Currently, there are some practical reasons to notify the constabulary that your car has been stolen, even if the report does not give rise to any investigative action by the Police:
- If the car has just been taken, it may be spotted or activate ANPR – the shorter the time period from theft to notification, the more chance of recovery
- To get the vehicle on PNC as LoS (lost or stolen) – if it is not on the register the odds on recovery are greatly reduced
- To get a crime number, the insurer will want it. The number does not guarantee a payment of the claim but, bizarrely, some consider it has merit
I question whether there is a way of replicating the above (largely administrative) steps, of achieving the expectations or processes, without involving the police? For example:
- If your vehicle is not known to have been taken within the last 2 (?) hours, dial ‘227’ (spells ‘CAR’ on the telephone keypad) to report the theft?
A process is then engaged that removes the police from the recording, save in circumstances where attendance becomes identified as necessary, for example, burglary or the suspect left something at the scene – a potential SOCO requirement.
Fraud has gone this way – ActionFraud.
But vehicle theft appears better suited in some respects because currently the theft report is a negative, with little being done at the point of report other than putting the VRM on PNC as LoS.
Sadly, there is always a victim who is distressed, inconvenienced and can face financial hardship, even if insured, because uninsured losses are also suffered (loss of excess, market value being less than replacement value, costs associated with having to find a replacement, loss of NCB).
What advantages would such a system offer?
- Act nationally, making analysis simpler and effective
- Use of a standard (short as possible) set of questions, designed by the police, insurers and finance companies
- Generate the crime number/admin, but only when the loss has been validated
- Get the VRM to public databases immediately – see ‘circulate below’
How would such a scheme be funded?
Possibly, by those insurers who have an insurable interest in the stolen vehicle, because they will be the beneficiaries of the data and ultimately the owner of the vehicle.
Currently, there is a fee-for-report process which, it appears, does not cover the police resource involved, or is not used for said resource.
If the vehicle is uninsured, then the person reporting the theft could be charged a small fee, in return for the monitoring service, which will be provided.
Which brings me to … crime reports.