A stranger parked his Range Rover on our drive and left it there for DAYS – the police say there is nothing they can do
A DAD was left stunned after a stranger parked their Range Rover on his driveway and dumped it there for DAYS.
Zekarias Haile, 51, was baffled after finding the vehicle had sneakily been stashed down the side of his home - without his permission.
The frustrated family were unable to access their back garden as well as their bins as the brazen driver had blocked the driveway at their property in Wythenshawe, Manchester.
The 51-year-old's home is just a stone's throw from Manchester Airport - leading him to suspect the mystery motorist had jetted on holiday.
Zekarias suggested the four-day torment of the Range Rover remaining on the drive was the perfect timescale for a short getaway.
Plonking the luxury motor at the side of his house would have allowed the discourteous driver to swerve forking out for expensive parking fees.
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Zekarias told the : "Someone, without my permission, had put the car there and they didn’t care.
"I just went out and it was there. Then it was there Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday. On Monday morning when we woke up it was gone."
The engineering lecturer reported the random Range Rover to police, but was told parking without permission was not a criminal offence.
Cops said there was nothing they could do as Zekarias' car was not being blocked in, as he had been forced to park it on the road.
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A strange legal loophole means anyone can park on your drive as it is technically on private property and local councils have no jurisdiction.
Officials must remove abandoned cars from both public and private property.
But if the motor in question is taxed, insured, has a valid MOT, and isn't in a dangerous condition, they are unlikely to touch it on private land.
"I was very angry but I resisted doing anything to the car - just," he fumed.
Has anyone dumped their motor on your drive without permission? Email [email protected] or call 020 7782 4100
"I definitely didn’t feel all right about it. We couldn’t access our garden and we couldn’t take out our bins."
The dad-of-two, who has lived in the area for 14 years, knows all too well that drivers will dump their cars to save a few quid on airport parking.
He explained rogue parking companies are also a huge problem in the area, speculating that they could also be responsible for have plonking the car on the drive.
'VIOLATION'
Zekarias continued: "A lady who was out the front when it was left told me the driver was wearing a high-viz jacket, so I do believe it was one of those companies.
"My worry now is that, because I couldn’t do anything about it, it will happen again.
";There are rogue parking firms who claim they are meet and greet and they just park in our area. It’s a violation of my private property."
Some locals do rent out their drives to travellers to bag a fair deal - but Zekarias insisted has no desire to lease his land.
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police confirmed the incident was not a criminal offence, but said homeowners could contact the council and take civil action.
They said in a statement: "As well as our own wide range of products, there are many reputable operators that serve Manchester Airport.
"We categorically do not condone the practices of rogue operators, including those that falsely imply customers’ cars will be parked in secure locations and whose activities blight surrounding communities.
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"We have worked closely with council trading standards teams and Greater Manchester Police over many years to combat this, and speak regularly with local councillors and residents about their concerns.
"As passenger numbers continue to increase in the wake of the pandemic we will maintain our position on this, working closely with Manchester City Council and Greater Manchester Police."