An abandoned vehicle is one which has not been moved or attended to for a long time. There may be visible damage to suggest a crash or signs the vehicle has been stolen, such as:
- significantly damaged
- run-down or unroadworthy including being rusted
- missing or suspicious number plates
- broken window, flat tyres
- has a lot of rubbish inside it
- broken or loose ignition
- broken steering column
Abandoned vehicles can cause a nuisance by obstructing roads, traffic and pedestrians. The sight of a damaged or slowly rusting car can also be an eyesore in your community, so it’s understandable you might want it to be removed.
If you know the vehicle owner, our first advice would be to ask them politely to move it. After all, they may not be aware they’re causing a problem.
However, do not take the law into your own hands by intervening, such as making physical threats or attempting to move the vehicle yourself. You may make the situation worse and even risk committing an offence yourself. You can check if a vehicle has valid insurance/tax/MOT, as these could be indicators that a vehicle is abandoned, this can be done at Gov.uk.
If you find an abandoned vehicle that doesn’t appear to be stolen, we will aim to trace the vehicle’s owner and arrange for it to be removed. Report an abandoned vehicle to us.
If you find an abandoned vehicle that you believe could be stolen, please Contact Lincolnshire police on 101 or use the online reporting facility on the Lincolnshire Police website.
Report an abandoned vehicle