Our vehicle, a Nissan Navara pick-up, was booked in for a service at Brian Leighton Garages - Howden on Wednesday 29th May at 0830hrs. The vehicle was purchased from them on 20th October 2012 and so as to maintain warranty and save time we decided to use the garage for the service. Due to business workload we were unable to get the vehicle to the garage at 0830 on the Wednesday or before the end of play on the Tuesday but a call to the garage informed us that an out of hours facility was available for dropping vehicles off. We were instructed to park the vehicle in the Customer Parking area, explain to the kiosk staff in the adjoining 24hour filling station that was owned by the garage where we would be given an envelope for our keys. The keys would then be left safely with the staff of the filling station for collection by the garage the following morning. We carried out these instructions, dropping the vehicle off at the garage at 2100hrs on the Tuesday evening.

The following then unfolded :-

At 0825 on the Wednesday morning I received a call from the garage stating that they had the keys and to ask if any extra work, other than the service and previously agreed work, was required. I informed them that no extra work was required to which they replied that the work would be completed that day and they would call us at that time.

At 0920 I received another call asking if my vehicle had been fitted with window deflectors and were they on the vehicle when left there, I replied that it was fitted with them and they were on their when left. I was then told that these had been stolen from the vehicle overnight, I then stated to them that other accessories were fitted to the vehicle to which I was told that these had also been stolen.

List of equipment stripped from vehicle

All side window deflectors - £32.00

Bonnet guard - £80.00

Stainless Steel Roll Bar - £250.00

Front Bull Bar with lights - £300.00

Body side protectors - £59.00

Roof top led directional beacon - £495.50

Load liner - £275.71

Load securing Rails / Channels - £727.47

Securing Cleats - £240.90

TOTAL £2460.58 excluding the cost of fitting

At around 1100 our office received a call from the garage owner who stated that there was CCTV coverage of activity around our vehicle for almost 2hours showing two people stripping parts and carrying them across the forecourt to an awaiting vehicle. He also stated to our office that he had contacted his insurance to find out that our vehicle wasn't insured and that we were to pursue a claim through our own insurance. As a gesture of goodwill, he would supply us with a replacement load-liner, one of the items stolen, and he wanted this incident sorted with little fuss. I then called the garage owner to be told the same, I expressed my concern that we had carried out his instruction for leaving the vehicle and that the vehicle was in their possession when this incident took place. We were at no point informed that we were at risk by leaving the vehicle there and nor were there any signs stating any risk to owners.

At 1400 I attended the garage to inspect the vehicle and discuss the matter with them. The service manager escorted me to the workshop where the vehicle looked in a sorry state and the garage were carrying out the service. I questioned what process had been carried out for reporting the incident with the police and what, if anything, had progressed with an investigation. The service manager explained that the police had been informed and that their reply was merely to give the garage a crime number, they were not interested in finger printing the car or checking the CCTV coverage as any culprits would simply deny taking any part in the crime. I stated to the service manager that the offer of the replacement load-liner was not an acceptable solution to the matter and he replied that he would get the owner to contact me regarding this.

I found the Police response to the garage very hard to believe, and following my visit to the garage at 1440, I went to Howden Police Station to clarify what the service manager had explained. Upon checking details against the crime number, an officer at the police station stated that they were extremely interested in any crime and that the garage had been informed this. They had also informed the garage that they would collect CCTV coverage of the incident at their earliest convenience.

At around 1530, I received a call from Kevin O'Donohoe of the Humberside Police CID Vehicle Crime Unit at Beverley who apologised for my having to attend the police station and stated that several incidents were being investigated, including ours, and that there were links between some of these. He also stated that the CCTV coverage would be collected from the garage, this would be scrutinised and we would be kept in the loop with any outcomes.

At 1750 I received a call from the garage asking if we would authorise further work to our vehicle at our expense.

Throughout Thursday we received no communication from the garage.

Friday 0845 I tried to contact the garage but no-one was available to speak to me and someone would call me back.

0915 Contacted the garage again, asked for the service manager but he was busy. I then asked to speak to the garage owner but was told I need to speak to the service manager and he would call me back.

0945 Contacted the garage again, asked for the service manager but he was busy. He would call me back

1015 Contacted the garage again, asked for the service manager but he was busy. He would call me back

1040 Contacted the garage again, asked for the service manager but he was busy. I insisted that I needed to speak to someone, our vehicle was now off the road for three days and that our business is being harmed please could I speak to someone. On hold and then my details taken again and told someone would call me back.

1055 A call from the customer service manager who took all of my details again and promised to get the service manager to call me back. I said that I really need to speak to the owner, put on hold and then told that it was the service manager dealing with the matter and that he would call me back.

1120 I received a call from the service manager, he denied all knowledge of my previous attempts to contact him but did apologise. I voiced my concerns that our vehicle was still with them and still not back in the condition that it was left. I explained again to him that our business thrives on image, we advertise our services with the use of high image vehicles and that the vehicle in its current state is not fit for purpose and that we were now suffering harm to our trade due to there being no progress. I then asked for his company insurance details as we would be forced to direct this through our own insurers, our company's solicitors and seek publicity regarding the incident where he replied that it was out of his hands as to whether the garage would replace the stolen equipment and the decision was with his Directors. He then asked that I wait before progressing anything with our Insurers etc. as he would contact his directors and reply to me asap.

1618 I received a call from the service department at the garage informing me that the vehicles service was complete, I asked if the damage was repaired and the stolen equipment replaced to which they were not able to confirm. They stated that this was being dealt with by the service manager and the directors but neither were available to talk to me.

1711 I received an email from the service manager stating that the conclusion from his directors was that any vehicles left on their site were at the owners risk, the only thing they were prepared to do was to supply a replacement load liner as a gesture of good will. The email also contained the details of the garages insurers.

All in all we have had £2460.58 worth of equipment stolen from our vehicle whilst in the possession of a garage whilst the garage was open with CCTV in operation , we have had no use of our vehicle since Wednesday 29th June, we have had to beg for a response from the garage and we have been offered the supply of a load liner valued at £275.71 as compensation. I will also add that the load liner is useless without the load securing rails as these actually fix the liner to the body.

Are we going to waste time and money fighting our corner on this ?