Motorist Alan Seabrook is calling for a boycott of car pound charges after being handed a £105 bill to get his stolen car back.

The council youth worker was astonished after being charged the same as if his car had been towed away after being illegally parked.

Mr Seabrook, 31, of Marine Parade, Kemp Town, Brighton, is refusing to pay and is calling on other owners to boycott charges in protest.

He said: "I would urge anybody else whose stolen car is recovered not to pay.

"That way the pound will get so full they have to give our cars back.

"There is no excuse for victimising the victims of crime by making them pay to get their property back."

Sussex Police said yesterday the controversial policy of charging for recovery had been in place for 18 months.

Mr Seabrook's £800 silver Metro was stolen from St Mary's Place, Kemp Town, on Thursday night.

He reported it missing and was relieved when police told him it had been recovered in Hollingbury.

He said: "They told me they had to take it away for forensic tests but no one said anything about charging me for its return."

It was only when Mr Seabrook called Ontime Glyde, which runs the pound in Westergate Road, Moulsecoomb, that he learned of the charge to retrieve his car.

He said: "It's not about me trying to duck out of paying £105. This has been going on for 18 months and people have been swallowing it."

Councillor Brian Oxley, leader of the Conservative group on Brighton and Hove City Council, said: "It appears harsh that victims are having to put up with the inconvenience of having their car stolen and then having to pay to get it back."

A police spokeswoman said: "In the past, we had problems with cars being stolen again, vandalised or even set fire to before they could be collected.

"Owners can always claim back the storage costs on their insurance."