Towing Issues: CAR TOWING, tow operator, tow operators

Question
THE APARTMENT COMPLEX I LIVE IN WENT INTO FORECLOSURE AND WERE BOUGHT OUT SO THE NEW OWNER GAVE THE TENENTS 30 DAY'S TO MOVE OUT,SO THE NEW MANAGER ASKED A TOWING CO.TO COME OUT AND TICKET VECHICLES,CLOSE TO A DOZEN CAR'S WERE TOWED,THEY RED TAGGED MY CAR STATING THAT THE CAR WAS NOT OPERATABLE,ABANDONED,AND TAG'S EXPIRED.THEY SAID CONTACT THE OFFICE WITHIN 24HRS TO PROVE THAT THE CAR WORK'S,I JUST THAT AND TOLD THE OFFICE I WAS GETTING MY TAG'S ON MY NEXT DAY OFF.SHE SAID THAT I NEEDED TO FIX THE TAG ISSUE ASAP,SO I SAID OK.ON THE MORNING OF THE DAY I WAS GONNA GO,THEY ALREADY TOWED MY CAR AT THREE IN THE MORNING,NOW I CANNOT GET MY CAR OUT,BECAUSE ON TOP OF THE HARRASMENT OF GETTING US OUT,MY FUNDS ARE LOW,MY CAR JUST NEEDED TAG'S AND I TOLD THE OFFICE WHEN I WAS GOING TO GET THEM,DID THEY HAVE A RIGHT TO DO SO?THE SIGN ON THE COMPLEX SAID UNOPERATIVE VECHICLES OR IMPROPERLY PARKED VECHICLES WILL BE TOWED,SO WHAT SHOULD I DO!
                         THANKS...
                         J.SUGGS

Answer
Joann,
You may also want to check your local or state laws that apply to tow operators. It may be illegal for tow operators to ticket vehicles. Did the ticket indicate that you had to pay a fine? That may be against the law also. I don't think it's up to a tow operator to determine that a vehicle needs to be towed...that decision should be up to a property owner/manager or a law enforcement agent. Being on private property, my guess is that there's no need for law enforcement to have a vehicle towed. It was probably either the new owner/manager of the apartments, or the tow operator, or both that made the decision to have all those vehicles towed. If the owner of the apartments is taking a cut of the money made by the tow operator for vehicles he had towed away, I'm guessing that's against the law. That's what happened a couple of weeks ago in San Diego. Five people were arrested (the owners of the tow company and the owners of the security company that patrolled the parking lot were both involved) and charged with multiple felonies. If you find out that's what happened, TURN THEM ALL IN!