£300 bill 'for being the victim of a crime'

POLICE charged a honeymoon couple £300 to return their car after it had been broken into by thieves.

Nigel and Fiona Boothman came back from a three-week trip to Argentina to find their 20-year-old VW Golf GTI had vanished from outside their home.

The car - described by Mr Boothman as an "old banger" and worth only 200 - had been uplifted by police because it was "unsecure" after a break-in.

Officers had posted a note through their door in Grange Loan to say that the vehicle had been taken to the pound and they were liable for a 150 uplift fee along with 20 a day in storage charges and VAT.

After paying the bill, the couple say they were forced to sell it for scrap for 50 because of the high cost of repairing the damage.

Police insist the fee goes to the impound firm and the force does not receive a penny.

Mr Boothman, 32, a freelance motoring journalist, said: "I feel like I've been charged 317 for being the victim of a crime.

"It's like police officers demanding a fee for interviewing someone who has just been mugged.

"We've just spent all the money we had in the world on our wedding and honeymoon and we come back to find this. It seems to be a total scam."

The couple arrived home on October 8 to find the note from police telling them their car had been taken by impound firm, George MacPhie and Son.

It is thought the vehicle, which had been parked around the corner from their home, had been struck during an accident, damaging the door. Thieves later pushed down the window to steal a pair of stereo speakers.

Police discovered the break-in and ordered the uplift after being unable to reach the couple.

Mr Boothman said: "The car was my daily city runabout. It was only worth 200 or so but I was obliged to pay the bill.

"I couldn't afford to buy a second-hand door, new speakers and new steering lock so the car has been sold as salvage to a mechanic friend of mine for 50.

"When I contacted the police to complain about all this, they said I could claim on my insurance to recover the cost.

"Like almost everyone else, I have a 200 excess and some no-claims bonus. If I had claimed, it would have cost me approximately 500 by the time I'd paid the excess and lost the no-claims bonus."

He added: "The car window had not been broken, just pushed down, and I lifted it back up easily when I got it back.

"If the police were concerned about security they could have just done this, instead of spending my money by getting the car removed.

"The car was legally parked, taxed and MoT'd."

The couple, who have been together for three years, had enjoyed a honeymoon in Argentina after getting married on September 16, visiting Buenos Aires and Patagonia. Mrs Boothman, 31, a financial services lawyer, was also "deeply angry" about being left out of pocket.

Andrew Buckingham, a spokesman for Victim Support, said: "I suspect the police would say, with some justification, that the charge is needed to make the vehicle safe from further attack.

"However, it's really bad news for the victims.

"They are essentially being re-victimised, which must make them extremely angry."

A police spokeswoman said: "If a car is unsecured and we cannot get in touch with the owners, there is no choice but to uplift the vehicle.

"Unfortunately, there are costs involved which are paid to the company impounding the car on the police's behalf."