Advice please.....Should I take any action at all?

Stick it on ebay. :cool1:

Seriously, if it is an unusual situation, you should inform the Police. They will probably send a couple of PCSO's round to check it out and keep an eye on it.

Also, wait until it gets dark and check your neighbours gardens. Patios are favourite places to bury bodies. :cool1:

Ahem, so I have heard you understand. :p
 
As I said, I will wait till Thursday and then report my concern for her possible safety to the police.

I take the point that neighbours may complain about the length of time that it has been parked and may not be so welcoming to vans parking in the street in the future. (Mine included).

Meant to mention, it is a BEDOUIN model on a Talbot?
 
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i'd leave a little letter under wiper for her to contact you to let you know all is well. What are conditions like around there for old lady walking dog? she not slipped or frozen? if no response after two days contact police. They're better at detective work. You sound really nice. think we will all venture up and park up at ur place :drive:
 
Well, after noticing that a few passersby have started to take an interest in said van I felt that I should go and alert Police.
I walked down to the Main Police office for the area and gave them all the details that I had. ie Reg. No. location and also said that it was road legal as far as I could tell.
I emphasised that I was only concerned that the owner had not been seen anywhere near the van for a good while and could they check that there was no reports outstanding on it.
They got back to me eventually and said that the registered keeper was from Ayrshire. They checked the insurance and said they had 2 names. I asked if they found a Tel. No. for them and they answered in the negative.
The Police then stressed that they receive a lot of Tel. calls re abandoned vehicles. I then emphasised again that in no way was I reporting an abandoned vehicle but only concerned as to the possible welfare of the owner/keeper.
The police said that they do not have the time or resources to follow up making Tel. calls so the matter ends there.
Not much more that I can do except keep an eye on it until the owner returns perhaps, BUT, should anything happen to it in the meantime, well..................
 
Well at least you have done all you can & if something has happened to the owner ( hopefully/ probably not ) at least you won't be thinking damn I wish I had done something about it sooner.

It is a bit strange though eh !! maybe she is in hospital or something like that ?
 
New Rover said:
Well, after noticing that a few passersby have started to take an interest in said van (snip)............
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Oh, dear, this is when stuff starts getting nicked or broken isn't it? :scared:

It's over 3 weeks now, that's a long time for a holiday, especially for some one full-timing. If she was visiting relatives nearby, she would have come bacK to it now & again, if only to check it over & run the engine.

I presume you don't know any bobbies who could run a number plate check on it to get a name & address. It won't be her address if she is full-timing, but it should be the address of a friend or relative. Insurance companies can do address checks too I think.
 
Have you read or seen the play of Alan Bennett's play The Lady in the Van?
Miss Shepherd lived in a Robin Reliant opposite Bennett's house in Camden Town. After a series of attacks on her van, he suggested she move, with her van, to his front drive. Initially reluctant, she agreed - and Bennett landed himself a tenancy that went on for fifteen years. The Lady in the Van is probably Alan Bennett's best-known work of non-fiction.
 
rather than ask plod about the van, you should have reported a missing owner .so they get pushed into getting of their butts and checking hospitals for unidentified little old ladies. they just aint interested in apparently legally parked vehicles
 
ricc said:
rather than ask plod about the van, you should have reported a missing owner .so they get pushed into getting of their butts and checking hospitals for unidentified little old ladies. they just aint interested in apparently legally parked vehicles
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You would need a name, age & description to do that to.
 
It's a shame that the police didn't seem very helpful, or even interested, but at least you've tried. It would be embarrassing for them if she did appear in the headlines in the coming weeks, although I really hope that doesn't happen.

As suggested, I would definitely leave a clear note under the wiper, (or preferably in the cab if you can get it past the door seal or window) asking her to contact you when she returns to the van. Make sure you tell her how worried you've been about her. That would put all of our minds at rest too!

If you still hear nothing after another week or two, you could try going back to the police again, or get in touch with another local organisation such as the Salvation Army etc who might take more of an interest?

