V70: Body Someone hit my car in Tesco! 😡😫

[AlexV70Drive1]

Hi all someone pulled a hit and run on my beloved V70! It happened in Tesco car park so we are going to ask them to review the cameras to try to see who the perpetrator is.
I’m not sure on what action to take to have the damage fixed, like claiming the insurance/reporting to police.

I’d rather not lose any no claims I have or waste police time over a small accident but I’m not sure what to do about it. Here is a few pictures for you guys to look at and let me know what you think it may cost if I end up having to pay out of pocket.

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[Wagon Sailor]

I don't see that as a police matter, unfortunately. Yes, it's criminal damage, but I don't think they'd be interested. The camera review would be a better bet.

[Peter2400]

Don't know how much of a diy-er you are but you should take off the bumper to see if anything else was damaged, especially fog light, window washer bottle, headlamp washer jet, park radar. If they are unharmed then only the bumper that needs some paint work (don't know workshop prices where you live), or if that white stuff is from the other car, then just some thinner liquid and a rug (and maybe a heat gun if it also bumped). May not be perfect but does the job if you want to make it cheap.

[Cull06]

If you contact police they will make enquiries with Tesco reference CCTV. I don’t think there will be anything more they can do with that. I don’t know what police are like down your way but it will be dealt with as criminal damage if they have a suspect. Normally with these things they then get told by their solicitor to say “I didn’t realise I had hit anything” and no one will be able to prove otherwise. But at least you then have a person to make a claim against vis your insurer.

If you attempt to request the same CCTV yourself then Tesco may decline to provide it. So that may get you nowhere.

Either way if there’s any chance that you may get insurance involved; whether as your own claim or whether you seek to claim against another assuming you can identify them, then your insurer needs to be informed of this sooner rather than later or they may decline to assist your claim if an excessive amount of time has passed.

Obviously if you do report to insurance, even if you’re not making a claim, then your insurance may well increase (it did for me in fact).

[Tannaton]

This isn't a good place to be - things are stacked against you...

Firstly - it's most unlikely any Police force would investigate it as criminal damage as there was likely no intent. Leaving the scene of an accident/failure to stop is likely the best you'll get.

Secondly - Tesco will not release the CCTV footage to you for a raft of data protection reasons.

The best you can hope for is you get to speak to a diligent, dedicated Policeman (or woman) who can pull the CCTV footage, speak to the registered keeper and apply some pressure to get them to co-operate.

I am sorry to sound so negative about it but I believe that's about where you are.

[37 RUBY]

Person and vehicle colliding with your car have "failed to stop at the scene of a collision" and their driving could be considered as being without due care and attention .

Rules of the road apply to a supermarket car park as it is not private barrier controlled.

Give it 24hrs, check with the local Police. If nobody has made reasonable attempts to report their own poor driving then make formal report to the Police.

[Boatie]

I think you will encounter a whole raft of obstructions trying to trace the guilty party. Data protection, police interest etc. Comment based on personal experience.
Reference the damage. I couldn't expand the photos so not too sure of the damage. If it is limited to cosmetic/ minor dents consider someone such as Chips Away.

[AlexV70Drive1]

My mother works at the Tesco where it happened(was picking her up) so she maybe able to look at or ask one of her colleagues to check it out for her, I did google it and found as you guys said ‘failing to stop at the scene of an accident’ so the police might help but I won’t hold my breath on that.

I haven’t told the insurance yet because I’m worried about what they will want to do in regard to my car.
I don’t want it written off as we’ve only had it since jan and it was a salvage car when I bought it as a Category S on the V5 for a dent in the rear quarter which I’ve done a little bit of panel beating to make it look better but it will need paint when I get a chance to do it.

I have heard of people buying back their cars from the insurance after it’s been written off so maybe that’s an option for me but I want to hold off until tomorrow when my mother is next in work to have them check the cameras or not depending on who is on security as they are not all helpful and it would be against the data protection as you guys also said so it would be based on luck with regards to who is on the desk.

I’d like to try to find out who it was so their insurance, if they have any, can sort the claim and excess out so I’m not out of pocket for that or at least hold them accountable for what they have done, even if I have to sort it out myself just so they haven’t fully gotten away with it.

Whoever hit it would know full well what they’ve done as it has given a nasty scuff, taken paint off and ruined the panel gap where the bumper meets the headlight and wing. It is only the bumper from what I can tell, haven’t checked the washer bottle but didn’t notice any fluid on the floor and thankfully the fog light is undamaged as is the headlight itself. Car looks like a right beaten up bag of s*** now though.

I’m ****ed about it as I always would leave a note or wait for the owner to come back so I can explain and hand over my details if I ever hit someone’s parked car. It’s just the decent thing to do.
Here is a bigger picture as I uploaded ones too small... turns out they are the best I can do. Not sure how to make them any bigger.
Thanks all for the replies!

[37 RUBY]

Well from what I know of the front bumper it is likely to have popped out of the clips under the headlight and where it meets the wing.
The front bumper is not too difficult to take off and have a look.

Your pictures are fine. If you click into them you're taken to the original.

I'd be inclined to get some cutting compound, 1500 & superfine wet or dry paper with soapy water and see how much will polish out. What won't buff out touch it in with either aerosol or fine brush then mask off with tape but curl the edges of the tape so you don't have a hard edge. Then waft over with some aerosol laquer. The rolled edges of the tape will cause the spray to roll back on itself feathering the edge. Leave for a fortnight then wet sand it with your superfine. Buff it with compound and polish.Oh and replace the headlight washer cap.

're potential CCTV, bear in mind that some Tescos also allow a Parking company to place ANPR cameras limiting time allowed.
So if that is the case and you are successful in locating a time and vehicle type/colour on CCTV, then the VRM should be stored on the ANPR system, entering and leaving.
You can then report to the Police and you've already done a bit of the leg work for them.
They can collect the CCTV and submit a data release request to the parking company.

All hypothetical I know....

[MCFastybloke]

being practical, just pay for it out of your own pocket, loads of effort to find the perp,
Can you get footage,
Does it shoe incident at correct angle
Does it show driver
Is it of a usable standard
Lethargy of police
Do they have insurance
Effect on premium for the forthcoming years across all policies

Its a poor deal but if you pay its all you pay.