CAR CRY
‘Thought it was stolen,’ cries driver after car towed at 4 am from own driveway – camera proves she needs ‘protection’
A parent said she had to pay $500 because of the tow - the fine got rid of some of her children's Christmas presents
TOW trucks removed two SUVs from a neighborhood in the middle of the night, causing drivers to fear their vehicles had been stolen.
The SUV owners captured the moment their cars were pulled from their driveways through their home's security cameras.
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Homeowners in Hastings, Minnesota, said cars were ripped from their driveway in the middle of the night in December 2023, according to local ABC affiliate KSTP.
Their cars were towed days after their vehicle registration tabs expired.
The drivers, both parents with young children living in trailer parks, had to pay hundreds to get their vehicles back and reregistered.
Ashley Perry, a community resident, said she was out of town when the tow truck took her babysitter's car.
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Perry's security camera showed the truck lifting the car out of the driveway at 4 am.
"[The sitter] had woken up, and their vehicle was gone out of my driveway," Perry said.
"They thought it was stolen."
Perry later discovered the vehicle was swiped because of the expired tabs.
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Another resident, Jessica Schmidt, also said her car was taken after her tabs expired.
Schmidt's vehicle was towed 18 days after the expiration date.
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"So, I drive the SUV, and it has all three car seats for all three kids that we have at our house," Schmidt told the station.
"It’s taking money from kids’ mouths, along with their Christmas presents. And it’s just very unsettling to me."
Schmidt told the publication she had to pay around $500 to get her vehicle back with a new registration.
She said the tow left her unable to get to work or transport her children to daycare.
"Multiple people have experienced the same, if not worse, situations with their car," she said.
What to do if your car is towed
Wrongfully or not, retrieving a towed vehicle can be a hassle.
If your vehicle is towed after parking in a "No Parking" zone or other legitimate reason, there are a few steps to take to get it back.
Steps to take when your car is towed:
- Try to figure out why your car was towed. Did you not see a posted "No Parking" sign? Did you miss a car payment? Did you return to a lot where you have unpaid citations? Finding the reason can narrow down the phone numbers to dial.
- Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities, or counties require towing companies to leave some form of contact information via a posted sign or sent by mail.
- Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but those times will be posted to the website or can be recited by a representative.
- Pay the fees. Be careful to be as prompt as possible, as some tow yards may charge storage fees by the day.
If you feel your vehicle was wrongfully towed, contesting the action can be done with the following steps:
- Be prompt - many states have a small window of time where it's acceptable to file a complaint against a company that wrongfully towed the vehicle.
- Gather supporting documents: photos, emails, receipts, police reports, and witness statements if applicable. The more evidence, the better.
- Get familiar with your local laws, as laws for towing companies vary per state.
- Try speaking with the towing company. Sometimes it may have been a simple oversight, and the matter can be resolved quickly.
- Contact the Justice of the Peace in your area, as they may have more insight or resources to help. They are often utilized for towing cases.
- Talk to a lawyer. Many lawyers have free case consultations, and depending on the case, it may be worth it to utilize a lawyer.
Source: Oregon Department of Justice, National General, Rak Law Firm
Towing companies are prohibited from nabbing vehicles from driveways until tabs have expired for 90 days.
However, private property owners can allow towing operations on their premises.
The mobile home company told the station at the time it is "committed to providing all of our residents with respectful and professional management, well-maintained communities, and attainable homeownership.
"We employ a towing company to ensure that shared roads and community spaces are clear of vehicles that are not properly registered or maintained, as we make clear in our leasing agreements."
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The residential service also said drivers receive warnings before their vehicles are towed.
The community didn't immediately respond to The U.S. Sun's request for comment.