Towing Issues: parking lot sweep by towing co., tow operator, tow cars

Question
Are towing co. allowed to sweep parking lots (private) at their convience and tow cars without property owener/agent being notified until after the car has been hooked up on truck? and also do you know the current rates for tow charges?  I was towed  15-30minutes after parking and was charged 265.00 for 3 hours.  

Answer
Riki,
I'm not sure what dictates how much a tow operator can charge for towing & storage. It most likely depends on what your state laws require. In California, a vehicle has to be parked for a minimum of one hour before it can be legally towed, and the law requires that a property owner, or his agent, must be present to sign the authorization to have the vehicle towed away. $265 does sound like an exorbitant amount of money for three hours. In California, the law states that a tow operator cannot charge for storage if the vehicle is picked up by the owner within the first 24 hours of the tow. I hope this helps.