had my car broken into at the end of november this year, they bent the top of the door back put thier hand in lifted the latch up and got qaway with my stero and speakers, had forensics round and the found traces of blood, a week later i had a letter from the police saying that they have closed the case, in the mean time i just bent the top of the door back in and carried on and never told the insurance as my excess is so high, wel today i had a call from police saying that they have arrestd sum1 to in connection with the break in, they are going to phone back tomorow to confrim detals, if this person or persons is found guilty i have heard that you can claim or prosecute against them for damages ie to the door and for the speakers and head unit, has anybody been in the same situation and is their anything i sould know to get the most out of them?

At the moment I'd say don't plan anything until you know the outcome of the arrest. The individual arrested may not be charged with the offence and that would be the end of it.

If he is charged and then found guilty at court the court could force him to pay some compensation to you but this is likely to be about 50p a week and not worth the paper it's written on. If he is found guilty then you could try and sue him in a civil court but this would be potentially very expensive and far outweigh the cost of the damage to your door.

I got this after someone broke into my old car, went 2 years without hearing anything then got a letter saying they caught the bloke selling what was nicked in a pawn shop. (re-enactment sword) filled it all in, then one day a copper turns up at my doorstep with the sword, but the judge had ruled that the pikey shit didn't have to pay damages as he had no source of income to support himself.

So you may not get anything if the judge decides that because the guy is out of work with x amount of kids and a drug habit to support.

The justice system in this country is SHIT!!!

what about small claims court?

The justice system in this country is SHIT!!!

X2, sometimes you just have to take it, even though its annoying as crap

Edited 19 January, 200917 yr by Polo-Bluebird

X3. I had one of my cars broken into. Stole subbox and amp (both cheap and shit!)

The police couldn't be arsed to turn up and gave me a crime number over the phone!!!!

The police ain't worth the money they're paid IMO !

I had my MTX amp and JL 12 sub nicked after some dickless scrote busted the lock on my GT..........i got the same thing, Pigs gave me a crime reference number. All they said is "It happens a lot in the area....." Nice to know they're doing something about it!!!

What really smacked is a day later i got fined for Black plates while some Chav is rollin' in his nova with my fookin system!!!!

compensation sounds great but its a load of rubbish.

my mk1 golf was pinched and guy burnt it out. They got him straight away and he was charged. they said i could claim costs back of him (bearing in mind the car was only valued at £400) they said he couldnt afford to pay me back and that was the end of that.

not worth the hassle of pursuing in small claims.

The justice system in this country is SHIT!!!

X2, sometimes you just have to take it, even though its annoying as crap

X3. I had one of my cars broken into. Stole subbox and amp (both cheap and shit!)

The police couldn't be arsed to turn up and gave me a crime number over the phone!!!!

The police ain't worth the money they're paid IMO !

Both very sweeping statements, I have to admit they maybe didnt do all they can however in the grand scheme of things. When faced with someone who's had an amount of kit stolen from their car with not a great deal of forensic evidence to go on or a murder/rape case with enough evidence to follow up leads and make an arrest which would you choose as a copper?

The police force in this country is a very streched and overworked resource and i genuinely believe they are doing their best. But personally I would rather they went after the murderers and the rapists and get rid of them.

Remember your car maybe very important to you but would rather have it broken into or get murdered?

wel the police got back to me today and confrimd that the dna belongs to someone on their records and tat they are going to arrest them tonight and they will contact me in due cousre