Your car was stolen when the ticket was issued

If your car had already been stolen before the parking event, the operator cannot recover the charge from you as registered keeper. Two limits matter. The theft must have happened before the period of parking began — not been reported afterwards. And the law presumes the vehicle was NOT stolen unless you prove otherwise, so a crime reference number covering the date is not optional; it is the whole argument.

Legal basis

Protection of Freedoms Act 2012, Schedule 4, paragraph 4(2): the creditor's right to recover unpaid parking charges from the keeper "applies only if— (a) the conditions specified in paragraphs 5, 6, 11 and 12 (so far as applicable) are met; and (b) the vehicle was not a stolen vehicle at the beginning of the period of parking to which the unpaid parking charges relate." Paragraph 4(3) sets the limit that decides most cases: "the vehicle is to be presumed not to be a stolen vehicle at the material time, unless the contrary is proved" — the presumption runs against the keeper, so the theft has to be evidenced. The theft must also pre-date the parking: a vehicle reported stolen after the event is not within paragraph 4(2)(b).

How to identify this in your case

You were the registered keeper, and the vehicle had already been stolen when the parking took place. You need a police crime reference for the theft, reported with a date that covers the parking event. Without that evidence the statutory presumption is that the vehicle was not stolen and this ground fails.

Sample appeal wording

Before you send this

Deadline. A late submission can be turned down without your argument being read. Check your notice for the deadline and how it is counted.
Paying may end it. Paying can count as accepting the notice and can close a challenge already under way. Part-paying or acknowledging an old debt can also revive a time limit that had expired.
The amount can change. Check what happens to the sum if you challenge — it may be held, re-offered lower, or keep rising, and fees or enforcement can continue meanwhile.
Use the official route. Use the method, recipient and form your notice specifies, with any reference, evidence and signature it asks for. Sent elsewhere, it may not count.
Only say what is true. Do not copy any statement of fact unless it is true for you, and check the legal point still applies. Delete what does not fit. It may be treated as your statement.
Careful what you volunteer. Avoid unnecessary admissions — naming the driver or accepting responsibility can remove arguments. But answer anything you are legally required to answer, and do include the evidence your ground needs.
Keep the record. Keep what you sent, the attachments, any receipt, and the reply. Note the next deadline.

Sample wording to adapt and send yourself — it may not fit your notice or the stage you are at. Replace the bracketed prompts with your own details; leave any case citation as it is.

The vehicle had been stolen before the alleged parking contravention took place. I reported the theft to the police on [DATE] (crime reference: [NUMBER]), and I enclose the report. Paragraph 4(2) of Schedule 4 to the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012 provides that the right to recover unpaid parking charges from the keeper "applies only if— (a) the conditions specified in paragraphs 5, 6, 11 and 12 (so far as applicable) are met; and (b) the vehicle was not a stolen vehicle at the beginning of the period of parking to which the unpaid parking charges relate." Paragraph 4(3) provides that the vehicle is presumed not to be stolen unless the contrary is proved. The enclosed police report proves the contrary. The condition in paragraph 4(2)(b) is therefore not met and no charge is recoverable from me as keeper. Please cancel it.

Beat It writes this argument automatically

Scan your PCN — our AI checks if this ground applies to your specific ticket, drafts a properly-cited appeal letter, and sends it for you where the council takes email — guiding you through their own online form where they use one, so you press submit. The win fee is only charged if you win.

Your car was stolen when the ticket was issued

Legal basis

How to identify this in your case

Sample appeal wording

Beat It writes this argument automatically

Sources

Related appeal grounds

Next steps