QuestionQUESTION: Ok well i want to know what i do if my car is stolen. Basically my car was stolen a month ago and i got a call on the 17th saying my car was recovered and it is is such and such tow yard but paperwork and other things(inspections) were still being done. So i couldn't come get my car right away. Anyway i got the call yesterday the 23rd saying i could go get my car, well the tow company wants to charge me $575 bucks to get the car out. $112 for the tow, $50 for "labor". $26 a day storage(come to find out they had it since the 12th). and then $75 for the lein paperwork. I can't believe that. I get my car stolen and i have to pay that much. The car is a 1987 Honda Prelude blue booked at like $1000 dollars too. I read some of your other answers to others and thought i read somethingabout notifying the owner before or within 24 hours of it being towed, that never happened. Ok well enough talk, what recourse do i have if anything and what do you suggest i do?
ANSWER: OK sorry to hear that your vehicle was stolen.
Ok, going to the last part of the question first, unfortunately the fact that you have to pay to have your vehicle towed to the storage yard (this is for safe keeping and to prevent loss of evidence or further use of a stolen vehicle by criminals) does it seem fair that a tow company should have to do its work for free (basically denied money for services provided) since it was stolen.
Usually towing charges are covered by insurance when the vehicle owner (who picks how much liability they want to bear for owning a vehicle) has a claim.
Now on to the fees, what I see here is typical of the fees that I see in questions asked. Now the storage fee starts when it gets to the tow company yard and ends when it leaves.
Having the vehicle from the 12th now that part does sound like it was stolen and then dropped off in an apartment or store parking lot and as a result had been impounded for illegal parking. Common problem and a common way tow companies end up with "un recovered stolen vehicles"
NOW the issue of notification, that is one where hands are tied at times by state laws regarding notifications which specify when the police are notified of tows. Also a factor in this is the fact that under some states laws that tow company either are required to notify vehicle owners within 24 hours (Washington state comes to mind here) while some states have it where the tow company reports the tow to the police and they do all the notifications.. It varies between state to state as what and who does the notifications. Without knowing your state it does not help me answer questions.
Now in some places tow companies are also under contract in rates and procedures. One of these sometimes specify if storage can be charged during investigations, but that is usually CITY SPECIFIC.
My advise now as to what to do, depends on condition of the vehicle as they are sometimes trashed or wrecked, or in good shape. Have you gone to the tow company to see the vehicle and to talk to they about what you can do or need to do. Sometimes tow companies will work with you on the fees or disposal of the vehicle..
But since storage fees keep going up each day I suggest that you get working on solving this quickly.
Hope this information helps you .
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Ok great yeah i am located in CA i looked up some vihicle codes today and found that the police have to notified registered owner within 24 hours by via phone or certified mail.(code # 10500) Also i found that the storage place(tow yard) has to notify the registered owner within 48 hours( code # 22852) I also saw a code # 22651 regarding circumstances permitting removal of the vehicle. Some of that code looked helpful. I don't have much else to add except that i reported the car stolen within 24 hours of me finding it missing(sept 19th). I wasn't even contacted my anyone until the 17th even though the vehicle was recovered on the 12th. And after i was notified i was told the investigation was still pending on it and that i wasn't able to get the car till a further release date.As for insurance i had Basic liability so the insurance company isn't liable for any fees. That is all i have to say. Thanks for your help anyway.
AnswerOK California rules are there on the DMV website and the ones you mentioned are ones that usually are the most common ones needed..
Now you mentioned that the vehicle was towed on the 12, you were contacted on the 17th (earlier you said you were called, was that from the tow company or someone else) and you reported it stolen on the 19th... Ok or are those dates in October that you were contacted .
Now as to the investigations that is something that the police do and unfortunately you can not speed them up..
