Mercedes Benz - Van stolen 30 minutes after buying

Honest John Back Room » Legal matters
View Threaded
Fri 12 Oct 2007 20:32
Van stolen 30 minutes after buying - TimOrridge
My dad went to pick a Sprinter up today. Being on his own he didnt want to leave his car at the sellers house. So the van seller offered to drive to 20 miles to our house and drop the van off and we give him a lift back. He followed my dad for 10 miles and suddenly did a u - turn and sped off in the opposite direction. My dad tried to catch him up but he was long gone. Dad gave several thousand pounts cash at place of sale and in return got V5, MOT, other paperwork and a spare set of keys. Dad rang police and after 4 hours dealing with this they are going to finger print all docemrnts and keys and trace the reg plate. We also have guys mobile number but it is not being answered.
The VIN number on van matched the V5 and the tax runs out next month so it will hopelly resurface then. We have since found out that returning to the house it has been tried to be sold again. The address on V5 does not match the address we bought van at.

Any ideas on this, we are gutted and many thousands of pounds out of pocket. I know that you can tsay too much whilst an investigation in is place.

TIA
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 12 Oct 2007 20:50
Van stolen 30 minutes after buying - Lud
What incredible desperadoes some people seem to be. Sorry TO.

I imagine they won't get far. But let's hope yr dad is the owner when the dust settles.

Never heard of that one before I must say.

Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 12 Oct 2007 20:55
Van stolen 30 minutes after buying - TimOrridge
Its gobsmacking, dads really shook up. Police are helping but im doubt ful. Its probably tried to be sold on again or on a ferry to europe now.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 12 Oct 2007 20:56
Van stolen 30 minutes after buying - Pugugly {P}
It'll probably be on ANPR database by now - which may help.
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Fri 12 Oct 2007 21:23
Van stolen 30 minutes after buying - billy25
Sorry tale! but i'll bet it was already stolen, i think even if you had got it home, the scumbag had your thousands in pocket and you were destined to lose the van anyway when plod caught up with it. May turn out to be a blessing in disguise, you could have faced a lengthy police interrogation over it. Said Scumbag just got greedy this time! and took a risk, thats a good sign cos its his first mistake, and thats when they get caught.

Billy
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 13 Oct 2007 02:02
Van stolen 30 minutes after buying - component part
Ouch that's a tough break. There's a lesson about buying/exchanging vehicles in there somewhere-although as Billy says, if it was stolen then you were destined to lose it anyway. Still I'd rather lose it the way Billy says than the way it happened to you.

Was it HPI'd before purchase?
Reply | Report as offensive | Link
Sat 13 Oct 2007 18:36
Van stolen 30 minutes after buying - bell boy
obviously a new way of doing business for certain people,cant understand why all the notes were counted prior to delivery though?.
I usually get a deposit, deliver the car, get messed about at the persons home while they count their money into sad £100 rolls with one note folded over for the 60th time and ask me to count it again ,it always upsets them when i refuse and wang it all in my pocket (i once made an extra £60)

a warning for everyone ,as said hpi? did log book tie up with house number? did man come out of the house? no landline number? all these things are or were mentioned in buying a car via autotrader.
Was the van a bargain price then ?too good to miss? non of that vat nonsense eh?
questions questions
Reply | Report as offensive | Link

From which small car to buy at which price point to the best UK-built cars, our Top 10s have the lot. Click now for your shortlist.

Unsure of what to buy? Our Top 10s are here to help you....

From economical vans to those that have the largest payloads, we have a shortlist for everyone - click to find out which will suit your needs.

Undecided on which van to buy? Our Top 10 shortlists can help...