Tyne Bridge
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| posted on 14/12/07 at 09:58 AM |
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Interesting Phone Call This Morning
Please note that to protect the innocent, some details in this posting have been changed! Like my user name!
I got an interesting phone call at home this morning.
"Good morning Sir, I'm a vehicle inspector with Police. I'm investigating vehicle crime on behalf of Hampshire Police. Did you buy
a motorbike engine on ebay? (Then gave me my user name on ebay, the make and model of the engine, and the fact that I originally got it from a bloke
in Hampshire started a few alarm bells ringing!)."
Then he gives me the engine number that he's looking for. It's the right format for the make of bike engine I have in my car, although he
says it sounds made up as it's not in the right format.
Erm, yes thats my ebay user account, I but I've bought a few engines for that car off ebay. Erm I keep blowing them up!
Ah says he. Can I make an appointment to come round and see you. Gives me his office number and mobile, but explains he's on his Christmas do
today so only doing a half day.
So I go outside and check all my engine numbers. The number on the engine I got from a breakers that is in the car is OK. The engine number on the
spare engine, that I got off ebay is the one he's looking for
Luckily this engine isn't the one I passed my SVA with, or that is on my V5. That one blew up ages ago.
The spare engine is in bits all over the workbench (where it's been for 6 months!).
So I'm in a dilema. Do I panic and grind the engine number off my spare engine? Do I do nothing, let the guy come round and see the engine. He
might sieze it? I could try to get him to put it back together? (I guess that's a bit of a long shot ).
The second bit it that I've changed the engine in the car three times now, and keep forgetting to inform the DVLA. So if he inspects the car,
he's going to find that the engine number in there doesn't match the V5. This in itself isn't a massive problem, but what if this
one turns out to be dodgy too?
Your help, comments and advice gratefully received as ever.
Cheers
"Bob"
P.S. Anyone who knows my history with my build/ subsequent engine failures etc, please don't try to dig out my real user name etc, because
I'll just delete the thread 
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twybrow
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| posted on 14/12/07 at 10:00 AM |
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Not worth incriminating yourself by doing anything stupid like grinding numbers off. Let the investigation run its course and see what happens....
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 14/12/07 at 10:06 AM |
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Tell him that you've just put the legit engine in the car and you're about to send the details off the DVLA. You've already told
him that you often blow up engines, so the fact that you've just put one in shouldn't bother him.
As for the dodgy one... there's little you can do - you'll just have to let it run it's course.
David
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Duncan_P
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| posted on 14/12/07 at 10:07 AM |
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Althought the 'go to the pub' option sounds good i think i would go with the above. Just leave everything as it is. Doing anything else
could end you up in hot water so is not worth it. You could even be really helpful and give them a box to put all the engine bits in if they sieze
the engine
As for the engine thats in your car currently I dont think that he will be interested anyway im sure that you just put that in last week and
havn't got around to filling in the paperwork
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chrsgrain
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| posted on 14/12/07 at 10:13 AM |
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As all of the above really, if they seize anything surely it will only be the bit with a number on it - ie the block, as its in pieces there is
nothing to prove that the rest of the bits belong to that engine, and so are useless to them.
Most coppers are helpful guys if you let them be.. tell him the truth and see what happens
Chris
Spoing! - the sound of an irony meter breaking...
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BenB
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| posted on 14/12/07 at 10:13 AM |
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I wouldn't grind off the engine number. You'll just incriminate yourself. After all, anyone who buys something off Ebay could potentially
be buying stolen goods. It's unlikely anything will happen as a result. If you grind off the numbers it's a sign that you *know*
it's stolen. That's a different matter!!
Is the person you bought it off Ebay still buying / selling? Is their account still active. If so, you could always complain to Paypal to try and get
your money back (if it proves to be hot property!!)
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Aico
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| posted on 14/12/07 at 10:21 AM |
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Do you need to cooperate? You should check that. Like above don;t grind anything off. You bought it off Ebay so you didn't stole it. If he sees
it he might take it away, but that's it. You won;t go to jail. He calls you for help, but can you refuse?
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chockymonster
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| posted on 14/12/07 at 10:22 AM |
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Don't grind the number off.
If the block is left on the table with everything stripped from it then there's no way that anyone can prove what came from it.
You need to play ball, the last thing you want to be accused of is handling stolen goods.
PLEASE NOTE - Responses on Forum Threads may contain Sarcasm and may not be suitable for the hard of Thinking.
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woodster
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| posted on 14/12/07 at 10:24 AM |
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Don't grind the number off
Don't mention his pay rise
Don't ask him if hes going on strike
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Tyne Bridge
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| posted on 14/12/07 at 10:27 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by woodster
Don't grind the number off
Don't mention his pay rise
Don't ask him if hes going on strike
Cheers lads. Assisting the investigation it is then.
