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I've heard of this before, but am very confused. Apparently you can have someone else's car towed, with absolutely no identification, and make some quick cash on it. Is the car towed to a scrapyard? The towing companies are normal towing companies as far as I know. I've heard of people getting in trouble for this lately, but have no clue exactly how it works. Can anyone explain?
There are some pretty loose laws in some states, but I've never heard of a state in which it's legal to simply drag a car to the crusher without providing any sort of documentation or proof of identity. Some states don't require a title but require the car to be older than (x) years, and require the person to have a DMV salvage certificate. Others require personal ID but no title (again, old cars). These laws are getting tighter though, because some people were taking old cars for test drives right off a dealer's lot, then turning them in at the crusher for some quick cash.
I know that tow companies are allowed to tow and impound cars without police present to validate the infraction. It happened to me ON CHRISTMAS DAY!! My car was towed from in front of my townhouse for some HOA violation, not an actual law, so that's how they got away with it. A quick $300 for the tow company with no legal recourse for me. They don't have to prove anything; just hook it up and off they go.
This is how my car was stolen, from right in front of my house in broad daylight. My neighbors even watched it happen and didn't think anything of it since I've had so many issues with various cars over the years that it wasn't unusual to see one of my cars being towed yet again.
It's not unheard of for chop shops that do a high volume of "business" to have their own tow trucks. It's a lot less suspicious than a smash-and-hotwire.
What Drover said is right on. Some car thieves use wrecker trucks to just pick a car up out of someones driveway and steal it, without anyone questioning if it's a legit tow job or some **** sucking scumbag thief looking to make a quick buck at someone elses expense.
So keep that in mind if you ever happen to see a high dollar collector car like a 67-69 Camaro, 64-70 Mustang, or any old school classic car or even a mid 80's Olds 442/Buick GN/Monte Carlo SS on the back of one of those crab style tow trucks especially if you do not see the chains not fastened down. It takes a few minutes for them to strap down the chains; time of essence to a thief, and an unchained car on the back of a truck is a red flag.
Also some of these cars are re-vinned and re-sold to outside the U.S.
This is how my car was stolen, from right in front of my house in broad daylight. My neighbors even watched it happen and didn't think anything of it since I've had so many issues with various cars over the years that it wasn't unusual to see one of my cars being towed yet again.
It's not unheard of for chop shops that do a high volume of "business" to have their own tow trucks. It's a lot less suspicious than a smash-and-hotwire.
Interesting.
In the case I refer to, a woman - whom I'm very close to, and is now being accused of car theft (and has no criminal history whatsoever) - allegedly called it in. When the tow truck driver saw that it had collector plates, he thought it might be stolen and brought it back, and reported it to the police. She is despondent, and has a son who is a drug addict and has made a ton of bad decisions (including burglarizing the owner's household), but I just don't see the motive here.
Check out this 2005 Pontiac GTO being stolen by a tow truck. The owner had a camera pointed to it and it captured it all. Police found the car several days later on the side of a street, with all of the interior, engine/tranny, and other stuff removed. Total loss.
It's been happening in this area for the last few years. The tow companies were in collusion with chop shops and "exporters". There were several arrests recently.
As to being towed for an HOA parking violation, it may not be a law but when you signed the CCR's (or rented from the landlord) you agreed to abide by them as a contractual matter.
Check out this 2005 Pontiac GTO being stolen by a tow truck. The owner had a camera pointed to it and it captured it all. Police found the car several days later on the side of a street, with all of the interior, engine/tranny, and other stuff removed. Total loss.
I know that tow companies are allowed to tow and impound cars without police present to validate the infraction. It happened to me ON CHRISTMAS DAY!! My car was towed from in front of my townhouse for some HOA violation, not an actual law, so that's how they got away with it. A quick $300 for the tow company with no legal recourse for me. They don't have to prove anything; just hook it up and off they go.
Mike
Easy now.
In your case, just like with someone who gets repoed, I am pretty sure the po-po was alerted in the proper manner.
You needing to abide by the terms of your HOA bylaws, as already mentioned, is out of our hands.
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