My van vanished after I left it with a ‘cowboy’ airport firm – I was stunned when I found it two weeks later

A MAN has been left devastated after flying back from a holiday to find his £2,850 van had vanished - before turning up 5 miles away a week later.

Freddie Hall, 60, had paid £105 to a meet and greet parking firm at Heathrow airport for while he went on holiday in San Francisco.

The man, from Bar Hill, had flown out to San Francisco on December 17, 2022 - trusting the parking firm to look after his Honda Stepwagon 2003.

But he was left frustrated when he returned to the UK - struggling to contact the company to get his car back despite several calls and messages.

Finally, Freddie gave up and got a train to Cambridge and then a taxi to Bar Hill, costing him £45.86.

Speaking to the Sun Online, he said: "I called and got a recording saying 'the person you are trying to reach is not available. Please leave a message or send a text'.

"After being frustrated and tired from a long international flight, I took a train from Heathrow to Cambridge and then a taxi from Cambridge station to my home in Bar Hill."

After two days of trying to contact the parking firm, they finally answered, telling him: "We are a booking agent for the feature car park and we do not pick cars by ourselves.

"It is the customer's responsibility to raise any complaint to the operator directly.

"The matter has been forwarded to parking facility management from our side for further investigation of where your car was parked.

"You will be contacted by the manager as soon as
they have an update on this matter to sort it out to your satisfaction."

Shockingly, a stranger contacted Freddie on January 6 and told him that his van was parked in Hayes, London.

"I assume it was someone from Universal Terminal Parking.

Freddie said: "He didn't tell me his name. He just gave me the location."

After the quick call, Freddie rushed to London to get his van.

Freddie said: "It was definitely not a secure parking area. No one was around and fortunately, I had an extra key with me.

"No one was around and fortunately, I had an extra key with me. When I called the number again, I only got a recording."

Hundreds of travellers have been victims of these parking firms across the UK.

They usually promise drivers that their car will be parked in a secure area, but it ends up in a public parking space.

But, they also create havoc for the holidaymakers returning from their travels to find their vehicles have been driven for thousands of miles, damaged or even targeted for theft.

Clint Denni's car disappeared after leaving it with a meet and greet company at Heathrow airport.

Fortunately, after two weeks, the police found her car.

Last summer, a crackdown was launched on cowboy parking firms around Manchester Airport.

Insp Andrew Baker, from Cheshire Police, said to the Manchester Evening News newspaper: "When booking airport car parks, people often go for the cheapest option – but sometimes this isn’t the best choice.

"These companies claim to be secure car parks which are affiliated to the airport. In reality, the vehicles are often stored in insecure muddy fields.

"As a result, we have had reports of vehicles being damaged or even having parts stolen.

"In other cases, we’ve been contacted by people who’ve returned home to find their vehicles have been driven thousands of miles while they’ve been on holiday."