Another Saturday has passed, but the calls keep coming as vehicle owners, are being taken advantage of across our great state of Texas. In Austin, if a wrecker driver, violates the "wrecker ordinance" that clearly states if the owner or operate catches them before becoming "fully ready to transport", there can be no charge, and if they refuse to release the vehicle, towing become illegal.
I have a hard time understanding, why a wrecker driver, this latest one, working for Assured Towing, thinks the commission for the illegal tow he makes is worth more to him, than the $1064.00 citation he will be issued, as soon as the Wrecker Enforcement Detective receives the case (08-5061092) filed by the victim, that contacted us via our website. The conduct of this wrecker driver, knowingly violating the city ordinance, should send a message to property managers regarding this towing company, who, incidentally, does not have a good reputation with APD.
A tow truck owned by J&J Towing of Austin was stopped last night for a traffic violation, upon inspection, a wrecker enforcement detective discovered a fraudulent vehicle inspection sticker on the tow truck, which was removed and the tow truck ordered out of service. Most people would never think of stealing a valid inspection sticker from another vehicle and placing it on their vehicle, but, this is the type of business Frank Sapp operates with J&J Towing.
How a property manager or parking facility owner can sleep at night, unaware the towing company they hired, is committing criminal acts against their residents, guest, tenants and customers. But, the next morning, the office is open, your mad residents are very upset because their vehicles were towed. One resident from an apartment complex in the Houston area was towed because he had no parking permit, but never received any notice from management that parking permits were being used.
Still, unsuspecting vehicle owners or operators are being forced to spend hundreds, even thousands of dollars to get their vehicles back, money a lot of people don't have to spare, especially, when they receive no notification.
Law enforcement agencies across the state are doing your citizens a disservice by not addressing the criminal activity that flourishes within the towing industry in your community. Simply ignoring the fact that a towing company, parking facility and vehicle storage facility are engaging in criminal activity against the citizens does not tread water with us or the law enforcement agencies that "DO" uphold the law and hold these wrecker drivers responsible for their criminal conduct.
Municipalities with a police department, should license any wrecker driver that performs a nonconsent tow, from their city limits. The license should prohibit a driver convicted of sex crimes, auto theft, assaults and other serious offenses. The state issued license through TDLR sets the minimum requirements, as local governments are increasing the requirements to keep their community safe from convicted serial rapist from coming in contact with these types of individuals.
Municipalities should regulate the nonconsent towing fees to avoid your citizens from being financially devastated by high towing fees.
The motoring public must remain vigilant when parking your vehicle in a parking lot, as your chances of becoming the next victim of a criminal wrecker driver are high!
Property managers and owners are being lead to believe from their towing company they have nothing to worry about regarding towing, but, it is very much not true, as WE recommend to every victims that contacts us, to go after the parking facility, not the towing company, when seeking monetary damages for illegal towing.
A property manager must asked themselves one question when hiring a towing company, "am I going to sacrifice my integrity for the sake of profit"?
If you accept "anything" for free or at a cost nobody else can buy for, your going to lose and lose financially in Court, no doubt about it.
