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Car numberplate stolen at T5
OK, I realise this isn't anything to do with BA per se, but T5 is mostly BA and I was flying with them so it will have to do.
I drive an Audi A6 with parking sensors front and rear. In early December I was heading away for a few days and parked nose in in a parking space at T5 short stay. There was a pillar at one corner and the parking sensors allowed me to park it in snugly.
Got back late one evening, started the car and put it in reverse, and the parking sensors made a strange sound. Turned out this was a fault signal. Anyway, got home to find that the front number plate and frame (and parking sensors) were missing from the car. I presumed it had fallen off after a minor parking knock, so called Apcoa at T5 to see if they had found it, but they said they had not. The fact that the sensors worked to allow me to park shows that the sensors, and presumably the plate, were there when I parked.
Next day got a temporary plate from Halfords and headed to Audi, where they told me the sensors had been removed with clean cuts of the wires. So I reported it to the police in case the plates were used for something untoward (stealing fuel, avoiding congestion charge etc). Thames Valley (where I live) and Heathrow police have not reported anything to me so far.
The bill from Audi came to £520. Ouch. I didn't contact my car insurance.
OK, I realise this isn't anything to do with BA per se, but T5 is mostly BA and I was flying with them so it will have to do.
I drive an Audi A6 with parking sensors front and rear. In early December I was heading away for a few days and parked nose in in a parking space at T5 short stay. There was a pillar at one corner and the parking sensors allowed me to park it in snugly.
Got back late one evening, started the car and put it in reverse, and the parking sensors made a strange sound. Turned out this was a fault signal. Anyway, got home to find that the front number plate and frame (and parking sensors) were missing from the car. I presumed it had fallen off after a minor parking knock, so called Apcoa at T5 to see if they had found it, but they said they had not. The fact that the sensors worked to allow me to park shows that the sensors, and presumably the plate, were there when I parked.
Next day got a temporary plate from Halfords and headed to Audi, where they told me the sensors had been removed with clean cuts of the wires. So I reported it to the police in case the plates were used for something untoward (stealing fuel, avoiding congestion charge etc). Thames Valley (where I live) and Heathrow police have not reported anything to me so far.
The bill from Audi came to £520. Ouch. I didn't contact my car insurance.
Short-stay - meaning the car park adjacent to the terminal? Just wanted to be clear and is not the one with the pods.
If it is the one adjacent to T5, presumably being so close to the terminal it will be very extensively covered by CCTV? Is that a course of action to see if anything was captured?
Nowhere near as serious or expensive, but I had the S-line badges nicked from my Q5 in the short term car park at LGW N last year. I assume these are now adorning some clapped out non S line Audi somewhere in Sussex (lets face it, they "only" cost £30 each to buy from Audi, so harldy worth nicking). I suppose it is a reflection of the low-life sociecty in which we live, but a bit more presence from the car park operators for the large dollops of cash that we hand over to them wouldn't be unwelcome.
Precisely why I bought a 1999 Honda Accord 3.0. Cost me £1200 4 years ago, and I can abandon it at the airport, knowing that it will be there when I get back, presumably unmolested, and as reliable as a very reliable thing, despite having 120,000 miles on the clock.
I leave my "nice" cars at home.
Even better a Vauxhall Zafira, everyone thinks you're a mad minicab driver and gives you a wide berth !
Back on to thefts of number plates, back in the 1800's or so when we owned a clapped out MK3 Ford Cortina, parked at the airport....both back and front plates went missing when we were away - we reported it but were stopped 3 times on our 15 mile journey home by the 'authorities' for driving without plates.
They just go for nicer cars nowadays - oh and of course your parking sensors.
PS! Sorry to hear about your 'extra parking fee' I hope whoever took them gets the bad karma they have earned
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Isnt there security cameras watching what happens in the car park. I dont think the police in the UK seem to want to do any work. Less is more is the example they send out. Whilst a car is although expensive not really an issue, being attacked is. If they are able to have tools and enter the car park, they can have tools and hurt someone.
