LETTERS of complaint are on their way to Wiltshire's chief constable and the city's MP from a Salisbury man angry at having to fork out more than £125 to get a stolen moped back.

Nigel Ozouf is furious that he had to pay two bills, totalling £126.15, after police recovered his son's moped - worth £300 - which had been stolen from the front garden of their Queen Mary Road home.

The moped was damaged and attempts had been made to set it on fire, but Mr Ozouf discovered that, even if he had decided not to collect the moped, he would still have to pay the recovery charges and pay extra for it to be scrapped.

Mr Ozouf told the Journal: "I could not believe it.

"The police called us last Thursday, about 4.40pm, and said the moped had been recovered from Bishopdown, near Denison Rise.

"They said it was with Ashley Wood Recovery, in Salisbury, where we could collect it, and suggested we go straight along because they closed at 5.30pm, and there was a daily charge of £12."

Mr Ozouf said he went to the garage expecting to pay a "reasonable" sum to cover the cost of recovery.

He said: "I was not allowed to see the moped until I had paid the bill, so I had no idea of what condition it was in.

"I was given two bills, one for £21.15 recovery fee, which was fair enough, and then another which said 'Received on behalf of the Chief Constable of Wiltshire' for £105.

"I was told that, even if I did not take the moped, I would have to pay the charges, plus a scrapping charge."

Mr Ozouf said the moped was damaged, its headlight had been ripped off, the petrol tank was burnt and the indicators had been ripped off. He pushed the moped home and he and his 17-year-old son, Adam, are now considering what to do with it.

In the meantime, Mr Ozouf said he was writing to Chief Constable Dame Elizabeth Neville and MP Robert Key, questioning the amount of money a victim of crime has to pay.

He said: "It appears to be a little-known law.

"I am not happy with having to pay that amount to get back a moped that can be lifted into the back of a van," Mr Ozouf said.

Legislation introduced by the government means police forces have to charge for the recovery of stolen vehicles.

A spokesman for Wiltshire police said the law made the owner liable for recovery, plus a £12-a-day storage charge.

Only a small proportion of the bill - about £5 - goes to the police for administration costs.

The remainder of the money is paid to the recovery firm.