Police in Los Angeles are taking off the gloves and finally really doing something about the bandit towing problem. One of the biggest movements came when LAPD descended on an operation, recovering 140 stolen cars after the victims were duped, reports KTLA.
ICE wants Ford Mustang GTs for a very specific reason.
Bandit towing is a practice where unauthorized tow trucks will arrive on the scene of a minor crash and offer to tow a vehicle for a rather cheap fee, or maybe even for free. They usually use a spotter who’s in a regular car and arrives first, gaining the confidence of the victim when they’re emotionally vulnerable.
After all, for most people a car crash is a volatile, upsetting situation. When someone offers relief, even though it seems too good to be true, they will often surrender their vehicle with the belief they’re getting a great service.
Instead, the companies will demand thousands of dollars and sometimes still won’t release the car after the victim pays the ridiculous and illegal fees.
For a long time, it seemed like LAPD and authorities in many other major metropolitans didn’t care about bandit towing operations because they did little about them. It might be that public pressure built as the plight of victims have been covered in the media.
Whatever the reason, LAPD is doing something about the problem now. Other police departments might follow. Yet they’re still not admitting the problem has flared up recently, instead emphasizing that bandit towing has been around for a long time.
That might be, but something in the last two to four years has caused it to soar to new levels.
But authorities in Los Angeles have admitted there are dozens if not hundreds of bandit towing operations in the city. That means while one bust is good, police need to do plenty more. And in the meantime, other illegal towing outfits will pop up.
Image via KTLA
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