mike_u

I got back to my car today, which i parked in a private car park and found i had been clamped.

I proceeded to walk to the nearest DIY store and purchase a lump hammer and chisel. After 5 minutes of smashing the padlock came of. I then put the clamp in my boot and drove off.

Now there was a women who worked there that said it was on camera ect..

However i have heard of a few ways of getting away with removing them, like handing them into the police station.

Can anyone please shed any light.

Cheers

beemerboy

spray paint over the cameras, rip down any notices etc....

go home and pretend nothing happened.

ps: do those things in the correct order

BB

Aztec Performance Ltd

iTrader: (234)

The only thing I can think they could report criminal damage as it is their property which you smashed up. Buy a new padlock and give it back to them (and get proof) and I cant see that there would be any probs.

Just speculation though.

BTW....Nice one

Bob

OllyK

Somebody didn't have their Wheetabix this morning

Tiggs

lol...shed light on what?

you were clamped and prob broke the law by smashing the lock off. (private land, not your lock, lump hammer.....im assuming theres a law in there somewhere )

and you did it on TV.

i could shed light on the fact that if you were a yank you'd be on Americas Dumbest Criminals

as BB said, you should have got some paint with that hammer!

mike_u

It was a proper heavy duty ******* plus turns out i was smashing the wrong side.

Can i hand it to police or does it have be back to them?

OllyK

Bolt croppers are your friend or failing that a petrol powered Angle Grinder ...apparently!!

tmo

Unfortunately .... criminal damage and theft

Jay m A

iTrader: (2)

This man may have the answer but his website is down at the mo

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Although if the wheel clamp scratched your alloy wheel (which they do) you can counter claim for damages to your wheel

Chrisgr31

As has been said the offence is Criminal Damage and Theft, as you have damaged their property and stolen it. Solution is as stated to buy a replacement padlock and return it to the owners. That way no theft, and difficult to sustain criminal damage as the owners have a clamp and padlock back.

Also of course the police will not be very interested in chasing the case. You could get the goods returned by recorded delivery or similar, as that wayyou don;t have to see them!

wakeboardar

if it was me i would march in to their office and present the ***** with the padlock

DazW

iTrader: (1)

Id put it back where they can find it ...& make sure its safely secured!

Freak

clamp it to a lamp post in the car pack it that it originally happened
And dont leave them the new key for the new padlock.
Or go to their offices and clamp the MDs car or better still, the clamping van

chris's scooby

Fancy parking in someone elses car park in the first place! With warning notices up. Some people...


Get a new padlock, go back to the car park, wait for the clampers van to turn up.

Then quietly sneek up and clamp it and post the keys back to them!

Brendan Hughes

What's the legality of these companies' actions? Anyone know?

Do they have to have certain warning signs up, minimum time before clamping, etc etc?

I'd be furious about people parking on my land, but at the same time I guess you have to give some sort of warning before demanding money off them?

scoob_babe

Sorry, tough luck if you got clamped.
The carpark for our flat regularly had non residents parking in it as it was close to the town centre. We had signs up for quite some time and then the clampers moved in . Its very annoying when some prat parks on your land - how would you like it if someone parked in your driveway - same difference!

Dazza01

In law, Theft means to deprive somebody of their property, if however u return it, they cannot do you for theft as u didn't take it with the intention of keeping it.......did you
Now busting the lock is criminal damage so buying them a new one should sort that out as well

were there any signs telling you, you would be clamped ?

EVOVI

I would not worry..You really think some cowboy clamping firm are going to bother going to the police???
The police dont get involved with clamping issues do they!!And they hardly even bother following up any crimes let alone £5 worth of damage to a padlock...
Chuck the clamp away at your local tip and forget about it......

yoza

Well done.

Now youve got it, you may aswell use it.

Put it back on, with your own padlock, everytime your in a wheel clamp zone.

These clampers are pretty stupid, and they will leave your car alone.

Or better still, clamp the clampers, if I could make a wage from clamping clampers, I would do it.

Leslie

Now that is a good idea!

Les

Claudius

Yes, fantastic!

lardypants

i know a chap who rents empty shops for a week or so at a time, puts no parking outside etc etc clamping in operation, when someone parks outside (busy street etc etc) he clamps em, 2-3 cars a day 5 days a week

you work out the maths and its perfectly legal so he says
total scum but abusing the system and loopholes fair play i kinda say, people like him will get the laws changed eventually

tucker101uk

clamping the clampers should be allowed, but to clamp a clamper who has clamped you should is the best. The clamp can be removed with the key from the clamping companies clamping van, its called the clamp key and unlocks clamps. Such a the clamp your car has been clamped with by the clamping people.

r32

Criminal damage and theft, good job you werent speeding ...........
Could be 6 months inside.

Silvafox

iTrader: (1)

If the clampers are anything like the ones round here (big, hard as nails looking blokes) then I wouldn't park your car anywhere near for quite some time either as they'll have your reg number etc..... and they're missing a clamp!

pugoetru

I would have just left the clamp where the car used to be and drew a big smilie on the ground