Car theft victim slapped with $1,700 tow bill to get car back
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EDMONDS, Wash. -- When an Edmonds woman found out her stolen car was recovered, she was thrilled -- until the $1,700 bill came to get her car back from the tow lot.
The car was stolen on April 1, and Judy Sparks just recently got it back.
"I was missing my cane," Sparks said. "Thank goodness they left something."
Thieves ditched Sparks' car in Seattle. It sat on private property and finally wound up in a tow lot.
The company says it notified Judy within 24 hours, but weeks passed before she called.
During that time, she racked up a $1,700 bill.
"I'm the victim," she said. "I didn't steal my car. I'm not the one parked illegally to getting it towed."
It's an issue the Problem Solvers documented through the year and the city tackled with new legislation. Starting in January, there's a price cap -- tow operators can't charge more than $183 for a tow that takes an hour or less. And storage is capped at $31 a day.
"It's consumer protection," said Seattle City Councilman Nick Licata. "You always have consumer protection. This isn't a question of charging a $1.50 instead of a dollar for a hamburger. This is a question of abusing your leverage in the market to create real harm to people."
The tow operator wouldn't speak on camera, but said his prices are fair to cover his property, insurance and other operating expenses. He says he'll challenge the city's cap when it kicks in.
Sparks hopes the city will do even more -- including establishing a victim's fund, so when someone loses their car in a crime, they don't feel taken again by the towing bill.
Spark's brother paid her towing bill for her Wednesday, and the operator says he knocked about $400 off the bill.
"I'll go surprise my daughter or somebody, and say, 'Hey I got my car!' " Sparks said.
The car was stolen on April 1, and Judy Sparks just recently got it back.
"I was missing my cane," Sparks said. "Thank goodness they left something."
Thieves ditched Sparks' car in Seattle. It sat on private property and finally wound up in a tow lot.
The company says it notified Judy within 24 hours, but weeks passed before she called.
During that time, she racked up a $1,700 bill.
"I'm the victim," she said. "I didn't steal my car. I'm not the one parked illegally to getting it towed."
It's an issue the Problem Solvers documented through the year and the city tackled with new legislation. Starting in January, there's a price cap -- tow operators can't charge more than $183 for a tow that takes an hour or less. And storage is capped at $31 a day.
"It's consumer protection," said Seattle City Councilman Nick Licata. "You always have consumer protection. This isn't a question of charging a $1.50 instead of a dollar for a hamburger. This is a question of abusing your leverage in the market to create real harm to people."
The tow operator wouldn't speak on camera, but said his prices are fair to cover his property, insurance and other operating expenses. He says he'll challenge the city's cap when it kicks in.
Sparks hopes the city will do even more -- including establishing a victim's fund, so when someone loses their car in a crime, they don't feel taken again by the towing bill.
Spark's brother paid her towing bill for her Wednesday, and the operator says he knocked about $400 off the bill.
"I'll go surprise my daughter or somebody, and say, 'Hey I got my car!' " Sparks said.
Just because you're car got stolen doesn't mean you're not liable for the towing. If that was the case, EVERY car that was towed you would get the owners going "Ohhh ummm my car was stolen and parked in that handicapped spot so I'm not liable for the bill"
$31 a day is WAY too much for just a parking spot. SHould be $8 or $10. Just capitalism working its magic.
 @Blindman Have you tried to park in Seattle lately?  Taxes, fuel and space are at a premium and this is how a company pays it's bills.  It doesn't sell tires or ipads or beer.  It's "inventory" is space and trucks and services like changing tires and lock outs. Â
WHATEVER, at $31/day, that is still nearly $1000/month. Â All these tow yards will do is delay calling the owner. Â There really needs to be a total price cap for impounds.Â
 @Lets_Use_Some_Sense Why would you keep it there a month? It's a business.  If they notify and you choose to keep it there, then it's on you.  The animal shelter and the dry cleaner hold your stuff for awhile and then sell or donate it.  If you want a cap, then the car should become not yours anymore. Â
"The company says it notified Judy within 24 hours, but weeks passed before she called."
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Why did it take her so long to respond to the tow lot to claim her car?
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So, did she keep her registration up to date with her current address?  I assume the tow company followed the rules and mailed the notice to her at the address listed for her on the registration.Â
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She's a victim of the original theft, but the tow company is now the victim of "Problem Solvers". they stored the car. Somewhere along the line they could have auctioned it.
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Why did she wait so long to claim her car?
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 @newspuppy Anyone can say they called.  Proof that they did is another matter.  At the very least there should be a certified letter required to the owner proving they were notified.
