Keyless car theft victim told to pay to get Range Rover back

Lillie Powell is calling for a change to police rules after she was a victim of a keyless car theft, which saw thieves steal the Vogue model car from outside her Fair Oak home.

The 26-year-old was relieved to find out officers had found the vehicle in Shirley, who took it away to do forensics.

Mother-of-three, Lillie Powell is calling for the charge to be lifted from victims of car theft (Image: NQ)READ MORE: Range Rovers among SUVs stolen from Eastleigh and Hedge End

But six days later, when she went to pick up the car from Ravenscroft Motor Company in Bitterne Road West - which stored it on behalf of the police - the sales assistant was told it would cost her £192 to get it back.

She said: “I could not believe what I was hearing – I have been the victim of car theft, and I am now being charged just to get my car back.

“This is on top of the £3,000 worth of bollards, CCTV, steering locks, vehicle immobilisers and security lights we have bought to stop being a victim of theft again.

“They said the cost would be passed on to the perpetrators if they catch them – but that isn’t going to happen.

“These criminals know they can get away with it.”

The mother-of-three's woes began at 2.20am on January 19, when she heard her car alarm while trying to get her one-year-old daughter back to sleep.

She looked outside and saw a man tampering with the Range Rover, parked behind her house – so she opened the window and told him to leave.

Unaware that another man was already inside the car, the thieves sped off before her husband could get to the door.

Keyless car theft works by using a device which duplicates the signal of the key fob and tricks the car into opening.

This incident was part of a spree of thefts between November and January, in the Hedge End, Eastleigh and Fair Oak area, which prompted a police warning to the public.

After asking why she had to pay, Lillie said she was told it was 'just government policy' - so she was determined to get what she saw as an unfair rule overturned.

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary's policy is that car owners pay for 'the statutory removal and storage charges' of stolen vehicles, not including the time it is being forensically examined.

The vehicle will not be released until the money is paid and the vehicle will be disposed of after 14 days if not collected.

She spoke to her MP Paul Holmes about trying to get these rules changed - but she said he could not help.

Mr Holmes has since told the Echo he is 'very sad that Ms Powell is going through this' and would speak to Hampshire police.

On the force's website, it said its policy on the 'recovery, retention and storage of stolen vehicles is governed by legislation and Home Office guidance'.

But the Home Office told the Echo that while it sets the legal guidelines of what police forces can charge, 'decisions on when to charge for vehicle recovery in individual cases are an operational matter for the police'.

Hampshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Donna Jones, said she funds a victim support service but would not be drawn on whether the force should charge victims for the cost of vehicle storage.

She said: “I know being a victim of motor theft is very distressing; it can seriously affect people’s lives.

“Any charges which are then incurred for recovering the vehicle once found can add another layer of stress to a victim. 

“I am committed to ensuring Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary is doing everything it can to bear down on organised criminal gangs who are stealing cars.”