Stolen car? This couple didn’t wait for the cops—they got it back themselves, and how!

In an incident that has raised questions about policing priorities in the UK, a west London couple managed to recover their stolen car using tracking technology, without any assistance from law enforcement.

What followed wasn’t just an act of determination, but also a strong reminder of the growing gap between crime and response.Stolen Jaguar, no police, and a digital trailMia Forbes Pirie and her partner Mark Simpson were shocked earlier this month when their Jaguar E-Pace was stolen from right outside their home in Brook Green, London. Luckily, the car had a ghost immobiliser and an Apple AirTag hidden inside, which sent them a location update soon after the theft.They quickly informed the police, hoping for quick action. But things didn’t go as expected.“Officers are too busy,” couple toldWhen the couple called emergency services, they were told no officers were available. According to Pirie, the 999 operator said they couldn’t say when– or even if– police would come, as reported by India Today.Worried and unsure of what to do next, Pirie and Simpson decided to take matters into their own hands.

Taking matters into their own handsUsing the AirTag location, the couple drove to Chiswick, a nearby area, where they found their car parked on a quiet street. The vehicle had been partially dismantled– the interior was stripped, wires were exposed, and carpets had been pulled up– but it hadn’t been driven away.So, they took it back.“It was kind of fun stealing back our own car,” Pirie later wrote in a LinkedIn post describing the entire experience. She also raised an important point: “It makes me wonder whether it’s right that the police seem to have no interest in investigating what is likely to have been a reasonably sophisticated operation involving a flatbed truck… if there are no consequences, what’s the incentive for people not to do more of this?”LinkedIn post:

Police followed up only after recoveryThe couple’s interaction with the police came only after they had retrieved the vehicle.

A forensic team is now expected to inspect the car, though Pirie said the delay might have affected any possible evidence.“Lots of people have touched the car. It wouldn’t have cost very much for them to tell us not to touch anything. That’s the one criticism I have,” she told The Times, as quoted by India Today.“The police are under-resourced, and it’s a shame”While the situation was resolved thanks to technology and swift personal action, Pirie pointed to a larger issue– the lack of capacity in the police force.“The police are under-resourced, and it’s a shame,” she said. “But if there aren’t any consequences of people stealing cars or other crimes, then I don’t really see what the deterrent is.”Her statement highlights a growing frustration among citizens who feel they’re being left to deal with serious crimes on their own.Thumb image credit: LinkedIn/ Mia Forbes Pirie