Car abandoned outside my house, what do I do?

sandeepmdas · 14th September 2009, 16:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

2) Spend a bit of money with newspaper add claiming that car with registration number this that is lying near your house and owner is requested to take the car away.

How can you identify the actual owner? Also please be aware that the car remains to the rightful owner as long as it is parked in a public place. A second person cannot ask a third person (workshop guy) to remove it. The police can, of course.

@Proxima, contact some local press guys and ask them to run a story. If you can manage to bring it as even a small single column news item, it will make the police work. You can even email a letter (with a photo perhaps) to The Hindu. This will make your side safe too.

Gilead · 14th September 2009, 16:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

3) If both 1 and 2 does not work, ask your mechanic to take the car away. You are free and the mechanic is more than happy with you. You are tension free.

I would strongly advise against this one. This is a crime in itself. No one has the right to 'scrap' a car even if it's standing in front of their house.

aaggoswami · 14th September 2009, 18:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by sandeepmdas

How can you identify the actual owner? Also please be aware that the car remains to the rightful owner as long as it is parked in a public place. A second person cannot ask a third person (workshop guy) to remove it. The police can, of course.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gilead

I would strongly advise against this one. This is a crime in itself. No one has the right to 'scrap' a car even if it's standing in front of their house.

1) Add or notice in newspaper is to make people aware of the car and if the news reaches the original owner, he can take the car out. This is just to inform others of such a car, may be it helps. This is not to trace down the owner, but to inform police of other state/area/city that such a car is present. Its possible that the car was involved in some accident in another city/area. This way, somebody, owner, bank ( if loan is not payed in case of the car being second hand ) or police who are searching for the car might get the news and take appropriate actions.

2) What a citizen can do if a car is parked in front of his house and Police is not ready to take action ? Let the car remain in front of the house for years ? Asking mechanic to take the car away is the last resort if police does not act and note in newspaper does not bring in any step from police or owner.

Money is not free, so why would someone dump his car in front of somebody's house ? Any reason for this ? IMHO, either police has to take actions or the person who is at inconvenience has to take actions. Also note that later on if its discovered that the car was involved in some accident or used for some crime, then the thread started will definitely be questioned on normal questions like who parked the car, etc.

Proxima · 14th September 2009, 19:00

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. The best way seems to be to get the police to tow the vehicle away. I'll try that first. If that does not work, we will do something else.

Ill try and post some pics tonight or tomorrow.

Gilead · 14th September 2009, 19:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

2) What a citizen can do if a car is parked in front of his house and Police is not ready to take action ? Let the car remain in front of the house for years ? Asking mechanic to take the car away is the last resort if police does not act and note in newspaper does not bring in any step from police or owner.

Nope. You can't take away or induce your mechanic to take away a car parked on a public road even if it's standing like an eyesore in front of your house.

Proxima: I don't know where you live, but you can try contacting the Adyar Times or Annanagar Times free newspapers. They usually love to publish stuff like this and the authorities have been known to take action after reading these reports.

GTO · 15th September 2009, 09:46

The cops have to tow the vehicle away, they don't have a choice and neither are they doing anyone a favour. We've had some abandoned cars in our lane thanks to the beach-side location. Call the cops and / or dash off a letter to the in-charge of that police station.

clevermax · 15th September 2009, 10:43

What if there's a dead body in the rear boot? Don't even go near that car..

Any foul smell from the car?

DKG · 15th September 2009, 10:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by Proxima

Our owners and my dad signed a complaint letter and handed it over to the police station nearby but they seemed to want money to remove the car

Go and meet the city commisioner of police. He will act

Proxima · 15th September 2009, 10:58

Guys, here are some pics. I'll go to the police station again today.

rr_zen · 15th September 2009, 11:03

That car has a Coimbatore registration.

petrol_head · 15th September 2009, 11:11

Dude, thats a Coimbatore registration plate. Now you have every reason to believe that its probably a car-lifting exercise gone bad and hence abandoned near your house. So make sure you get it sorted out by the legal guidebook and save yourself the hassle of having to deal with post disposal trauma just in case you were planning to dispose it without calling for the authorities. Besides you know what makes our good old 'Thoppai Mamas' move.

PS - To save yourself any embarrassment do make sure you confirm with everyone who lives in your locality. You never know, it might be someone who has parked the car there due to lack of parking space.

ikoneer · 15th September 2009, 11:19

+1 to petrol_head

@proxima, do not touch the car at all. Please take the extra effort to find out from your neighbours if any of them have parked it.

We had a scorpio parked opposite our house for about 2 weeks and after a lots of complaints the police had come to tow the vehicle. Only when the police came to tow the car, one guy living across the street came and and informed that he's the owner fo the scorpio. That guy has an office in our street and since he does not have a place to park at his residence he has happily parked and did not bother informing us as well.

Not to mention all the garbage being dumped by the car side and it became a spot for road side loo's etc. quite a pain actually

PAVAN KADAM · 15th September 2009, 11:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Proxima

Guys, here are some pics. I'll go to the police station again today.

