25 replies to this topic

[jamiel]

Hi all,

 

I've just had a second set of wing mirrors broken off my mini whilst parked up outside my London flat, by what I can only presume to be adolescents for mild amusement. This time they even put one on the roof of the car to be sure I'm well aware of their prank.

 

I've never met a soul in the neighbourhood so it appears to be some attraction they have to my car rather than a personal attack but I'm now faced with a dilemma where I'm fairly certain they will do this each time I replace them and not only is it causing damage to the car, it's expensive.

 

Does anyone have any tips on how to deal with these terrorisers of society?

 

Jamie

[SecretSugar]

Besides the obvious such as videoing them some how and forward to the police or park it else where...very hard to deter them without putting this on...

[Ethel]

Don't bother replacing them, but they might move on to you wipers. I live on the route out of the town centre, there's the cacophony or drunks booting wing mirrors at chucking out time most weekends. Are you on a similar through route, it may suggest the time you need to be on your guard.

[ShaunaFTW]

Someone kicked the wing mirror off my car last night too! So annoying when people vandalise peoples stuff. I don't really know anyone in my street either but the kids here are all nightmares. Feeling your pain man!

[Chris1992]

makes me sick that this is what my generation think is funny. hope you get to the bottom of it mate

[joewb]

id say a simple solution may just be a car cover, either a cheap one just as a deterrant or a more expensive one to also get the added bonuses that go with it.

[jamesmpi]

Have you reported it to the police? I would. That will generate a crime number. I doubt they will treat it which much priority if this was a one off but seeing as this is a reoccurring problem they should do something about it.

are you able to rig up a video camera from your flat over looking your mini. You might be able to catch the person(s) returning to see if new mirrors have been fitted and vandalise your mini again

[AVV IT]

I used to live in a flat in town, and in the time that I lived there, someone kicked in one of my door skins, then did the same to the other side a few weeks later. The worst of it was that after I had them both repaired, they went and did it again! In a separate incident I opened my front door one morning to find that someone had smashed my rear window in over night. This was part of the reason why I eventually decided to move elsewhere.

 

I too always suspected local youths, but in my case the incidents always seemed to coincide with weekend evenings and kicking out time at the pub around the corner. Years later, it was actually a local middle aged man that was convicted of a string of similar offences. According to local press coverage at the time, they were drunken acts of jealousy towards those who had desirable cars that he couldn't afford to own himself! Of course I'll never know for sure if he was actually responsible for the damage to my mini, but I suspect that he probably was.

[ShaunaFTW]

id say a simple solution may just be a car cover, either a cheap one just as a deterrant or a more expensive one to also get the added bonuses that go with it.

I doubt this would work, they would probs steal it..

[Chris1992]

put a sign on the inside of the window that simply says "smile. youre on CCTV" ... might make them think twice 

[BronkoMini]

Or just sleep in the mini (Hidden) then when they do it you'll be there to sort them out.

[greenwheels]

Reporting to the police and CCTV would seem to be the best thing - but would the police do anything. They seem to have lost interest in 'minor' crimes, despite it being major to you. When will they realise that letting people get away with this sort of thing just teaches the yobs how to get away with crime and progress on to major crime.

[jamesmpi]

The whole point of reporting it go the police is to catch the person committing the crime. Whilst you maybe correct that they might not take your case as their number one priority, but what you dont know is that this person or persons could be doing the same to another person property. If the police receive reports of 2 or 3 people having property damaged on the same day then this will increase their priority level for solving the crime

[BVY]

Violence never solves anything.

 

 

 

But it does make you feel better! 

 

If it was me I'd be lurking in the bushes waiting to catch the little you know whats...

[Mini 360]

Hide behind the car with a baseball bat and smash their mirrors off.  Sorted!

 

Or if you want to be less confrontational, hide nearby with a red laser pointer and let it move over them and the car.  Sniper action!  They would cack themselves

Edited by Mini 360, 07 December 2013 - 10:38 PM.