A motorbike stolen from a Dundee man and dumped within sight of his house will cost £160 to get back from police and that price is rising by the day.
Bob Stewart’s Yamaha XJ900F motorbike was stolen late on Monday night or early Tuesday morning.
But bungling thieves damaged the ignition after cutting a heavy chain and tried to push the bike away, giving up in Baxter Park, only a few hundred metres away.
When Bob got to the bike the next morning, police were already at the scene and impounded it to collect evidence, as they believed the theft may have been connected to several others in the area.
Mr Stewart said: “The police were there first and insisted that they take the bike as evidence for DNA as they thought it might be the same thieves as some other crimes.
“That was the opposite of what I wanted, but I understood there would be no charge.
“I was contacted on Wednesday and told to collect my bike from somewhere near Ninewells on the other side of town at a cost of £160.
“That cost is going up every second, and I’m being given the run around, waiting, and they won’t pick up the phone.”
Mr Stewart says his ordeal has been worse than the initial theft.
A spokesperson for Victim Support Scotland said: “It is totally unreasonable that a victim of crime should incur the costs for a vehicle that has been stolen.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “There will be occasions where a stolen vehicle is required to be seized for scenes of crime examination.
“In most cases of removal, Police Scotland does not pay for vehicle recovery or removal costs and the owner or the owner’s insurance policy would meet these costs.
“However, in some circumstances police may be liable for recovery costs and the owner of the vehicle should contact Police Scotland where the matter will be assessed.
“Officers investigating the theft are appealing for witnesses who may have seen or heard suspicious activity between 11.30pm on Monday, May 25 and 9.30am on Tuesday, May 26 to contact Police Scotland on 101.
“Alternatively information can be passed via the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”