Dude thats a Maruti 1000. Great closed ratio gearbox inside

Wait for some time maybe a month and more, get your mechanic to take it away, he'll be more than happy doing it, and you get a great gearbox

Who knows 2 lanes away a distressed owner might have parked it for lack of parking space, dont jump the gun so soon, 2 weeks is too short a period.

ph03n!x · 15th September 2009, 12:57

Dont do anything on your own accord- for all you know that car was used to kidnap someone (or worse)! TN37 is Coimbatore, do you or anyone in your neighborhood know someone there? That may explain the origin..

Bapu · 15th September 2009, 13:13

Hi,

If the Cops at the local police station are not very keen on taking up the matter. I'd suggest :

1 - Call up 100 and inform them and give them all the details. Also add that it could be anything.
2 - The cops will come and visit. They "might" tow it away. Take down details of the person who had come to inspect the car.
3 - If they dont tow it away. Write a letter to the Inspector of the police station, with a CC to the ACP / Comm of Police. Send the letter through REGISTERED AD only.

That should ideally solve your problem. My personal opinion. But spending YOUR money for advertising about somebody's car in newspapers doesnt make sense. Finally it's your take. No offence meant to anybody on that.

14th September 2009, 19:00	#19
Proxima BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Chennai Posts: 934 Thanked: 385 Times	Thanks for all the suggestions guys. The best way seems to be to get the police to tow the vehicle away. I'll try that first. If that does not work, we will do something else. Ill try and post some pics tonight or tomorrow.
	() Thanks

15th September 2009, 09:46	#21
GTO Team-BHP Support Join Date: Feb 2004 Location: Bombay Posts: 71,780 Thanked: 322,422 Times View My Garage	The cops have to tow the vehicle away, they don't have a choice and neither are they doing anyone a favour. We've had some abandoned cars in our lane thanks to the beach-side location. Call the cops and / or dash off a letter to the in-charge of that police station.
	() Thanks

15th September 2009, 10:43	#22
clevermax Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Tvm/Amsterdam Posts: 2,112 Thanked: 2,899 Times View My Garage	What if there's a dead body in the rear boot? Don't even go near that car.. Any foul smell from the car?
	() Thanks

15th September 2009, 10:58	#24
Proxima BHPian Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Chennai Posts: 934 Thanked: 385 Times	Guys, here are some pics. I'll go to the police station again today. Attached Thumbnails
	() Thanks

15th September 2009, 11:03	#25
rr_zen Senior - BHPian Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Chennai, India Posts: 1,810 Thanked: 423 Times View My Garage	That car has a Coimbatore registration.
	() Thanks

15th September 2009, 11:11	#26
petrol_head BHPian Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Madras Posts: 234 Thanked: 60 Times	Dude, thats a Coimbatore registration plate. Now you have every reason to believe that its probably a car-lifting exercise gone bad and hence abandoned near your house. So make sure you get it sorted out by the legal guidebook and save yourself the hassle of having to deal with post disposal trauma just in case you were planning to dispose it without calling for the authorities. Besides you know what makes our good old 'Thoppai Mamas' move. PS - To save yourself any embarrassment do make sure you confirm with everyone who lives in your locality. You never know, it might be someone who has parked the car there due to lack of parking space.
	() Thanks

15th September 2009, 11:19	#27
ikoneer BHPian Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: chennai Posts: 486 Thanked: 14 Times	+1 to petrol_head @proxima, do not touch the car at all. Please take the extra effort to find out from your neighbours if any of them have parked it. We had a scorpio parked opposite our house for about 2 weeks and after a lots of complaints the police had come to tow the vehicle. Only when the police came to tow the car, one guy living across the street came and and informed that he's the owner fo the scorpio. That guy has an office in our street and since he does not have a place to park at his residence he has happily parked and did not bother informing us as well. Not to mention all the garbage being dumped by the car side and it became a spot for road side loo's etc. quite a pain actually
	() Thanks

15th September 2009, 12:57	#29
ph03n!x Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Coimbatore Posts: 2,604 Thanked: 6,165 Times	Dont do anything on your own accord- for all you know that car was used to kidnap someone (or worse)! TN37 is Coimbatore, do you or anyone in your neighborhood know someone there? That may explain the origin..
	() Thanks

15th September 2009, 13:13	#30
Bapu BHPian Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Ahmedabad Posts: 131 Thanked: 24 Times	Hi, If the Cops at the local police station are not very keen on taking up the matter. I'd suggest : 1 - Call up 100 and inform them and give them all the details. Also add that it could be anything. 2 - The cops will come and visit. They "might" tow it away. Take down details of the person who had come to inspect the car. 3 - If they dont tow it away. Write a letter to the Inspector of the police station, with a CC to the ACP / Comm of Police. Send the letter through REGISTERED AD only. That should ideally solve your problem. My personal opinion. But spending YOUR money for advertising about somebody's car in newspapers doesnt make sense. Finally it's your take. No offence meant to anybody on that.
	() Thanks