# Police warning for speeding - ligit?



## millns84 (Jul 5, 2009)

So I've received a letter today from the Cheshire Constabulary containing a warning for allegedly exceeding a 30mph speed limit, in an area I've never driven in, at a time that I was at work in the centre of Manchester.

Vehicle details are all correct, as are mine and obviously the address for it to get here but I'm just thinking that I've never seen anything like this?

The pessimist in me is saying that the car's been cloned, but I'm also wondering why they just didn't try to fine me? It just doesn't seem right, very odd!

Anyone heard of anything like this before?


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## steveo3002 (Jan 30, 2006)

i think i would google thier number and have a chat , if its from them then you need to establish if its a mistake or theres another car floating around with your plates on


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## Alzak (Aug 31, 2010)

I would be on phone to them straight away ...


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## Twizz (Jul 8, 2012)

My old mans bike was cloned, bearing in mind ours was a salvage 2005 Honda Hornet (which was silver and had two under seat exhausts) whilst the bike which was commiting all of the offences was a black R6/R1 (with a side slung exhaust). 

Think there was a total of 40 odd tickets issued - had police came to the house and take pictures of our bike in the end. 

I'd ring them up and explain to them what's the situation. If you need to escalate it, go for it. Your license is on the line.


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## The Cueball (Feb 8, 2007)

Even if the car was cloned... I've never heard of a "warning letter" being sent out...

Very odd...

I would google the actual number them see where to go from there...

:thumb:


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## steveo3002 (Jan 30, 2006)

ive heard of letters when you see these busy bodys with a camera, often a group of interfering old people with a camera in some village etc


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

Not sure what ligit means, but, I'd do some net searching. See what the number comes up as. If it's dodgy you can always report it.


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## millns84 (Jul 5, 2009)

PugIain said:


> Not sure what ligit means.


Sorry - legit 
/liˈjit/
Adjective
Legitimate; legal; conforming to the rules.
(of a person) Not engaging in illegal activity or attempting to deceive; honest.

- On a serious note though, I've looked up the contact details and they're all correct. The letter doesn't look the best, certainly not "proper" letterhead but I suppose from a small local station it might look like that anyway...

The number provided on both the letter and website just goes through to an answer phone but there's a contact form which I've just filled in. If I don't hear from them in a couple of days I'll drop the DVLA a line in case it has been cloned.


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## PugIain (Jun 28, 2006)

millns84 said:


> Sorry - legit
> /liˈjit/
> Adjective
> Legitimate; legal; conforming to the rules.
> (of a person) Not engaging in illegal activity or attempting to deceive; honest.


Hey, no need to feed the grammar troll


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## griffin1907 (Mar 4, 2006)

be careful calling the phone number on the letter, could be one of those scam £10 per minute things???

Maybe if you get a spare 5 mins pop to the local station and get them to take a looksie at it?


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## Bartl (Apr 3, 2013)

Sounds like someone's playing a prank on you.


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## svended (Oct 7, 2011)

Don't use the phone number on the letter, but find out the number for Cheshire Constabulary via directory enquiries and give them a call if you can't make it to a police station. Should either put your mind at rest or light a few sparks underneath them to do something about it.


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## millns84 (Jul 5, 2009)

Bartl said:


> Sounds like someone's playing a prank on you.


That's what I thought, but all the details are correct.



svended said:


> Don't use the phone number on the letter, but find out the number for Cheshire Constabulary via directory enquiries and give them a call if you can't make it to a police station. Should either put your mind at rest or light a few sparks underneath them to do something about it.


Well I've sent off the contact form now, but will be following it up in a couple of days.


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## Fiesta-125 (Mar 18, 2012)

It might be a community speed thing where all the old dears check your speed in villages etc. they just write number plates down afaik not sure.


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## millns84 (Jul 5, 2009)

Fiesta-125 said:


> It might be a community speed thing where all the old dears check your speed in villages etc. they just write number plates down afaik not sure.


Possibly, doesn't explain how it was taken somewhere I've never been when I was at work and the car behind locked gates


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## Ross (Apr 25, 2007)

OAP's with speed guns? What next.


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## millns84 (Jul 5, 2009)

Ross said:


> OAP's with speed guns? What next.


.50 cals? It'd be like Death Race 2000, but with a Fiat Panda :lol:


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## Ross (Apr 25, 2007)

Maybe they have a camera in there tartan shopping bags lol


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## uruk hai (Apr 5, 2009)

millns84 said:


> Possibly, doesn't explain how it was taken somewhere I've never been when I was at work and the car behind locked gates


This is the part that concerns me and I would be straight on the bat phone to the Police about it, there may well be a clone of your car out there and having spoken to a few people who've been a victim of this I know it can become a nightmare if not tackled quickly. Lets hope its nothing that serious and perhaps someone was provided with a vehicle index that was a letter or number out resulting in a incorrectly issued letter or as said perhaps it's someone's idea of a joke but I wouldn't be taking any chances !

