Lost or stolen vehicles
If we find a vehicle that's been reported lost or stolen we move it to a police pound for safekeeping.
We treat all lost or stolen vehicles we find as abandoned vehicles and remove them to:
- protect the vehicle from damage or arson
- prevent the vehicle from being stolen again
- prevent the vehicle from being used in a crime or anti-social behaviour
- make sure it isn’t an obstruction or danger to other road users
If your vehicle is found, it will be recovered by a removal operator and taken to their premises for safekeeping. We may carry out a forensic examination.
You'll be told that your vehicle's been found and when you can collect it.
If your vehicle was stolen we strongly recommend that you take it to a garage for an inspection before you drive it yourself. It may have been damaged while it was being driven by the thief.
Statutory charges
You, or your agent, are liable for the statutory removal and storage charges.
The statutory charges are set by the Home Office in The Removal, Storage and Disposal of Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Regulations 2023.
For vehicles seized before 6 April 2023 you'll have to pay the charges listed in the The Removal, Storage and Disposal of Vehicles (Prescribed Sums and Charges) Regulations 2008.
There are some exceptions to this, if you feel that the circumstances in which your vehicle was found mean that you shouldn't have to pay, you can either call us on 101 and ask to speak to staff in the Vehicle Removal Office (opening hours Monday to Thursday, 8am to 4.30pm, and Friday, 8am to 4pm) or write to us at:
Police Headquarters
St John's
Enderby
Leicester
LE19 2BX
If your vehicle is believed to have been used in a serious crime, such as a homicide or rape, or were told by a senior police officer to keep it for a longer period, there will be no storage charge while we examine it for evidence.
Insurance claims
If you've made an insurance claim for a stolen vehicle, you must speak to your insurer before arranging collection. The insurance company may have a claim to the vehicle and want to pay the charges and collect it themselves.
Keys
If a key to your vehicle is missing you should change the locks or recode new keys. You may have difficulty with an insurance claim if you don’t do this and your vehicle is stolen again.
Safety check
We can't guarantee how safe your vehicle will be to drive, so we recommend that you get a garage to carry out a comprehensive safety check on it before you drive it.