A READER has reached out to tell a Pollok mum to ‘stick to her guns’ during a plight with Police Scotland.

As the Evening Times reported last week, Aleksandra Cielesz’s family car was pinched overnight in November last year.

The 36-year-old reported the red Vauxhall Astra’s theft, but heard nothing from the police until two weeks ago –  when they phoned to say they’d finally found the vehicle.

Aleksandra believed that she would get the motor back once the forensic officers had examined the car, but was shocked to receive a letter at the weekend from 911 Rescue and Recovery stating that she’d have to pay £356 to get the stolen property back. 

READ MORE: Pollok mum’s car stolen at Christmas - then recovery company demand £400 before handing it over

An extra £20 will also be added to the bill each day until Aleksandra reclaims the motor from the Polmadie yard – and if she doesn’t, the car will be put up for police auction.

The family have decided not to claim insurance against the stolen vehicle as they would have to pay an excess of £400 on a motor worth £500. In addition they will also lose their no-claims bonus.

The mum-of-two told the Evening Times that the situation was upsetting as she wasn’t given a chance to recover the car herself.

She said: “The car was stolen – it wasn’t our fault and we didn’t ask for the recovery service.

“I cannot afford to buy it out, I’ll have to leave it.

“I’m working hard and so is my partner. We’re paying our taxes. It just isn’t fair.

READ MORE: Pollok mum’s car stolen at Christmas - then recovery company demand £400 before handing it over

“It’s like we’re the victim twice – first the theft, now the police.”

In response, a police spokeswoman confirmed that the theft occurred in Brockburn Road on November 12, 2017, and the car was recovered in the Pollok area on January 22, 2018.

The spokesperson added: “It was taken to a 911 Recovery depot where it was forensically tested. As is standard procedure, the cost of the recovery is the responsibility of the owner of the vehicle or the relevant insurance company.”

The Evening Times asked if Police Scotland had plans to revise the standard procedure in respect to victims of crime, but the question went unanswered.

Following Aleksandra’s story, reader Allan Clark got in touch to highlight a similar situation.

After his car was stolen, he had to pay £496 to get his vehicle back from 911 Rescue and Recovery.

He said: “I paid this after a great deal of arguing with the police administration department who told me to claim my insurance. I said I wasn’t going to do that and felt I was a victim twice. 

“I made a formal complaint to the police and after some investigating the police agreed to pay all the money back. 

“When I received a visit from the police, the inspector left me a Parliament document he claimed gave the police the right to charge for as all these costs. 

“When I read the document it was clear in a section that victims of crime should not be punished twice. 

“I pointed this out to the inspector and my money was paid back.”

READ MORE: Pollok mum’s car stolen at Christmas - then recovery company demand £400 before handing it over

Allan believes the costs of recovered stolen vehicles should be met by the police instead of the tab being picked up by the public and insurance companies.

Allan added: “I was lucky because I stuck to my guns and made a formal complaint about police conduct.”

Following Allan’s comments, Aleksandra said: “I’m definitely going to make a formal complaint. I’m going to phone the police and ask them what to do.

“I’m not the only person that this has happened to and I’m not the only person that this will happen to.”

911 Rescue and Recovery – established in 1998 by Stephen Greenhorn – has yet to provide a comment in respect to Aleksandra’s case.