DonutUK:
Years (10+) ago i worked for the contractor who had the Wheel Clamping/Vehicle Removal contract for Westminster council…and they did regularly report drivers for Criminal Damage/Theft of the clamps.
If you damage the clamp or the padlock in removing you commit the offence of Criminal Damage. If you take the “evidence” away with you to conceal the damage, you commit the offence of Theft.
That might be the case with a council owned/applied clamp, but damage to clamps applied by private firms under instructions from a private individual/company on private land becomes a civil case, with the clamping company having to persue the accussed through the court, and if there is no evidence of a damaged clamp, theres no case (just make sure they don’t see/video you remove it 
)
Big Joe:
DonutUK:
Years (10+) ago i worked for the contractor who had the Wheel Clamping/Vehicle Removal contract for Westminster council…and they did regularly report drivers for Criminal Damage/Theft of the clamps.
If you damage the clamp or the padlock in removing you commit the offence of Criminal Damage. If you take the “evidence” away with you to conceal the damage, you commit the offence of Theft.
That might be the case with a council owned/applied clamp, but damage to clamps applied by private firms under instructions from a private individual/company on private land becomes a civil case, with the clamping company having to persue the accussed through the court, and if there is no evidence of a damaged clamp, theres no case (just make sure they don’t see/video you remove it )
I would agree that the Parking Charge itself is a civil matter, but not sure about any damage to property i.e. the clamp/lock.
Likewise i am not convinced that the fact it is on private land makes the damage/theft a civil and not criminal matter. Otherwise it would follow that someone breaking into your house and taking your TV, or smashing your garden gnomes up, is a civil and not criminal matter!
Or if you decided to smash all the windows in the clampers van would you expect that to be dealt with as a civil claim?
DonutUK:
Big Joe:
if there is no evidence of a damaged clamp, theres no case (just make sure they don’t see/video you remove it )
I would agree that the Parking Charge itself is a civil matter, but not sure about any damage to property i.e. the clamp/lock.
If theres no clamp, theres no evidence of damage, as for its disappearance, anyone could have removed it.
I think these ignorant ■■■■■■■ that park on the pumps and have a break should get clamped.
cut the thing off, or use bolt cutters. i have a selection of tools.
you could just shut your curtains, then wait until the scumbag knocks on your door. at that point you think he’s hijacking you, and you kill him.
or just set off, see how long it takes for the thing to break at 56mph. cliperty clop, cliperty clop, cliperty clop. then no noise, job done.
and it would look [zb]in great on youtube. 
Big Joe:
DonutUK:
Big Joe:
if there is no evidence of a damaged clamp, theres no case (just make sure they don’t see/video you remove it )
I would agree that the Parking Charge itself is a civil matter, but not sure about any damage to property i.e. the clamp/lock.
If theres no clamp, theres no evidence of damage, as for its disappearance, anyone could have removed it.
999, ring ring, hello which service?
I would like to report a theft
Not familiar with the actual triangular clamp but if it’s fixed with chain thru’ the wheel holes is it not possible to secure it to the wheel with, say, strong tie wraps, VERY SLOWLY proceed to the services exit and completely block it until the clamp(s) is/are removed. No verbals, just explain to the services manager you were not taking a 45, just needed the facilities or were spending money in his shop.
Interesting…
JISL to ESL:
Not familiar with the actual triangular clamp but if it’s fixed with chain thru’ the wheel holes is it not possible to secure it to the wheel with, say, strong tie wraps, VERY SLOWLY proceed to the services exit and completely block it until the clamp(s) is/are removed. No verbals, just explain to the services manager you were not taking a 45, just needed the facilities or were spending money in his shop.
Interesting…
Good idea if you want to risk smashing off the brake calipers and ABS as well as pay the clamping fee 
Wheel Nut:
JISL to ESL:
Not familiar with the actual triangular clamp but if it’s fixed with chain thru’ the wheel holes is it not possible to secure it to the wheel with, say, strong tie wraps, VERY SLOWLY proceed to the services exit and completely block it until the clamp(s) is/are removed. No verbals, just explain to the services manager you were not taking a 45, just needed the facilities or were spending money in his shop.
