Receiving a parking ticket is really annoying, but it’s even worse if you receive a ticket following your vehicle being stolen, or your number plate being cloned. A recent caller to my radio show on LBC received 10 parking tickets after the thief of his car illegally parked it.
If this happens to you, here’s the 3 steps you will need to take to get the parking ticket cancelled:
- Report the crime
As soon as you become aware your car has been stolen, or your plate has been cloned, report it to both the Police and the DVLA; The Police will give you a crime reference number.
- Collate your evidence
Produce a short timeline starting with when you think your car was stolen, or your plate was cloned, and ending with the date the parking ticket was issued. Accompany this with the crime reference number provided to you by the Police.
- Appeal
Write back to whoever contacted you about the parking offence. Their contact details will be on the notice or letter they sent you. Explain that the car was stolen or cloned when the offence happened and provide your timeline and the crime reference number.
Once you have proven you were not driving the vehicle at the time of the parking offence, the notice against you must be cancelled. However, the longer you leave it, the harder it is to get a parking ticket cancelled and appeals do have time limits, so don’t delay in taking action.
