How many cases of car clocking has the council investigated in the last 5 years?
Since August 2012 Devon County Council (DCC) has investigated 7 cases.
Prior to May 2013, this relates to the Devon Trading Standards Service. From May 2013 to May 2017 it relates to the Devon and Somerset Trading Standards Service. From May 2017 to date, it relates to the Devon, Somerset and Torbay Trading Standards Service, all of which are services provided by Devon County Council.
Of those cases, how many were dealt with by prosecuting the suspected offenders?
None
How many of those prosecutions were successful?
Not Applicable.
In total, how many vehicles were involved in the successfully prosecuted cases?
Not Applicable.
What is your council’s policy for alerting innocent members of the public and motor trade to vehicles the council has successfully proven have been “clocked”?
DCC does not have a policy for this, but it is normal practice to inform owners where significant discrepancies in vehicle histories are found, in order to prevent innocent misrepresentations occurring in future sales.
Can you provide confirmation in respect of question 5 of the type of action you have taken to warn people about the vehicles you have discovered to have been clocked? For example, publishing vehicle details, alerting Auto Trader or other specialist publications; registering data with HPI and other mileage data services.
We would contact the owner of the vehicle.
Has the council or trading standards department seized any “clocked” vehicles over the past five years and subsequently destroyed them?
No.