Merry Christmas
"Bob"
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Mr Clive
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| posted on 14/12/07 at 10:30 AM |
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As has been said, stick to the law and let it run its course and you will be fine. Start grinding numbers off and they may start throwing accusations
of handling stolen goods and the like into the mix (not good)
You are the innocent victim (other than the poor bugger who had his bike stolen) in this, they could well take the engine off you but start fiddling
the engine numbers and you go from victim to suspect.
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bonzoronnie
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| posted on 14/12/07 at 10:31 AM |
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Evidence
Leave the engine well alone and as is.
They know the seller has handled the engine.
They know it has been sold to you.
Most importantly they know you are an innocent victim of vehicle crime.
Dont do anything that will change that view.
Try to help the police in any way you can . I'm sure all will work out fine.
Ronnie
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vinny1275
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| posted on 14/12/07 at 10:32 AM |
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As with most of the replies, I would co-operate and if they're going to seize the engine they'll take it. Grinding the numbers off will
make it look like you have something to hide.
The police are obviously working through Ebay - they wouldn't have got your account details otherwise. You should have some comeback thru ebay /
paypal / credit card if you paid through them.
the other thing - phone his force's main switchboard (look up the number on their website), and ask to speak to him. You want to confirm that he
is a legit copper and not some tea-leaf looking to do you for the engine back or something. Just to be on the safe side!
HTH, and good luck!
Vince
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 14/12/07 at 10:36 AM |
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it might be the same guy you bought it of coming round with a scam to take stuff..."We'll just have to confiscate you car mate,
here's a receipt, by"
Fame is when your old car is plastered all over the internet
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paulf
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| posted on 14/12/07 at 10:36 AM |
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Are you 100% he was legit? what if he is someone that knows the seller therefore engine number and is trying to scam you?
You could say the engine blew up and you scrapped it last month.
Paul.
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 14/12/07 at 10:37 AM |
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ah see we're all thinking alike now...
trust no one and if he's going to take something call the police as witnesses, he might just suddenly do a runner.
Fame is when your old car is plastered all over the internet
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John Bonnett
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| posted on 14/12/07 at 10:50 AM |
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You have committed no crime if you bought the engine in good faith and had no reason to believe that it was stolen.
John
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iank
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| posted on 14/12/07 at 10:50 AM |
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As for the engine in the car, I'd send of the v5c with the new number today. You did change the day before he called didn't you
--
Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
Anonymous
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bonzoronnie
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| posted on 14/12/07 at 10:53 AM |
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Scammer
I doubt that a scammer would be after the engine back after all this time. Unless he has recently been rumbled that is.
As already posted, you can contact his force to verify his identity.
You could also contact your local force and explain what is going on. They will be able to check if the engine is stolen.
They will also know the name of the officer & force, dealing with the investigation.
Ronnie
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iank
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| posted on 14/12/07 at 10:55 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by Mr Whippy
ah see we're all thinking alike now...
trust no one and if he's going to take something call the police as witnesses, he might just suddenly do a runner.
That's why they carry warrant cards/ID. If he refuses to show it to you (I'm assuming he doesn't show up in uniform in a big
brightly coloured volvo) then call the police to check he's legit (in fact, better to call them now with his name to check he is what he says).
--
Never argue with an idiot. They drag you down to their level, then beat you with experience.
Anonymous
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 14/12/07 at 10:57 AM |
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quote:
You could also contact your local force and explain what is going on. They will be able to check if the engine is stolen.
They will also know the name of the officer & force, dealing with the investigation.
Ronnie quote:
yeah like do it right now
Fame is when your old car is plastered all over the internet
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Mr Whippy
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| posted on 14/12/07 at 10:59 AM |
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warrant cards/ID are so easy to fake these days and as most people have never seen and original how can you tell it's a fake?
Fame is when your old car is plastered all over the internet
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Tyne Bridge
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| posted on 14/12/07 at 11:03 AM |
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OK, well I just contacted the copper on his mobile. He's in no hurry. I confirmed to him that the spare engine I have matches the engine
number he's looking for. He's off to contact Hampshire to see if they want the block back as evidence / to destroy it, or they just want
to photograph it and take a statement from me.
Bloke seems really nice, and has arranged to meet me at work in the New Year, if I can get the block in the boot of the car. He'll then either
seize it or not. He also knows the area well and has a local accent, so probably not some scammer.
Also I can't see the original seller coming back to me 2 years after I bought the engine, driving a round trip of 600 miles to try to scam the
engine back off me when it only cost me £200 notes.
Cheers
"Bob"
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bartonp
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| posted on 14/12/07 at 11:04 AM |
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Much less confrontational and more certain to phone and check his ID before he pays you a visit (get the number out of the phone book, not the one he
gave, if you are paranoid)!.
Phil.
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Marcus
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| posted on 14/12/07 at 11:13 AM |
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As above FFS STILL check his ID!!!!!!!
Marcus
Because kits are for girls!!
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