A man began receiving PCNs when a similar car with the same number plate was caught committing parking offences, reports Grace Howarth, Local Democracy Reporter

A driver was mistakenly fined by two North London councils – following a case of apparent ‘car cloning’.

Philip Mathew, who lives in Essex, received two penalty charge notices (PCNs) when a car similar to his with the same number plate was spotted twice by Barnet Council violating parking restrictions.

Explaining the differences between the two vehicles, Philip said: “My car has all black badges, vents in the bonnet, a different front end, a spoiler on the rear boot lid, a black interior not cream, no line round the number plate, and four exhaust pipes.”

However, despite the pictures he had sent of his car pointing out “all the differences” the council still didn’t seem to “recognise the evidence”.

Philip had spent the last couple of months reporting the identity theft to the Metropolitan Police, Action Fraud, the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) as well as Barnet and Haringey councils.

Haringey Council had also given Philip a fine, but this was cancelled. Barnet Council yesterday (Thursday 8th) confirmed that its two PCNs would also now be cancelled.

In a letter, the DVLA told Philip there was no evidence another vehicle was displaying the same number plate.

Alana Owen, from the vehicle casework unit, said: “Unless an application is made in relation to the other vehicle we would be unable to trace the vehicle.

“In the majority of these cases the number plates are only used on another vehicle for a short period of time.”

She concluded that if he continued to receive fines to send copies of them and pictures of the differences between the vehicles to the DVLA.

The confusion was put down to a lack of photo evidence, which Philip refuted, and the DVLA’s response, which the council also received, saying there was no evidence in their records another vehicle was displaying the same number plate.

Philip, who has been undergoing chemotherapy, said he didn’t need the “stress of it all” but was thankful the fines had now been cancelled.

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