Businessman slams Havering police over inaction after discovering expletive scratched into car bonnet
Mark Page was "livid" when he discovered the damage. - Credit: Archant
The owner of a six-month-old, £40,000 Audi was “livid” when he discovered an expletive had been keyed into the car’s bonnet - and even more so when he was told by police within hours that the investigation into the crime was closed.
The expletive (which has been censored) was scratched into the bonnet of Mark's Audi Q3. - Credit: Archant
Mark Page, managing director of an Ipswich-based consultancy firm, was at Romford County Court in Oaklands Avenue last Thursday to deal with the non-payment of an invoice issued by his company.
When returning to his Audi Q3 he had parked down the road, he noticed a wing mirror had been broken and drove to a dealership in Chelmsford.
It was there that workers pointed out the damage to the rest of the vehicle - including the word c*** scratched into the bonnet, and more scratches on the side doors.
“I was furious,” explained Mark, “I was kicking everything that wasn’t moving. I was absolutely livid.
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“It’s taken some time for them to do it, it was obviously done with some venom.”
To add to Mark’s misery, the amount his company was owed was inferior to what he will pay to repair his car.
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“It’s going to cost me a couple of grand. Bearing in mind I was only owed about £700, it’s a bit eye-watering. It’s really got my goat.”
Mark contacted Havering Police immediately to report the crime, but amazingly, just hours later received an email stating there was “insufficient information to proceed,” and the investigation into the crime would be closed.
“I went back and there were two houses with CCTV overlooking where my car was parked, but the police said there was none,” said Mark.
“How can they email me back within three hours saying they were closing the investigation? I hadn’t even told them whereabouts I was parked.”
A Havering Police spokesman said neither house appeared to have CCTV, and due to the parking bays’ position, even if there were cameras, hedges and trees would impede the view. An officer knocked on the door of the houses but got no reply.
