Someone using my car reg?

CaraFawn

Hi,

Went to the Garda station this evening to declare non use of the car, fill the form etc. as I have not used the car for the last 2 months, it was parked in front of my house.
The officer told me my car was spotted on the 27th of October in Dublin 2 at 11:30pm, which is impossible, since my car has not moved since the end of August.

I asked if any infraction was commited etc., nothing it was just spotted, she told me they do take note of all the cars in some area and register them in their system for tax purposes.

It appears this car was the same color and brand as mine. Which is even stranger and did not help much to convince her...

I insisted it was not me and that they should check this car out, if it is still here.

I explained I was pretty concerned someone might be using my reg, don't want to end up in custody if this guy uses similar car of mine with my reg to rob a bank.

She replied it was most unlikely someone would use my reg...Great thanks for the trust.

So she refused to sign my form. Fair enough. I still need a solution to this.

I called back one hour later and asked her to check this car out and that I would present myself to this officer in Dublin 2 with my car so we can clear this thing once for all.
She suddenly told me it might have been a mistake and that I can come back tomorrow and that she will sign the form.

Hum, are they planning to arrest me or something?

Anyway, anyone ever went through the same kind of situation?

sogood

It sounds to me like the Guard was chancing their arm, thinking that maybe you were doing the same thing, and hoping to call your bluff. The Guard has a great memory if he/she can recall your exact car at a specific time and place, given the number of cars they "see" on a daily basis. I think since you didn't back down and wanted to pursue the matter further, the guard backed down instead and is just being a bit pedantic. If you have nothing to hide and did nothing wrong you are fine, innocent until PROVEN guilty.

CaraFawn

sogood wrote: »

It sounds to me like the Guard was chancing their arm, thinking that maybe you were doing the same thing, and hoping to call your bluff. The Guard has a great memory if he/she can recall your exact car at a specific time and place, given the number of cars they "see" on a daily basis. I think since you didn't back down and wanted to pursue the matter further, the guard backed down instead and is just being a bit pedantic. If you have nothing to hide and did nothing wrong you are fine, innocent until PROVEN guilty.

Yeah ok maybe. Most definitely it was not me.
She told me I could pay just for October so the issue could sorted straight away. I kindly refused.

We shall see tomorrow.

Thanks

mickdw

Sounds like the guard was being smart with you, thinking you would reply with something like.... I just took it out one evening in emergency.... if you had actually been using the car.
I would go in tomorrow and ask for all the details of records of where this car was seen, time, date and why it was recorded. I would also ask why, if they were recording details for car tax checks that you havent got a fine in the post for tax. I would also request a photo if available.
I think the guard will come out and say that it was a mistake making her guilty as sin imo. You could then get very annoyed. After all, its not really her problem whether you are telling lies or not. You are just signing the declaration in their presence. They are not confirming your declaration to be true.

Esel

CaraFawn wrote: »

Hi,

Went to the Garda station this evening to declare non use of the car, fill the form etc. as I have not used the car for the last 2 months, it was parked in front of my house....

If by 'in front of your house' you mean on the street, you should be aware that that is 'a public place'. One option for you to consider would be to start afresh in another Garda Station. One near a Motor Tax Office might be a good idea....

Anan1

mickdw wrote: »

After all, its not really her problem whether you are telling lies or not. You are just signing the declaration in their presence. They are not confirming your declaration to be true.

Out of interest, is the Garda obliged to witness your declaration even if they believe it to be untrue?

Homer

esel wrote: »

If by 'in front of your house' you mean on the street, you should be aware that that is 'a public place'. One option for you to consider would be to start afresh in another Garda Station. One near a Motor Tax Office might be a good idea....

They would simply send you to the garda station searest to the registered address. You can't just get the form stamped in any station unfortunately asfaik.

alias no.9

Is it possible that the car showed up on one of the ANPR Traffic Management Cameras around Dublin?

Our man in Havana

Homer wrote: »

They would simply send you to the garda station searest to the registered address. You can't just get the form stamped in any station unfortunately asfaik.

Not true. Any station will do. No where on the form does it say it must be your local station.
I have used Portlaoise station many times, even though I live almost 30 miles from the town. The tax office never has never had an issue. They even tell people who need Garda declarations signed to head over the road to have forms signed/stamped.

Matt Simis

The onus is on the owner of the car, not the Garda, to make an honest declaration.

JohnMatthews

The bean garda was trying to call your bluff.

However wait until the ANPR system is fully up and running, then there will be no hiding.

j4vier

the plates of my car were stolen less than an year ago.. went straight away to the guards, they said they never heard of this happening..dont really know what they used them for but they took them anyway

Our man in Havana

Toll evasion normally.

Cookie_Monster

j4vier wrote: »

the plates of my car were stolen less than an year ago.. went straight away to the guards, they said they never heard of this happening..dont really know what they used them for but they took them anyway

They've never heard of it:eek: Mustn't be doing their job so...

I'd say it reasonably common tbh. My dad had his plates stolen off the car in the drive of our house about 3 years ago. Reported it the next morning and was told its becoming fairly frequent in the area. Used to avoid tolls or to drive off from pumps without paying.

j4vier

tought so too but have never got a letter sayin to pay up so they havent been used for that
just once i got a letter from the toll sayin that i didnt pay, and it wasnt me, but that was a mistake of a system confusing an 8 for a 0 , so they fixed it straight away

robbie_998

stealing reg plates.

i was watching crime call the other night and there was a crowd of lads stealing car regs that matches their cars so they could steal shops and that without getting caught.

also toll bridges !

Vim Fuego

My old car was off the road for about 2 months while I was going through the process of selling it. During that time, I got 3 letters from the m50 toll for not paying. The guards were fairly sympathetic and were aware that this sort of things goes on though.

Esel

Homer wrote: »

They would simply send you to the garda station searest to the registered address. You can't just get the form stamped in any station unfortunately asfaik.

Sorry, but you're wrong there.

Our man in Havana

Not just wrong but completely wrong.

Homer

Bond-007 wrote: »

Not just wrong but completely wrong.

I didn't quote it as fact, merely my experience in the past so down off your high horse mr know it all :rolleyes:

-Chris-

Homer wrote: »

I didn't quote it as fact, merely my experience in the past so down off your high horse mr know it all :rolleyes:

If you got it wrong, just admit it and move on (I presume that's why you put afaik in your original post, because you weren't certain).

There's no need to start getting personal.