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Motorist's shock at Weymouth and Portland Council bill for damage caused by thieves (From Dorset Echo)
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Motorist's shock at Weymouth and Portland Council bill for damage caused by thieves
11:30am Saturday 22nd September 2012 in News By Samantha Harman
Linda Sampson with her car, which was stolen
A SHOCKED motorist was landed with a massive bill from the council – for damage caused by thieves who stole her car.
Linda Sampson, of Springfield Road, received a letter from Weymouth and Portland Borough Council demanding £421.39 to pay for a road sign, which was destroyed by vandals as they attempted to steal her Citroen Saxo.
As the Echo reported, the car, which had a steering lock on the handle, was driven down Springfield Road and crashed into a nearby lamppost and road sign on April 13.
Mrs Sampson believes that unable to rip off the steering lock, the thieves shunted the car deliberately.
The Dream Cottages cleaner was told by the council to forward the invoice for damage on to her insurers.
Mrs Sampson, aged 51, said: “I can’t believe it.
“When I first got the letter, I called the council and the woman said: ‘It was your car that damaged the sign.’ “I said: ‘I wasn’t in the car at the time – it was stolen.’ “She said: ‘Well, someone’s got to pay for it.’ “What about the thugs who stole my car in the first place?”
Because the incident which led to the damaged road sign was a crime, Mrs Sampson’s insurers, the Post Office, will have to make further enquiries as to whether to pay the bill.
A spokesman for the company said: “The council should not, in any circumstance, have contacted Mrs Sampson directly.
“The responsibility lies with the person that had caused the accident, so in this case, the person who stole the car.
“If the police have been unable to find those involved, then the cost may be picked up by the insurance company, but not by owner of the vehicle.
“We have asked Mrs Sampson to send us all the correspondence she has received from the council so that we can get this matter resolved as quickly as possible.”
The council has now sent a letter of apology to Mrs Sampson for the mistake.
Coun Mike Goodman, chairman of the council’s management committee, said: “The borough council has sent a letter of apology directly to Mrs Sampson for wrongly asking her to forward an invoice to her insurers.
“This was a mistake and we are now looking at a number of other routes to recoup the cost of the damage to the road sign.
“This may include civil action against the person found responsible for taking the vehicle or making a claim through the council’s own insurance policy.”
Comments(25)
Weymouth resident 2012
says...
1:06pm Sat 22 Sep 12
bnaty12
says...
1:08pm Sat 22 Sep 12
portland rebel
says...
1:18pm Sat 22 Sep 12
snowleopard
says...
1:30pm Sat 22 Sep 12
roger goss
says...
2:28pm Sat 22 Sep 12
Get stuffed W@PBC.
Crabber
says...
3:02pm Sat 22 Sep 12
TenBobDylanThomasHardy
says...
3:53pm Sat 22 Sep 12
portlandboy
says...
5:18pm Sat 22 Sep 12
This was a case of "take the easy option", in the hope that the recipient was not clever enough to know what to do. Now they'll have do get the repair costs from the insurer, but that means communicating with a company who probably have a bit of savvy...could be awkward!
bnaty12
says...
7:35pm Sat 22 Sep 12
TenBobDylanThomasHarYou should work for the WPBC.
dy wrote:
So are you all happy for the repair-cost to come out of your Council Tax?
Nobody said about it coming out of the council tax, it should come out of the pockets and property of the criminal who did it.
mrmagic
says...
10:23pm Sat 22 Sep 12
Absolutely useless
old-mo
says...
10:31pm Sat 22 Sep 12
Perhaps they could... Road Sweeper...
Do you remember them...?
markerpen
says...
11:52am Sun 23 Sep 12
Insurance is there to do this, yes it's unfortunate that someone tried to steal her car but it happens.
I think the council have taken the appropriate action. If you own a car you are respnosble for it..
"Responsibility"..I know not heard much these days.
niceonecyril
says...
12:09pm Sun 23 Sep 12
Secondly, I am humbled to be able to post along with people who have NEVER EVER made a mistake, you truly are a bunch of idiots.
bnaty12
says...
2:09pm Sun 23 Sep 12
markerpen wrote:Markerpen you are talking utter nonsense!
I dont see why I as a taxpayer should have to pay for the cost of replacing any signs in circumstanses like this.
Insurance is there to do this, yes it's unfortunate that someone tried to steal her car but it happens.
I think the council have taken the appropriate action. If you own a car you are respnosble for it..
"Responsibility
"..I know not heard much these days.
The lady car owner had not given permission to even touch the car let alone try to take it, she had no part in it and it was without her consent, therefore it is wholly the criminal to blame and to pay.
Really what is the matter with some people, common sense seems to be like a rare Gem these days.
bnaty12
says...
2:12pm Sun 23 Sep 12
Why should the lady get a claim on her insurance, probably putting her premium up or damaging her NCB, and also the add on effect to the overall hike in insurance for all of us.
No wonder society is in the state it's in, hit the criminal HARD!
make them pay, take away their income or property to pay for it!
Phaedrus
says...
3:54pm Sun 23 Sep 12
chesilboy
says...
5:50pm Sun 23 Sep 12
niceonecyril wrote:Well said.
Two things, firstly, for the criminal to pay, he/she would have to be caught first.
Secondly, I am humbled to be able to post along with people who have NEVER EVER made a mistake, you truly are a bunch of idiots.
The biggest shock here is that this story is even on the front page. Why? It has already been resolved - the insurance company has said they will deal with it and WPBC has admitted to, and formally apologised, for the mistake.
Everybody makes mistakes.
Is there not a cat up a tree somewhere?
Get a grip
says...
9:24pm Sun 23 Sep 12
oldbrock
says...
10:53pm Sun 23 Sep 12
markerpen wrote:Doesn't the fact that the lady had LOCKED the steering count as responsibility in your little world then?
I dont see why I as a taxpayer should have to pay for the cost of replacing any signs in circumstanses like this.
Insurance is there to do this, yes it's unfortunate that someone tried to steal her car but it happens.
I think the council have taken the appropriate action. If you own a car you are respnosble for it..
"Responsibility
"..I know not heard much these days.
she obviously used her brain more than you did writing this.
Taxpayinglocal
says...
1:10am Mon 24 Sep 12
stench
says...
11:03am Mon 24 Sep 12
Backward, Gumps!
That is all..
chesilboy
says...
2:15pm Mon 24 Sep 12
What is it like living under your bridge?
bnaty12
says...
7:32pm Tue 25 Sep 12
portland rebel
says...
10:32am Wed 26 Sep 12
bnaty12 wrote:cctv is only any good if the culprit is recognisable, 99% of the time all you will see is what they did.
I have said it a thousand times, GET CCTV ON YOUR HOUSE! everyone should have it covering their property and the pavement/road in front of their property. It is cheap as heck these days, there is no excuse, if everyone did it, just imagine the amount of scum that will be caught?
why do you think we have more cctv in this country than any other, answer - fools buy it.
monkeydog says...
12:28pm Sat 22 Sep 12