Holidaying families were stranded for hours by airport parking rogues - then got their cars back with mystery extra mileage after some were used in parking and driving offences
Holidaying families were left stranded for hours by airport parking rogues before finally getting their cars back with mysterious added mileage.
Drivers entrusting their vehicles to unofficial parking companies at Bristol Airport endured a painstaking wait for officers to fetch their cars back.
In many cases, owners were shocked to see them returned with extra miles on the clock after they were used in parking and driving offences.
Three were deployed as 'unlicensed taxis' in the area while others were driven by people thought to be uninsured.
One holidaymaker's missing car was used to deliver keys, many of which could be seen strewn across the passenger seat and in the footwell.
More still were handed back to owners in an undriveable condition or in hazardous or obstructive places, after a retrieval mission led by Avon and Somerset Police's airport police team and Immigration Enforcement.
The dodgy parking firms operate away from the airport, with officers giving 20 cars back to holidaying families in one day last week.
Sergeant Danielle Hardaway said: 'The last thing anyone wants is the worry over whether their car will be returned to them or not when they return from holiday.
'This operation was carried out as part of our commitment to keep the airport safe, maintain vehicle standards, and to promote the safety of passengers going to and from the airport, who should be able to do so with confidence in using licensed vehicles.
'We have had reports of cars being returned damaged or with excess mileage and, in some cases, have been driven by people who are uninsured as well as being involved in driving offences.
'We are now in the summer months and therefore a busy holiday season for both travellers and Bristol Airport alike. We ask people to always choose reputable parking operators, and to choose them carefully, and if the price seems too good to be true, then it often is.
'We advise people, when booking parking anywhere, to look for the British Parking Association's police-backed Park Mark Safer Parking scheme.'
Dave Lees, chief executive of Bristol Airport, said: 'We welcome this latest operation and will continue to work with colleagues at Avon and Somerset Police and North Somerset Council to tackle these rogue operators.
'They are a nuisance to local communities and cause distress to customers who use them - with many completely unaware of where their cars end up.'
Councillor James Clayton added: 'We are seeing an increasing number of holidaymakers who use Bristol Airport being misled by rogue parking companies.
'These operators not only compromise the safety of your vehicle but also exploit your trust with deceptive practices.'
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