alarms - Move awaih from tha vehkul!!

[highlander]

ED-209 from Robocop would be cool:

"STEP AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE. YOU HAVE 10 SECONDS TO COMPLY."

Though to be fair, it wasn't so much what it said, or the way it said it, it was the look of the beast:

[StevieboyTD]

Spoke to the site management company this morning, they said there might not be any allocated parking for deliveries and that if it was obvious that somebody is doing a delivery there should be a time allowance for that delivery to be completed.

Appeal writing time, the clampers aren't operating in accordance with the wishes of the company that hired them.

Got the coppers number form the log details too.

[plod]

Or from Max and Paddy, with Max's customized alarm message.... "Get back ya bas**rd, or I'll break your legs"

I had that as my ring tone on my phone at one time complete with alarm bit, but got a bit embarrassing when in with customers

[StevieboyTD]

Went to the site to get some pics of signage, etc.

Worked out why the signs aren't visible. There are only 2 working street lamps on the estate so far, notice how the lights in the distance aren't working? That's where she was clamped. (the red sign to the left of the picture is on the back of the building in the second pic, you'd never see it if you didn't drive into that area)



She was clamped roughly where the white car is in this streetview image.


I was told by a resident that more visitor parking is due to be finished soon, it'll be this way ...



But i did find that if you drive through this unlit tunnel in one of the buildings..


Into the unlit carpark ..(the motion lights in the back ground were set off by me wandering around with my camera)


.. you'll find visitor parking, yay! (the black car is in a visitor space, not sure where the people in 61 & 63 are supposed to park though)

[teamster1975]

They've not got a leg to stand on, you've got enough photographic evidence. Tossers.

[darrenwall]

private clamping firms are almost as low as bailliffs , both should be tortured to death as slowly as possible over a matter of months

[supafrisk]

Epic fail by some cowboys attempting to clamp a friend's Pajero, he came out and they couldn't get the clamp to fit the huge wheels! So they tried to clamp his car (which was on his drive) and he told them "you put that thing on, and you'll be sorry and you're trespassing on private property so feck off" they continued so he warned them again, made a phonecall to a mate and said "can you bring those boltcroppers down pal" then got off the phone and said "there's a black man built like a brick sh*thouse on the way down with a pair of boltcroppers. I suggest you feck off before he accidentally uses them on the wrong tool"
Funnily enough, they left.
Aunty Jean got clamped (she's disabled), in a car park, my Mum went merry hell at the police, the council, the local MP and the fine was quashed and Aunty Jean ended up in the local rag (wakefield paper).
Mum should have had a job selling coal to the Geordies, she'd have made a fortune cos she's got me off on loads

[StevieboyTD]

Had a reply to the "appeal" today, they ignore that delivery vehicles are allowed to park (according to the management company that hired them), that the signs aren't visible at night (the street lighting at that end of the road isn't wired in yet from what i can tell) and that the clampers were hiding their details (never got the number of the guy that fitted the clamp, could have been wearing somebody elses badge for all we know)

Next step is the Notice Before Action (which they'll ignore), then small claims time.

[steve_earwig]

Good luck mate, it's a shame there doesn't seem to be a way of getting these idiots arses kicked big time.

[gRoberts]

What are the laws on clamping? I assume not many keep a clamp handy but we've got a few for the caravan and would love to clamp a clamper?

I can only assume it wouldn't go down well but heh.

[DiscoPol]

As a S.I.A Badge holder myself, albeit as a "Front Line Operative" (Doorman-retired) I would suggest a complaint directly to to the S.I.A as well as any other course of action,

the badges cost over 500 quid to acquire and can be withdrawn for breaches of the code of practice, even if you dont have the guys number just a few details of the company may prompt an inquiry by the S.I.A into a possible "rogue company"

if it turns out that they are unlicensed even better, thats a criminal offence alone and if licensed it might result in a fine or a withdrawal of the license, it cant hurt whilst your going through the rest of the paperwork trail to fire some letters of to them, might come to nothing but it might just hit them where it hurts- the pocket.

Security Industry Authority
PO Box 1293
Liverpool
L69 1AX

http://www.sia.homeoffice.gov.uk

as i said may come to nothing but it cant hurt can it, my advice would be to say you believe they are operating without the correct licenses as they refused to show them to you, but thats just my opinion

[StevieboyTD]

Few days ago i posted this to the clamping firm and the management company that hired them.

Dear Sir,
With reference to the clamping incident on XX-XX-XXXX at the <site name> development in <location> Road, you have failed to make a satisfactory response to my request for the refund of the charge for removing a clamp.

To restate the facts :

1 This was a delivery vehicle with permission to park on site, as confirmed by the site management company. <company rep> of <management company> has confirmed that there should be an allowance made for delivery vehicles.
2 The signs were not clearly visible at night, the site is unfinished and as such the street lighting is not yet fully functional. (Poor visibility of signage has been previously upheld in court - Vine v Waltham Forest)
3 The operatives did not display clearly visible SIA licences. This is a legal requirement under the Private Security Industry Act 2001 and makes the clamping automatically unlawful. In fact, they took deliberate steps to conceal their identity. There is a police officer who can confirm this.

The clamper was acting as your agent and I am therefore holding you responsible for their actions.

If I do not receive a full refund within ten days I will issue immediate proceedings jointly and severally against both <site management company> and <clamping firm> in the small claims court, where you will incur further costs.

Got a text from the resident she delivered to this afternoon. More hassle with the clampers of late, police have been called a few times and today all the clamping signs were taken down....

Not sure what going on and i don't want to think to much into things, but didn't the firm that hired them get a letter recently ...

Still waiting for a responce in the mail.

[teamster1975]

Nicely done Steve!