Repair man used grinder to remove clamp from van - David Kaminski escapes fine to delight of onlookers

Published: 24 March 2011
by KARINA WHALLEY

A GATE repair man hacked a metal clamp off his van with a grinder and escaped a parking “trap” to the delight of onlookers.

David Kaminski, from M&Q Metal Fabrication, was fixing a gate in Mortimer Terrace, Kentish Town, when he was clamped by Park Direct Ltd.

The 58-year-old said: “It was a trap. The one came up to talk to me while the other clamped my back wheel. They wanted £450 upfront. I’m a working man. I can’t afford that.” He added: “I told them I had a hospital appointment later that day but they didn’t care.”

The row became heated and both parties began pushing each other, he said.

“It was getting to a situation of assault so I called the police and the press,” said Mr Kaminski. He added: “It’s the worst situation I’ve ever been in. I’m gutted. I’m shocked.”

A van of police officers arrived but Mr Kaminski was charged with criminal damage for hacking off the clamp with a grinder. 

The “vehicle immobilisers” clamped him a second time, but he hacked that off too and drove away.

Clamp charges in Mortimer Terrace can be as high as £780, according to workmen on the site.

The “vehicle immobilisation unit” staff told the New Journal they warned drivers to remove their vehicles before clamping them and they were contracted by housing association Circle 33 to keep spaces free for the residents who live there.