 @Lets_Use_Some_Sense  @newspuppy Not saying they called, but really a certified letter isn't really necessary.  A lot of phone companies give you a record of calls you made and how long they were.  Showing the lady's listed or last known phone number on there for long enough to leave a voice mail should be sufficient.  If she didn't listen to it or respond to it, it's not the towing company's fault.
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If the thief is caught I think the tow and the first 72 hours or so should be on them. Â Anything after that, and I hate to say it, but the vehicle's owner needs to pick up.
 @Lets_Use_Some_Sense  @newspuppy The article gives no indication that she disputed they called. Â
First, she's ripped off by thieves taking her car then she' ripped off by the thieves towing her car... symbolic of today's market environment for anyone paying taxes.
Hummm..In 1978 I had a car stolen. 6 days later I found it, and it was all in pieces. Took 2 tow trucks to get all the pieces back to my house. I was told by SPD that I do not have to pay the tow bill, the city does upon recovery of a stolen vehicle. The TT driver demanded payment, and I refused. He made the remark that you will be lucky to get 1/2 you stuff back if we haul it back to the yard. Wrong thing to say to me, in front of witness's. I paid the bill to get rid of this jerk, then sued the tow truck company and won by a slam dunk. Fred Lang himself showed up to try to defend the driver, to no avail. Some reading this might know of the car that got stolen. My pride and joy, my first car, and a one only custom car. So the point of me writing this is asking what happened to that law? Then this wouldn't have happened to this woman or to anyone else for that matter.
When my daughter's car was stolen, the towing company (Pete's Towing in Des Moines) notified her and we were only charged the one day storage and the towing fee was minimal. Unfortunately, the towing company in this story is less than ethical which gives reputable towing companies, such as Pete's, a bad name.
Corruption in this country is widespread. This woman should not have to pay towing fees. The towing laws must be changed and many other laws that allow corporations to charge ridiculous fees. Happy Thanksgiving! Stores are open http://thechno.notlong.com
I'd like to introduce legislation that states if you're the victim of a CRIME, or and ACCIDENT, even though tow companies HAVE to remove your vehicle for the safety of the public, they can't CHARGE you. PERIOD. If you're not at fault, you shouldn't have to pay ONE RED CENT. Though towing companies are in business to make money, they shouldn't be making a living by financially RAPING accident victims, and holding their vehicles hostage for profit. Yet.....in THIS state, they're allowed to do just that. How about we hold the CRIMINALS that CAUSE these situations responsible? Makes sense to me.
 @Wolfen Just curious, in which state does the crime victim NOT have to pick up the tab?
".... Starting in January, there's a price cap -- tow operators can't charge more than $183 for a tow that takes an hour or less. And storage is capped at $31 a day ...."
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FINALLY! Too bad they can;t make it retroactive. I was in an accident a couple of years ago, was taken from the scene by ambulance & admitted to the hospital. Meanwhile, my car was towed a WHOPPING 2 miles to the Lincoln Towing lot on North Seattle. By the time I was out of the hospital & could deal with my car, they had already sent the notice that it would be put it up for auction as an abandoned vehicle, and I would have to pay all fines & fees to get it back. Tthey had assessed so much in towing & storage fees that I simply wrote it off - it was more than the car was worth. . But that did not stop them from sending me a bill after they sold it; The "final" bill they sent me after they auctioned my car of was just shy of $1800.Â
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Tow operators are (for the most part) crooks, as far as I am concerned. I WILL say Gerber Towing in North Seattle isw a GOOD tow company. They have reasonable privces, and the drivers are excellent.
Which tow company ?? I want to make sure I or anybody I know never uses them.
 @lmdk2 Lincoln Tow from the looks of it.
I hope she does something nice in return for her brother bailing her car out. I just wonder how they got her phone number? from an insurance card or running the plate? Wouldn't it show up as stolen and/or the insurance company would have notified her that her car was recovered?
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 @n9078jk4 Go live on Attu Island. No cars there. Take all of your Greenpeace friends with you. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attu_Island
 @n9078jk4 No need to be a jerk to crime victims.
 @n9078jk4:Â
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Tow em or destroy them just get rid of these destructive inefficient transportation machines of the 20th century.
The owners should feel as much pain as possible for their bad addictive choice and their bad habits...."
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But what of people who need a vehicle because they cannot use "public transportation", cannot ride a bike & cannot walk? I am a bilateral lower limb amputee. I cannot walk distances to geet to a bus stop - and eveen if I could, I cannot make it up the steps to get on a bus (I have tried). So, based on your rant I am someone whno deserves "as much pain as possible"? Perhaps you would like to live in my shoes for a while, see what the real world is like.
