Theft victim charged for return of his car

A motorist whose car was used by thieves in a ram-raid has been ordered to pay hundreds of pounds to recover it from a police compound in the Black Country.

David Drew had parked the Peugeot 205 legally outside his workplace in Wolverhampton but it was broken into by thieves who used it to ram-raid the premises and steal £9,000 of equipment.

The abandoned car was found hours later on wasteground in Wednesfield, and taken away by a recovery firm hired by the police.

The 52-year-old electrical engineer was then told he would have to pay £260 for the return of the car, with additional costs of £20 for each day it was kept at the premises before being crushed.

Mr Drew claims that a letter from MMS Recovery in Dunstall Hill demanding payment was also posted out to the wrong address and only finally arrived with him on Monday – two days after the car had been due to be crushed.

West Midlands Police spokesman Steve Garey said it was necessary to remove the car because it was officially considered "abandoned".

Thieves stole the car in the early hours of February 1, using it to smash the shutters securing Wrights Electrical at Boundary Park industrial estate on Stafford Road, Fordhouses.

The car, which was taxed, insured and had a valid MOT, was found on land off Sundour Crescent, Wood Hayes, later that day.

Mr Drew, of Beech Road, Telford, is refusing to pay the bill. He said: "I haven't done anything wrong, I was the victim of a crime but I feel like I'm the one being punished. If I have to go to jail or do community service, so be it."

The car was due to have been crushed on February 13 but it has now been put on hold.

Police spokesman Mr Garey added: "We are informing the recovery company of Mr Drew's concerns and will ask them to consider their charges."