Abandoned car question (Daimler SP250)

[cortinaman]

Bit of an odd one here.

I've just had a call from a client who knows I am into old cars. A Daimler SP250 has been left for several weeks in the village hall car park near where he lives, and now has a note on it saying if it's not moved it will be towed away and crushed!







it looks ok from the pictures - not like it's been dragged out of a barn and dumped! But it's not taxed (expired last November) and not MOT'd (but it doesn't need to be), so it's either been nicked and left until the heat subsides, or broken down and the owner hasn't been back to collect it!

It would be a shame to see it crushed, so any ideas about how to find it's owner?

cheers

Cortinaman

[tofufi]

I know nothing about the car, but it used to belong to the police force...



Quite a few photos here:

www.tdv.org.uk/gallery/equipment/index.html

[jimi]

Contact the Police, they can at least contact the last registered keeper

[gtviva]

Id be tempted to recover it and put it into safe keeping so it doesnt get crushed and then notify the police, after a certain period it will become yours if the owner doesnt come forward, if the owner does come forward charge a nominal fee for saving/storing it

[LowStandards]

I'm not sure anyone has any right to tow and crush a vehicle, sounds a bit like scaremongering to me. It will end up in a compound somewhere whilst the owner is contacted.



I'd be tempted to just leave it be, you move it, then you've stole it right?

[ironmighty07]

I recall certain "nefarious" individuals but these warnings(frequently worded as per official warnings for abandoned/untaxed vehicles" on vehicles to detract attention when they subsequently go and take it but that was in the mid to late 90s so not sure how prevalent the practice remains.

[LowStandards]

Go see if the doors are open and the ignition etc is intact


It does look a bit like IronMighty says, dumped to see if anyone reclaims it.



Even if it had broken down, you wouldn't leave it for weeks

[droopsnoot]

I've sent a link to this thread to the SP250 Owners Club, in case they know how to contact the owner.

[droopsnoot]

I've just had a call back from a nice chap from the SP250 Owners Club, who have been alerted to this car. The owner took it out of his garage, parked it there (I believe it's behind some shops as well as the village hall) and then fell ill and was taken into hospital, where he still is. A local club committee member has been in touch with the council and persuaded them to suspend any thoughts of taking it away, and is arranging to have it moved into more suitable storage until the owner is back.

[colnerov]

This is how it should be done, rather than 'taking it into safe keeping' or however you want to put it.

Well done droopsnoot.

[droopsnoot]

In fairness the club had already been made aware of the car sometime over the weekend.

It did make me wonder, though - if I was in the same situation, having to leave my car parked somewhere while I was carted off in an ambulance, what would happen from there? My club know my car, who I am and where to find me, but not how to find anyone else that could help. One of those thoughts that you start to have as you get older, particularly for people like me who don't have a wife or partner that could be involved.

[cortinaman]

Thanks droopsnoot good to hear the owners club are on the case.

[Waxoyling Lyrical]

Would be cool to see it restored to the original gloss black bodywork...

[kevins]

There is a process to get dumped cars removed, it's something via the local authority, we have cars dumped at work sometimes and it takes forever and costs you. If there are parking and warning signs up you can remove it to a safe storage compound and charge the cost of removal plus a daily storage fee plus a fine for the parking etc.

[Davey]

Apr 17, 2024 9:04:00 GMT kevins said:

There is a process to get dumped cars removed, it's something via the local authority, we have cars dumped at work sometimes and it takes forever and costs you. If there are parking and warning signs up you can remove it to a safe storage compound and charge the cost of removal plus a daily storage fee plus a fine for the parking etc.

Recently had to get a car moved that was obstructing access to a private car park. That was a call to the council who came and observed the vehicle for 45 minutes then lifted it. No crushing however. Just a fine.

[Waxoyling Lyrical]

There's an abandoned Citroen in my local county court car park that's been left there for months, with a load of stickers on the windscreen. Dread to think how much that will cost the owner!