An Indian-origin family in Brampton, Canada, has been dealing with significant stress and financial penalties after the front license plate of their vehicle was stolen. Priyanka Kashyap, along with her family, has received nine parking tickets totaling over $400 from Milton, a nearby town, despite reporting the plate theft to authorities and obtaining new plates. Shockingly, six of these tickets were issued after Kashyap had already reported the theft.
The ordeal began when Kashyap's brother noticed the missing plate on May 24, likely stolen two days earlier at a local mall as captured on security footage. Despite reporting the theft to Peel Regional Police on May 27, they were informed that filing a police report was unnecessary, as police only do so with concrete evidence of theft, citing that plates often fall off inadvertently.
Following police advice, Kashyap promptly reported the missing plate to Service Ontario on May 28 and paid for replacement plates. However, complications arose when Kashyap began receiving overdue parking tickets from Milton, a town where they do not reside. These tickets were issued for their old plate, with five issued after the plate was reported stolen.
Milton officials explained that their bylaw officers do not have immediate access to the Ministry of Transport database, necessitating a police report for ticket cancellation. Despite providing evidence, including photos showing the stolen plate on another vehicle, resolution was delayed until Peel police finally filed a report on June 13 and collaborated with Halton Regional Police to recover the stolen plate.
Despite these efforts, a ninth ticket was issued even after the police report was filed, adding to the family's frustration and stress. Constable Tyler Bell acknowledged the situation's impact, noting the significant time and effort required to rectify issues caused by circumstances beyond their control.
Kashyap remains hopeful that the tickets will eventually be canceled but expressed ongoing frustration over the bureaucratic hurdles and the time-consuming process required to resolve the matter. Bell emphasized that despite being a license plate issue, the family had been victimized, highlighting the broader impact of such incidents on individuals' lives.
