One man claims to have racked up almost £900 in fines for driving in London’s Ultra Low Emissions Zone - despite living 200 miles away in Devon - all because someone cloned his number plate.
Rio Hamilton has said he is the victim of a crime that’s left him battling with Transport for London to prove his innocence.
The 69-year-old has claimed he is being chased by bailiffs for outstanding fines that have been unfairly dished out.
Back in 2021, Rio claimed that two ULEZ fines were issued for his royal blue Citroen van after it was supposedly spotted in London by the ANPR cameras.
But he has said this is all because his registration was cloned, and is being used in North London whilst he was in a different part of the country altogether.
Rio has said bailiffs have threatened to break into a property he uses in London to reclaim the money, but the house isn't his, it belongs to a friend, as he doesn’t have a fixed abode and spends most of his time in Devon.
MyLondon reported Rio added: "This debt collector is threatening to enter the property of a friend to remove goods in lieu of payment.
“I don't live there nor have any possessions there. My friend allows me to use her address purely for mail.
"Back in December 2021, I received two Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) which showed a van that bore the number plate of my van caught on camera in North London.
“On both occasions at the time of the 'offences' I was in the van in Basingstoke and Trowbridge. I am still fighting my case."
As the battle between the pensioner and TFL has raged on, the fines have reached almost £900 unpaid.
Things have gotten so bad that Rio said he was forced to sell up his van after being stopped so many times because the Met Police have flagged his vehicle and registration as it is a suspected clone vehicle.
Rio said: "The Metropolitan Police themselves put out a suspected clone report on the number plate. I submitted a solicitor's witnessed affidavit appeal which has been rejected [by TfL]."
December 22, 2021 was the first time Rio's registration plate was used in London, however Rio claims that he was in Basingstoke, Hampshire cleaning out a locker.
The second time his registration plate was used in London was on December 29 that year around the same area, but Rio claims he was in Trowbridge, Wiltshire.
Rio added: "My bank statement shows a transaction in Wickes in Trowbridge and on that day. I also took a picture of the sunset in the Wickes car park. So I couldn't have been in London."
To prove his innocence Rio tried to gain access to cameras around the areas he was in when the fines were issues in London. He said: "I've requested access to ANPR cameras around Basingstoke and Trowbridge but records are only kept for 12 months and in the case of Wiltshire Police, I have been told that the access can't be given as it would reveal the location of the cameras."
A TfL spokesperson said: “We would never progress penalty charges when evidence is provided that this has happened.
"We're sorry that Mr Hamilton was a victim to this crime and we have cancelled all charges this week after gaining access to evidence of the cloning."