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You are a blathering idiot.
 @n9078jk4Â
I wish they didn't give out drivers licenses to all of your "like minded" completely unskilled, timid and inept type so easily.
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 @n9078jk4 What "Global Warming" ? Go back in recorded history. Weather is cyclical..
 @Maynard G Krebbs  @n9078jk4 The global warming that is much faster than any natural warming that has ever happened in the geological history of the world. If you didn't have your head in the sand and paid attention to the scientific evidence you might be able to understand "Global Warming"
 @jcman  @NW Pilot It's Gore-bal warming! We're all gonna die!
20,000 years ago where you are sitting was under a mile and a half of ice. I suppose the native's fires melted it, right? Or maybe the natural cycle of things did it. Which makes more sense, really?
 @NW Pilot What rock do you live under? The warmest last 15 months in the US since records have been kept. The greatest loss of Arctic ice since records have been kept. The biggest hurricane to ever hit the East Coast. The U.S. has reduced the increase of CO2 from us but China and India have more than made up for it. You can deny all you want but the facts don't go away just because you think otherwise.
There hasn't been any warming in over 10 years. Welcome to reality.
The company claims that they notified her within 24hrs but did the company call and leave detailed contact information? Did they only call once or did they call back a second time and then she called them? Did they even call? The thing is I've had businesses call and leave their information, but I couldn't understand the company name or the phone number because they didn't speak clearly. Only when I received a second call did I become aware of the situation.When they called did they mention that there would be holding fees and specify the amount per day? If not then this should be a requirement to protect the company. The owner may not have realized the amount per day would be so high.If she only received one message and never got to it then she can't really blame the company. I know in my family we often neglect to check our messages or someone will check but forget to tell the others about the message. She may have simply not realized that additional charges would be applied or didn't have the money to pay.
 @queenofthenight The company should have notified her by registered mail, return receipt requested. Otherwise the company has no proof whatsoever that they contacted her.
@jcman very true.
This wasn't suppose to be one massive paragraph but it decided to be after I clicked post comment.
 @queenofthenight In my past experiences, you need to hit enter 3 times before a new paragraph or sentence begins.Â
Tow companies are no better than seagulls in the parking lot.
Many years ago I had a car break down on the freeway. I left a note on it but it was towed less than 12 hours later. By the time I could get to the impound lot I owed more than $500. I was young, newly married and struggling to get my life and family going. I ended up paying them $250 (it was all the money I had)Â just to erase the bill and they kept the car. I wondered then, as I do now how those people sleep at night.
How generous of the tow owner in this story to knock $400 off the bill. He still made $1100 off of a victim's misfortune. I'll bet he sleeps like a baby.
@Gigantor! The tow company still made $1,300 off of this lady. Crooks, I tell ya!
Yeah, I saw my mistake after posting. We really need an edit function.
Too bad they can't take the money from the thieves  who stole her car.
 @jd94b They can .Why doesn't her insurance cover this ? Mine does
Tow operations are one of the biggest legal thieveries ever.
 @Tattooed_Angel You're an idiot. The tow company notified her, probably by certified letter. It's not their fault it took her weeks to respond. Everyone thinks the tow company should just give the car back but that just creates two victims to the theft. People that have full coverage can get this tow bill covered. People that elect to have liability only risk not getting a tow bill covered or even getting the cars replacement value, again, not the tow companies fault.
 @Skyforum  @Tattooed_Angel I doubt it was by certified mail with a return receipt or she would have taken proper measures to get the car back sooner.
@Skyforum And nice picture of your tow truck. Biased, are we? You must work for the company that robbed this lady of $1,300.
@Tattooed_Angel Check out his profile it links to his page: https://www.facebook.com/DenverParking
@Skyforum I'm the idiot? They claim they notified her within 24 hours however if they did as they claim why would she willing let her car sit there for weeks without claiming it and letting the cost rack up? That just doesn't add up. Sure they notified her, wink wink, because tow companies aren't crooks AT ALL.
 @Tattooed_Angel I have to wonder why she didn't dispute the tow companies contention that it took her weeks to come get the car? She called KOMO and had the microphone,why not call them liars for making that claim?
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 @Skyforum  @Tattooed_Angel "You're an idiot."  Your comment does not define Tattoed angel. I defines you.
 @Tattooed_Angel  @al_wa   :)
@al_wa Thanks for the backup!
If the woman had had theft insurance on the car, the insurance company would have already paid her for the car.
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The insurance company would have owned the recovered car, sans personal belongings. It would then have been some sort of deal between the insurance company and the towing company. I am surprised that insurance companies have not been howling about the towing and storage fees.