My next door neighbour owns a spanking new X3, which she mainly uses to drive to the local tube station, on her way to work. The car is usually left parked up all day in a resident's bay, near the station, for which she has a regular permit.
A few days ago 2 individuals in full police uniforms turned up at my next door neighbour's door, because, according to them, the X3 had been parked in such way as to cause an obstruction. As she was away at work, those "policemen" convinced her elderly mother to hand over the spare keys, so that they could move the vehicle. The keys were duly returned an hour later.
In the evening, when my neighbour went to collect her car after work, she found it unlocked, but it was still parked in exactly the same place, where she had left it in the morning. The inside of the boot was messy, but everything was still there.
On hearing the full story from her mum, my neighbour drove to the local police station, where they categorically denied they had anything to do with it. They told her that the police never deal with parking matters and in any case, they would never have moved her car, because they are not insured to drive it.
If those individuals were not policemen, who were them? Secret agents? Is it possible that they just wanted the keys to clone them? The car is left in the same place day in and day out, so it would be quite easy to steal it at a latter date. Should my neighbour head for the nearest BMW dealer to have the locks replaced? What do you think?
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In what way was the boot 'messy'? Was it just untidy or were there traces of mud or blood in it? Were there any miles on the odometer?
Could be someone just wanted to use it for something. Weird story though.
Edited by Lud on 17/05/2008 at 18:32
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" Weird story though"
I agree entirely, but she's so scared that she's leaving the car parked up in her drive now.
The boot was messy in the sense that it appeared as it it had been searched. The car was not moved, she said, but she cannot be 100% sure. And with the sort of traffic here is in West London, it is impossible to go far away. Perhaps she should ask Boris to look at the CC tapes.....
But, can the information which is held on the key be easily copied? Or is it a dealer thing only?
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Should my neighbour head for the nearest BMW dealer to have the locks replaced? What do you think?
Is it the same car, or has a cut 'n shut been left in its place?
Has the VIN plate been removed / tampered with in which to cloan another car?
At the very least the keys, immobiliser & alarm should be reprogrammed.
Also consider parking it elsewhere for the next few weeks.
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My tuppence, take it pronto to a very competent BMW garage and get them to check the whole vehicle out, paying particular attention to checking its still as DD says the same vehicle, and has the engine and gearbox etc that it left the factory with.
Most peculiar indeed. I'd have the thought plod would have taken this very seriously and as we speak clever fellows with high tech equipment should be having a butchers.
Has your neighbour spoken to a detective or just the civvi on the desk?
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Very interesting replays!
I will tell her to book the car in asap or sooner with a view to having it thoroughly checked out.
I have no idea who she spoke to, but the fact that the police took no interest in the matter speaks volumes. Perhaps she should have told them she drove at 35mph on the way to the station..
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I'd have thought that if they intended to nick it; they'd have done it then and there - why wait? Were the commandeered spare keys left back in the car?
Swapping it for a clone etc. is possible - but why alert the owner?
Smells far more like part of a Branch close-protection squad operation. They could obviously trace the RO easily and the "obstruction" bit is normal bullshine. Maybe some HVT was passing through the station and they wanted to search all suspicious parked cars on their route for IEDs.
Pretty normal for the Branch to leave the locals in the dark.
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Well they knew where the car was registered to, so its either lawful or unlawful access to PNC or DVLA provided the data, or she was followed home one night, if it is the latter its sinister alright. Do the Parks Police operate in this area or was it the BTP ? According to Private Eye one Local Authority has its staff dressed up as Police Officers as well....Have to checked with the BTP or the Home Office Force in your area ?
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its sinister alright. >>
It does sound it. What sort of keys are they, melstin? Standard looking? Remote? Keyless fob?
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"Smells far more like part of a Branch close-protection squad operation"
The car was parked very close to the local police station and maybe they got suspicious. But why not approach the owner first? They must have known she was a white English female and not one of the usual suspects.
The keys were duly returned to her home address, just a mile away, 1 hour after they were borrowed. Just enough time to conduct a search and to drive back, I think.
The fact remains that even if it were a legitimate police operation, the owner of the car will have to bear expenses and aggravations. Imagine if they had carried out a controlled explosion...
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"They must have known she was a white English female and not one of the usual suspects"
As another part of my life (nothing sinister) I and others were given a security briefing by local Counter Terrorism Officers, the above no longer applies.
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"As another part of my life (nothing sinister) I and others were given a security briefing by local Counter Terrorism Officers, the above no longer applies."
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this what PC is all about? The fact that they now search OAPs and babies prior to flying, says it all.
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Nothing to do with PC. Radicalise a person from a different ethnic background and use them as a bomber - not that hard.
Oh, If it has been searched by the Police there will be a Search Record (as required by PACE and POT Act) write to the your local Force requesting details and to BTP for good measure. I can't remember which borough was scorned by the Eye for having the allegedly false Policemen.
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Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this what PC is all about? The fact that they now search OAPs and babies prior to flying, says it all.
OK, I'll correct you. You are wrong. It is nothing to with being politically correct.
AQ are recruiting people from all ages, ethnicity, social classes, and educational backgrounds.
The recruits do not even have to fly to that country in the East for training, because trips to those shores are considered suspicious.
This is all on the internet, but be careful not to visit those sites as it can be used as proof of your guilt.
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"Local Authority has its staff dressed up as Police Officers"
Would this be Kensington and Chelsea?
Keys? Standard key with all the usual remote functions, I think.
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Is the car park under CCTV? Get the tape examined. If its no longer available (assuming there is one) its the dirty-tricks brigade. Ordinary crooks would have nicked it already - unless it was used in a job, which seems unlikely as it isn't burnt to a crisp, and has been returned to base. Too tidy for usual jail fodder.
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