A TOW truck driver in an unmarked truck effectively stole a man’s car at an apartment complex, leaving a family without a vehicle.
It was later discovered that the man’s car was sold to an auto parts store, missing important parts.
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Jahrey Johnson and his mother, Nikita Robinson, live in Memphis, Tennessee, and share a red Chrysler.
On April 29, Robinson and Johnson woke up to find their car missing from their apartment parking lot.
“It was shocking because I was working on it Sunday morning,” Johnson told the FOX affiliate. WHBQ.
They quickly called the police assuming it was stolen, and it was – by a man driving an unmarked tow truck.
Read more about tow trucks
The footage revealed a man dressed all in black driving the truck, hooking it up and driving it away.
Johnson told the outlet that the complex did not give the man authority to tow the vehicle, putting the two in an awkward position.
“You’re causing a huge inconvenience in someone’s daily life just by taking their car,” Robinson said.
A few days after the report was filed, police found the car at an LKQ auto parts store, where the tow truck driver sold it.
The Chrysler was also missing important parts.
“There is someone out there boldly taking cars and making a profit,” Robinson said.
“The battery was stolen. We tried to get the tags, but we couldn’t return them because they no longer had them. The bumper was removed.”
The store owner confirmed that, when purchasing a car from a private individual, it is necessary to prove ownership to finalize the sale if the model year is after 2010.
This rule, however, does not apply to vehicles transported on tow trucks.
Robinson felt strongly about this policy.
“These guys can come pick up any car like it’s so easy,” he said.
“If it’s less than 2010, you don’t need the paperwork, you don’t need the keys or anything to sell the car.”
What to do if your car is towed
Unfairly or not, recovering 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 some steps you can take to get it back.
Steps to follow when your car is towed:
- Try to find out why your car was towed. Haven’t you seen a “No Parking” sign? Did you miss your car payment? Have you returned to a lot where there were unpaid citations? Finding the reason may narrow down the phone numbers to dial.
- Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities or counties require towing companies to leave some type of contact information via a posted or mailed sign.
- Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but these times will be posted on the website or may be provided by a representative.
- Pay the fees. Be careful to be as quick as possible, as some towing yards may charge per-day storage fees.
If you believe your vehicle was improperly towed, you can dispute the action by following these steps:
- Be quick – many states have a small window of time in which it is acceptable to file a claim against a company that improperly towed your vehicle.
- Gather supporting documents: photos, emails, receipts, police reports, and witness statements, if applicable. The more evidence, the better.
- Familiarize yourself with local laws, as laws for towing companies vary by state.
- Try talking to the towing company. Sometimes it may have been a simple oversight and the matter can be resolved quickly.
- Contact your local Justice of the Peace as they may have more information or resources to help. They are often used for towing cases.
- Speak to a lawyer. Many lawyers offer free consultations and, depending on the case, it may be worth calling on a lawyer.
Source: Oregon Department of Justice, National General, Rak law firm
WHBQ reporter Cierra Johnson reached out to the LKQ company but did not hear back.
Outlet video viewers posted YouTuber had strong feelings about the tow truck driver using a lax policy to profit.
“This gives LKQ a bad look for accepting cars from any unidentified tow truck,” one commenter wrote.
“I hope the young man’s car insurance company gave him something so he can replace his stolen vehicle.”
Some viewers accused the store of operating like a chop shop.
“I remember when chop shops were illegal,” wrote another viewer.
Another user felt this case was a wake-up call for Memphis to issue stricter regulations for tow truck drivers.
“There needs to be MUCH more regulation in the towing industry and especially in the auto wrecking industry to combat thieves like these,” the comment read.
US Sun has reached out to LKQ for comment.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
