Heartland Towing, a tow company in Omaha, Nebraska, was the source of much frustration this week, with owners claiming their vehicles had been held behind a locked gate for too long.
The first issue for the drivers was that the towing company refused to work on public holidays, including Memorial Day, which fell on Monday.
They discovered that when they called the towing company’s phone number, a recorded message said: “If your vehicle was towed away from private property, please call back during normal business hours from 10am to 3pm Monday through Friday.”
However, there was no mention of public holidays.
Speaking with WOWT, vehicle owner Hernan Hernandez stated, “He had a bunch of people over the weekend he was towing, and when people came to claim their cars, he more or less said I am closed, I do not work holidays.”
Car owners then arrived on Tuesday, only to discover that the vehicles in the tow lot were stacked from first to last.
“You have to wait hours or come back later or come back tomorrow because he can not get them out because he is got so many piled in there that he can not get to them,” Justin Ewing, the owner of the vehicle, told me.
“So until everybody in front of you picks up their car, you can not have yours back.”
Lavonte Samuel, another vehicle owner, stated, “My car is all the way in the back.”
“It is very frustrating because you know I was supposed to go see my kids today, my lady, supposed to go to work.”
One couple revealed that they took an Uber to pick up their car later that day but were unable to do so because the owner of Heartland Towing and Tow Pros, Joe Livingston, could not be found.
He was reportedly arrested by police and later charged with ten counts of unauthorized or improper towing.
According to reports, several of the vehicles were towed from a South Omaha lot marked with “no parking” signs warning violators that their cars would be towed.
However, the lot, which had previously belonged to a Walgreens, had been vacant for months, with no chain preventing cars from entering.
An officer later obtained information from Hispanic vehicle owners who not only wanted their vehicles returned, but also what was inside, such as identification documents.
This comes as a driver whose car was towed in Greensboro, North Carolina, blamed the incident on a restaurant parking lot’s confusing signage.
Doug Lott revealed that he parked at a Dave’s Hot Chicken and was inside for only 20 minutes before walking out to find his truck missing from where he had left it.
Speaking to reporters, he said, “At first, I was filled with anticipation, looking forward.
“For once, I felt like I was doing something for myself rather than for others.
“I said, okay, this is for me. You know, I am going to go in here and try something new.
“To look up and see my vehicle being towed away, with more than one tow truck in the parking lot, I immediately started freaking out.”
Lott had parked his vehicle in the lot next to Dave’s, which was not owned by the restaurant.
However, Lott is not the first car owner to be caught off guard.
What to do if your car is towed
Wrongfully or not, retrieving a towed vehicle can be a hassle.
If your vehicle is towed for parking in a “No Parking” zone or for another legitimate reason, you can take a few steps to get it back.
Steps to take when your car is towed:
Try to determine why your car was towed. Did you not see a “No Parking” sign? Have you missed a car payment? Did you go back to a lot where you had unpaid citations? Finding the reason can help you narrow down the phone numbers to call.
Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities, and counties require towing companies to leave contact information, either on a posted sign or by mail.
The company that towed the vehicle determines the recovery dates and times, which will be posted on the website or recited by a representative.
Pay the fees. Be as prompt as possible, as some tow yards may charge storage fees per day.