Driver horrified as his car is towed then 'ripped apart'

A DRIVER is warning other residents after their vehicle was allegedly taken from a street-side spot - they say parts of their SUV were cut off, leaving thousands of dollars in damage.

Kim Brown, a Chevy Tahoe driver, said his car was parked while he was at work. He claims a tow company illegally snatched the vehicle.

Kim Brown said his truck was towed from the streetCredit: TMJ4He said several parts were brokenCredit: TMJ4

"He just snuck up to our vehicle, hooked it up real quick, and took off down the one way with it," Brown, a Milwaukee resident, told local NBC affiliate TMJ4-TV.

The driver parked his vehicle on the street while he was at work.

The television studio obtained footage from a nearby grocery store's security camera that shows a local towing company grabbing the Tahoe from the street.

Security images show the car was legally parked in the middle of the day on May 16.

Brown said he contacted the towing company after he found the footage of his truck getting lifted from the street.

He said the customer service representative offered a $200 inconvenience fee.

However, Brown's car was returned with several parts missing and broken, the television station reported.

He said catalytic converters were cut from the exhaust, the windshield was smashed, and the license plates were missing.

"It was devastating because, first off, it should not even have been towed," Brown said.

"He should not have touched my vehicle at all."

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Brown said he was already struggling with money before the car maintenance expenses piled up.

"We're already in the inner city struggling and then for someone to just be coming and towing your cars for no reason and putting all this extra pressure on you, especially a family who may not have that kind of money," he added.

"That's just horrible, man."

Police told the station they have opened an investigation into the towing.

The station also found several complaints about the same towing company in comments made to the area's Better Business Bureau.

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

"This is a fake towing company that steals cars," one person wrote on the website.

"I had to pay $575.00 including three days storage fees … and meet a guy on a street corner and pay cash."

The company declined to comment to The U.S. Sun.

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