It must be worrying, because it's easy to imagine all sorts of things, but it's just as likely that you'll find there was nothing to worry about after all. She might just have gone on an extended trip with someone else, or maybe she's eloped with one of your neighbours?

Please keep us informed if you hear anything.
 
Pity she didn't think to pop a note thro your door before leaving, as I presume she may have tried to call & tell you while you were away. Perhaps no paper/ pen handy at the time.
 
New Rover said:
Well, after noticing that a few passersby have started to take an interest in said van I felt that I should go and alert Police.
I walked down to the Main Police office for the area and gave them all the details that I had. ie Reg. No. location and also said that it was road legal as far as I could tell.
I emphasised that I was only concerned that the owner had not been seen anywhere near the van for a good while and could they check that there was no reports outstanding on it.
They got back to me eventually and said that the registered keeper was from Ayrshire. They checked the insurance and said they had 2 names. I asked if they found a Tel. No. for them and they answered in the negative.
The Police then stressed that they receive a lot of Tel. calls re abandoned vehicles. I then emphasised again that in no way was I reporting an abandoned vehicle but only concerned as to the possible welfare of the owner/keeper.
The police said that they do not have the time or resources to follow up making Tel. calls so the matter ends there.
Not much more that I can do except keep an eye on it until the owner returns perhaps, BUT, should anything happen to it in the meantime, well..................
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If you had told them you didn't think it had a tax disc in the window there would have been 2 police cars 4 officer's and a tow truck outside your place before you got back!!
 
frontslide said:
If you had told them you didn't think it had a tax disc in the window there would have been 2 police cars 4 officer's and a tow truck outside your place before you got back!!
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That's horribly true...sad reflection on modern day life. Since she seems to have been last seen on the 8th, if she doesn't reappear in the next day or two, you'd think they might take an interest - 3 weeks is a long time to leave a beloved camper without having anyone check on it. Really hope the news is good on this one.
 
I spoke with the local "Community" Police officers again about this van. They again said that they do not have the resources to follow up enquiries with the registered keeper nor contact the 2 names gleaned from the vehicle insurers. I have a good working relationship with one of our local Councillors and have asked her to try and assist. The police will not give out any info to me on names they have traced to the van so if I hear nothing back from the councillor in the next couple of days I will pay one of the DVLA sites or such to get possible contact details. I already have entered the Reg. No. into the computer and it does come back as a White Talbot which indeed it is.
 
I do hope this thread has a Happy ending.

It's good to know that there are sooooo many good and caring people on this site.

I look forward to hopefully reading a good outcome in the near future.
 
The police said that they do not have the time or resources to follow up making Tel. calls so the matter ends there.
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. How long does it take to make a few calls?

A fob off from whoever you were speaking to who obviously doesn't want to be bothered. The first two basic duties of police in order of priority are Protection of Life, and Protection of Property, so this response is simply neglect of duty and grounds for a complaint to the ombudsman as the property will eventually be set on fire or broken into by local vandals once it's noticed it hasn't moved and starts to become 'grubby'.

I'd raise the matter with your local MP re the concern for the old lady and her property foremost. He/She might be willing to ask for an offical explanation or a report on what action is being taken. If not I'd simply make a general complaint about the police's neglect of duty to the ombudsman.
 
This is a great 'who dunnit' I am desperate to know the outcome ,hope its a happy one
 
I hope this is going to be made into a film... it's kept me on the edge of my seat..

She's either gave up full timing and dumped her van.. but why not sell it?

Or she's been taken ill and is in hospital somewhere.... (or dead) :(

Very worrying..
 
WELL!!!!
What a big anticlimax!
Kept checking on the van, BUT in the last 10 minutes the van has disappeared!
I had left a message under the wiper blade to make the owner aware of my concern for the owners well-being but they did not even knock on my door to acknowledge the note.
Just glad that the van owner seems to have been ok and maybe they were just away for a long holiday.
All's well that ends well I suppose.
 
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