Good luck with your investigation.


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## rojer386 (Mar 15, 2008)

Sounds fishy! 

I've never known a warning letter to be sent out to a driver. Verbal warning after being detected by a unipar speed "gun" yes, but the letter doesn't seem right. 

If what you say s true that you have never been in that area then get on to your local cops mate. Number plate cloning is big business and we deal with it a lot here in Glasgow. 

Hope you get it resolved soon.


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## R14CKE (Aug 10, 2012)

I'm sure iv heard around my area that the police had trained individual on a road that kept gettin complaints for people speeding and use to stand out and point the gun and log it all down and pass on to the police and they would forward a letter to say that the vehicle has been seen speeding and that it was a warning nothin else.
I might be wrong but I'm 95% sure it's what iv read.


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## R14CKE (Aug 10, 2012)

https://www.google.co.uk/search?cli...YPO0QW5qIGYBA&ved=0CCsQvwUoAA&biw=320&bih=505

But as you said you have never driven in the area so deffo worth a phone to the police


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## craigeh123 (Dec 26, 2011)

Our car got cloned we knew nothing about it until the police came round


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## Bristle Hound (May 31, 2009)

I was cloned, or so my wife says :lol:

Seriously tho', I would pick up the phone NOW & ring your Police Force control room for your area and ask to speak to a Police supervisor & explain the situation

He or she should be able to explain there and then the situation you have :thumb:


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## SteveTDCi (Feb 8, 2006)

As already mentioned call the police now, scams are supposed to look official. If you car has been cloned you need to get it reported ASAP.


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## Captain Pugwash (Mar 23, 2011)

or some anti speeding warrior has noted down the reg of another car incorrectly ...and its come up with yours


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## should_do_more (Apr 30, 2008)

SteveTDCi said:


> As already mentioned call the police now, scams are supposed to look official. If you car has been cloned you need to get it reported ASAP.


this.

happened to us, someone stole our plates so a bit different.
ended up with congestion charge tickets, parking tickets, speeding tickets, bailiffs, all sorts.

car wasn't even the same model or colour, what was really galling is despite us reporting it the clone was towed and impounded from outside the police station where it had sat for a week with 7 parking tickets on it.

this stuff gets bad fast. in the end we got a new numberplate to finally cut it all as we never did get the plates back...they disappeared from the dodgey car while it was impounded.

a big thanks to lambeth council for not accepting any of the evidence and demanding payment either way at full rates.


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## markbob917 (Aug 31, 2010)

a few years back i had a visit from the local plod about me driving off from a petrol station in birmingham (i live in n wales) without paying. they wanted to check my car and get my description, after a brief chat (i was hungover and i tell you what a visit from the police is the best sobering up cure there is) they realised it wasnt me that had done it, the fact that it was a black mondeo when i owned a silver golf meant nothing. i got pulled over a week later for it and again a few days after that.
not long after i had a letter from 'the police' over a parking fine relating to 'my' car a black mondeo, again in birmingham. i was concerned that the database hadnt been updated so went to the local station and they said it was a fake letter and took it for evidence.
never heard anything since though


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## markbob917 (Aug 31, 2010)

weirdly enough the police reckon the scammer got my numberplate details from one of the car forums i used to use from when i posted pics up of my car. bit of a warning to us all


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## andystevens (Dec 12, 2011)

I would take it to my local Police Station!


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## packard (Jun 8, 2009)

Just phone 101 (15pence for call on mobile or landline)' it will put you through to main HQ who can direct your call accordingly.

Many villages have a local speed watch Eg my local one http://www.norfolk.police.uk/safetyadvice/roadsafety/communityspeedwatch.aspx

They send letters out' but this is done centrally, all it could take if it is this is be digit out and PNC (police national computer) and make / model / colour matches what they took down and you have a very simple mistake.

Just give them a call


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## WP-UK (Apr 24, 2011)

markbob917 said:


> weirdly enough the police reckon the scammer got my numberplate details from one of the car forums i used to use from when i posted pics up of my car. bit of a warning to us all


I never used to worry about this now I block my plates.

I have also heard of them being cloned using Autotrader as it is a quick and easy way to find a matching model and colour etc.


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## woodybeefcake (Oct 12, 2008)

That is the first time I have ever heard of Cheshire Constabulary NOT doing someone for something.

Does sound like your car has been cloned though. Or they have the wrong details


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