Police denies allegations of stealing from towed vehicles at tow yard

Maldives Police Service has made a statement regarding the video that had gone viral on social media alleging that the Police are stealing from the towed vehicles stored at the tow yard.

The video shows several police officers trying to pry open the trunk of some towed cars stored at the tow yard.

In their statement, the Police noted that the owners of the vehicles which are towed subsequent to parking violations are given a period of 60 days to retrieve their vehicles. If the owner does not retrieve the vehicle within this period – the Police are authorized to rid of the vehicle.

Accordingly, the video is showing the Police search the vehicles which their owners have not retrieved – before they proceed to rid of them.

As per regulation formed on parking land vehicles under the Land Vehicles Act – if a towed vehicle is not retrieved by its owner within three months’ time from the date the vehicle was towed – the details of the vehicle will be publicly announced. Additionally, this will be notified to the owner via registered post sent to the address recorded of the owner at the relevant government authority. Following this, if the owner stills fail to retrieve the vehicle in seven days’ time after the letter – then the vehicle will be rid of.