Angry neighbour 'covered cars in messages and cling film in strange parking row'

05 November 2023 , 17:00

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One of the messages left on Laura Cleaver's Fiat 500 in 2019 (Image: BirminghamLive)

When it comes to neighbourhood drama, parking is one of those things that can really grind people's gears. Sometimes houses will have their own designated spots, but most of the time it's just a public road - making it a free-for-all to get a spot.

One mum who was caught up in a huge parking row on her street was shocked when her Fiat 500 was covered in angry messages, while another car was wrapped in cling film. One of the messages that were scrawled on the red vehicle read: "No parking by dropped kerb" while another on the windscreen said: "There is a parking notice for a reason!"

Another red car was wrapped in cling film, with the message: "Car wrapped to protect from damage from deliveries. Thank you." Residents of the street in Sutton Coldfield were stunned when they came outside to see the aggressive messages on the parked vehicles.

A red car was wrapped in cling film days later (BirminghamLive)

It is believed the messages and cling film were left by an angry resident, according to BirminghamLive. At the time, in 2019, mum-of-two Laura Cleaver, then 28, was berated for parking by a dropped kerb on August 6, just days before the other car was covered in clear plastic wrap on August 12.

Ms Cleaver said she parked her Fiat correctly and returned a couple of hours later to find the messages scrawled on four of her car's windows. The mum, from Streetly, said: "I was embarrassed. A small crowd had formed. I was intimidated and shocked. I didn't expect it to happen.

'My selfish neighbour stole our parking spot - my revenge means he'll regret it'

Ms Cleaver said her car was parked correctly (BirminghamLive)

"I was out with my two-year-old and my husband's nan, who is in her 80s. I got out and checked where I had parked when I got there. It wasn't blocking any driveways. I had gone on the train into Birmingham. It was around 11.15am. I got back around 2pm.

"What I did wasn't illegal. The parking wasn't out of order. I live in Streetly, next to a school and people park badly but you expect people to park there. I have reported online to the police."

One message read: "There is a parking notice for a reason! Expect parking fine, Thanks." Others said "No parking by dropped kerb’" and "Did you see the parking notice?"

A woman who lives on the street said other motorists have faced similar treatment (BirminghamLive)

Ms Cleaver used wet wipes to remove the messages and reported the incident to West Midlands Police. She said the nature of the messages had left her and her family upset. She added: "I would have apologised if it had just been a note." Another woman who lives on the street said angry messages had been written on a number of other cars. She said she had often gone out with a cloth or scissors to help motorists who had suffered similar treatment.

A spokesperson for West Midlands Police told Mirror Online at the time that the force is aware of reports of "vandalism" to cars in the Vesey area of Sutton Coldfield. Police urged anyone with information to get in touch with investigators or Crimestoppers.

Motorists have recently been warned that leaving notes on cars could actually land them in trouble with the law. You could get in trouble if the message you write is defamatory, and could cause reputational damage to the owner of the car. And if you touch someone else's car, you could also be accused of damaging or scratching the vehicle.

Ariane Sohrabi-Shiraz