Treasure trove of unusual items found in untaxed vehicles

Toilets, mannequins, drum kits – these are just some of the unusual items discovered in untaxed cars last year.

The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) has revealed details of over 600 personal items found in the vehicles impounded during 2017.

Other surprising finds include half of a corner sofa and a washing machine, as owners used their untaxed motors for extra storage.

The cars were clamped and impounded by the DVLA for not being properly taxed, with the personal items found inside then put up for auction if unclaimed within a month.

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Among the more common items found in the impounded vehicles were pint glasses and playing cards, with drivers apparently keen to recreate their favourite local pub in the backseat of their car.

Musical instruments were also a common find, including an acoustic guitar and a full drum kit complete with an expensive Cort amplifier.

Some of the pricier included a Segway, a 32-inch smart TV, and a 1920’s book of illustrated cats by Louis Wain.

The surprising details come after some drivers have been left confused by recent changes to the UK’s car tax system.

But Tim Burton, Head of Enforcement at the DVLA, said the organisation operates a range of measures that make vehicle tax easy to pay.

He added: “Having your car clamped is expensive and inconvenient – and as this list of items shows, you could end up losing more than just the car!

“While the vast majority of motorists do the right thing and tax their cars correctly, it is right that we take action against those that break the law and fail to tax their car.

“The law is clear and so are the consequences - tax it or lose it.”