Seized Cars on the Increase in West Yorkshire
Police in west Yorkshire have seized more vehicles to date this year than they seized in the whole of last year. Police have seized 681 vehicles, 15 more than the total in the previous year. Chief Inspector Bownass believes the increase in seized vehicles is down to drivers struggling with the increased costs of running their cars.
Police are stopping vehicles during planned operations and patrols, and cross referencing against DVLA and police databases. Any suspicions of a vehicle not being insured or drivers driving without a licence result in the police immediately seizing the vehicle and taking it to a compound.
In 2012 Police in West Yorkshire seized 656 cars, 165 for driving without correct insurance, 126 for driving without a licence. By September this year police seized 681 vehicles , 165 for driving without correct insurance and 73 for driving without a licence.
The only way for drivers to release their vehicles is to bring their insurance policy documents and valid licence. There is also a fee of £20 per day of the car being at the compound and a release of £150 for cars and bikes or £300 for vans.
If people can’t afford the fees and special seized car insurance policy or they think it’s not worth it, people generally leave them and the police crush them. On occasion the cars are good enough standard that they can be auctioned off and police reinvest the money back into road safety campaigns.
Police state there were 266 unclaimed seized vehicles in 2012, and 291 were left in compounds in the first 9 months of the year.
