THIS takes the biscuit – the couple's two vehicles were stolen but to have to pay for them (Echo, July 6) is, to say the least, appalling, and at a time when the public's view of the police is at an all-time low.

Years ago we had inadvertently parked in a permit holders place in London. We came back from Earls Court with two young children in the rain to look for our car. Panic set in only to find out it was seized after the police broke in to our car to remove it – £40 pounds recovery charge!

One poor man had his car removed from his office, and the man who worked at the place which removed it was an offensive oaf! There was no sign where we parked, and the police shrugged.

The respect I had for our boys in blue has deteriorated.

Maggie Rickards

Southampton