Tow Trucks

Re “Unlicensed Tow Trucks Pull Fast One on the System,” March 15: I had to laugh at Detective Dan Carson calling the tow companies not contracted by the city “money-hungry criminals.” Two years ago, my 1984 Datsun was stolen. I reported it missing, and several days later, the police recovered it in Hollywood with three parking tickets under the windshield wiper.

A city-contracted company towed my car to its garage. I was out of town, and they refused to release it to a friend who had a copy of my driver’s license, a letter from me, my pink slip and cash. When I returned, the total bill to get my car back was $370.73! The tow price alone was $71.25. (The cost to haul a luxury car the same distance on a specialized flatbed truck is cheaper.) I was charged $172.25 for storage, $40 for the vehicle release fee, $17.23 for city parking tax and a $70 recoup fee in case the towing company had to sell the car at auction.

The city collected 7% of the total fee that this favored tow company was permitted to fatten with phantom charges, like the $70 recoup fee. And then to rub salt in the wound, I was notified to pay the parking tickets the car received after I had reported it stolen.

Guess who I consider the bandits and money-hungry criminals.

JIM KALIN, Hollywood