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Many years ago a work colleague of mine was apprehended by the police and asked to explain why his car, which had been recovered by them, was involved in an armed robbery. Being the pillar of society they finally accepted that his car must have been stolen by the villains in question. Two weeks later he had a call from the car park where he normally parked at work asking why his car had not moved for weeks. Turned out it was his car and the car used in the robbery was identical to his and had had his number plates cloned to it. Despite being shown the robbery car by the police he did not realise it was not his car
Isnt there security cameras watching what happens in the car park. I dont think the police in the UK seem to want to do any work. Less is more is the example they send out. Whilst a car is although expensive not really an issue, being attacked is. If they are able to have tools and enter the car park, they can have tools and hurt someone.
Yes, I think Heathrow will want to know about this - you can email them at feedback@baa.com or via the online form here and they will forward it to the relevant department.
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Not helpful to the OP now, but I find the valet parking at T5 to be decent value if you book in advance. Then there's the added bonus that anything that happens to it once you give them the keys is their fault.
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Many years ago a work colleague of mine was apprehended by the police and asked to explain why his car, which had been recovered by them, was involved in an armed robbery. Being the pillar of society they finally accepted that his car must have been stolen by the villains in question. Two weeks later he had a call from the car park where he normally parked at work asking why his car had not moved for weeks. Turned out it was his car and the car used in the robbery was identical to his and had had his number plates cloned to it. Despite being shown the robbery car by the police he did not realise it was not his car
Pretty poor police work to not check the chassis number matches the registration plates considering it was an armed robbery they were investigating.
I would follow it up with the those that run the car park.
They do say "Heathrow Airport Short Stay Parking is convenient and safe. The Short Stay Car Parks at Heathrow are frequently patrolled, well lit and have comprehensive CCTV in operation."
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BOH
Short-stay - meaning the car park adjacent to the terminal? Just wanted to be clear and is not the one with the pods.
If it is the one adjacent to T5, presumably being so close to the terminal it will be very extensively covered by CCTV? Is that a course of action to see if anything was captured?
It was the multi storey from which you walk straight into the terminals.
@OP: Sorry to hear about this unfortunate incident.
Quote:
Originally Posted by origin
Isnt there security cameras watching what happens in the car park. I dont think the police in the UK seem to want to do any work. Less is more is the example they send out.
Hardly lazy - more like prioritising limited resources. Are you seriously suggesting that the police should trawl through hours and hours of CCTV footage for the entire time the OP's car was parked there (possibly weeks) on the off-chance that: (a) the offence was caught on CCTV; and (b) the image was of sufficient quality to provide any useful evidence/id the suspects (highly unlikely). Yes, this amount of effort would be expended for a murder enquiry; for a simple criminal damage, not a chance.
Quote:
Originally Posted by origin
Whilst a car is although expensive not really an issue, being attacked is. If they are able to have tools and enter the car park, they can have tools and hurt someone.
But noone was attacked. No need to dramatise the situation
Why park an expensive car at an airport? It is a car thieves dream! Or, more likely today, some jealous Tango Whiskey Alpha Tango will key it or good measure. I imagine tapes are wiped after 48 hours, so of no use unless you are on a quick night stop trip. Sorry, but I'm afraid a lesson may have been learnt the hard way. I do hope the cops can achieve some success for you.
Yes I do know we should live in a world where we can park nice cars in public places for those lesser than us to admire, but human beings will not change, and BA/T5 has all sorts frequenting.
. Being the pillar of society they finally accepted that his car must have been stolen by the villains in question. Two weeks later he had a call from the car park where he normally parked at work asking why his car had not moved for weeks
. Turned out it was his car and the car used in the robbery was identical to his and had had his number plates cloned to it. Despite being shown the robbery car by the police he did not realise it was not his car
Hardly lazy - more like prioritising limited resources. Are you seriously suggesting that the police should trawl through hours and hours of CCTV footage for the entire time the OP's car was parked there (possibly weeks) on the off-chance that: (a) the offence was caught on CCTV; and (b) the image was of sufficient quality to provide any useful evidence/id the suspects (highly unlikely). Yes, this amount of effort would be expended for a murder enquiry; for a simple criminal damage, not a chance.