Interesting…
Good idea if you want to risk smashing off the brake calipers and ABS as well as pay the clamping fee
Also you need to bear in mind the scumpers thread the chain through the brake lines and track rods as well as the wheel, so any movement is going to cause big damage.
carry your own clamp, and clamp your own wheel. or clamp the clampers van, seen that done a few times.
a friend of a friend did a good 'un. He’d parked behind the local court to pay a fine - unfortunately not for public use. and came out to find a guy having just finished clamping his car.
paul; any way I can get it off now without paying the fine? (hoping to pay a bribe)
traffic warden; only if you can get it off without damaging it.
WALLOP! The guy never knew what hit him (paul’s a bit of a nut case), paul got the keys, removed the clamp and went on his merry way
Then ended up with an (other) assault charge and still had to pay the parking fine - DOH!
if i remember rightly(and i do) a clamping firm were taken to cout and done for tresspass for clamping some posh blokes car,turns out his car was the property which was trespassed upon
Interesting…
Good idea if you want to risk smashing off the brake calipers and ABS as well as pay the clamping fee.
Also you need to bear in mind the scumpers thread the chain through the brake lines and track rods as well as the wheel, so any movement is going to cause big damage.
Thanks for the info, that has further enlightened me/us.
Like I said I’m not familiar with these devices. Looks like the only alternative is to cut the chain and ‘dispose’ of the cut link.
Bolt cutters anyone?
Thought! Are these people allowed to immobilise the vehicle by ANY means? Are they allowed to ‘interfer’ with the vehicle? They may damage the brake lines, sensors etc. as they heave the chain around these components. Should they be only clamping the wheel, similar to a car?
Would you feel safe driving after having had a chain twice dragged all over your steering/brakes/electronics?
JISL to ESL:
Interesting…
Good idea if you want to risk smashing off the brake calipers and ABS as well as pay the clamping fee.
Also you need to bear in mind the scumpers thread the chain through the brake lines and track rods as well as the wheel, so any movement is going to cause big damage.
Thanks for the info, that has further enlightened me/us.
Like I said I’m not familiar with these devices. Looks like the only alternative is to cut the chain and ‘dispose’ of the cut link.
Bolt cutters anyone?
Thought! Are these people allowed to immobilise the vehicle by ANY means? Are they allowed to ‘interfer’ with the vehicle? They may damage the brake lines, sensors etc. as they heave the chain around these components. Should they be only clamping the wheel, similar to a car?
Would you feel safe driving after having had a chain twice dragged all over your steering/brakes/electronics?
To be honest the bloke who inteferes with my car or truck and I catch him will have to put with my acute schizophrenia, but unfortunately most of the clampers are spineless tossers who lurk in bushes like paedophiles or voyeurs
£250 is daylight robbery or as its called in scotland extortion. Why england doesn’t follow suit and make it illegal is beyond me If i had the tools available to me i wouldn’t think twice about cutting it off, if i got a criminal record then so be it.
I seen a programme about them, they sit in some old clapped out ford mondeo just waiting for their next victim. Will never approach you if you are actually in the vehicle , they wait till your away for a pish. Scum of the earth.
There must be some way of covering those holes , steel mesh or something - then they would actually have to damage it to thread the chain then they would be committing a offence.
merc0447:
There must be some way of covering those holes , steel mesh or something - then they would actually have to damage it to thread the chain then they would be committing a offence.
or those gladiator wheels with the knives on them.
Thought! Are these people allowed to immobilise the vehicle by ANY means? Are they allowed to ‘interfer’ with the vehicle? They may damage the brake lines, sensors etc. as they heave the chain around these components. Should they be only clamping the wheel, similar to a car?
Would you feel safe driving after having had a chain twice dragged all over your steering/brakes/electronics?
More to the point, if you paid the dosh and continued on your way, knowing some untrained oik had dragged a heavy chain all over your delicate bits, then had an accident that could be shown to have been caused by said oiks’ actions, that you were aware of, could you be held responsible since you were aware of the ‘tampering’ but did not have the vehicle professionally checked before continuing on your way?
Sensible comments please, I hear the lawyers shouting,“Drivers’ fault!”
Steve-o:
If plod catch you peeing then you will get a fine. Up here we have ‘Disclosure Scotland’. Because one of my jobs was coach/bus driving I have to get an enhanced disclosure. Basically my whole criminal record from day one gets sent to all the local area coucils that I will be driving through and each one can opt to ban me from drivng through their area. I think getting my knob out in public wouldn’t be looked upon too well when the application on the disclosure says Child care Driver. You have to think about those type of things before getting out for a pee/ pumping the burd in the back of the car etc etc
I got done when i was drunk once, ■■■■■■■ in the street. Didnt show up on my enhanced discolosure.
