Bill would reduce costs for car theft victims
Friday, October 30th, 2009
When a car gets stolen in Philadelphia, and police recover it, victims often end up paying hundreds of dollars to towing companies to retrieve their vehicles. Philadelphia City Council gave preliminary approval to a bill that would help car theft victims by reducing those retrieval costs.
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When Lottie Wehbe Bruno's stolen car was found two years ago, she never imagined she'd get stuck with a towing bill. But that's what happened. And, to make matters even worse, she had a hard time getting the towing company to give her information about her car.
Bruno: We can't give you any information, I said but I'm going to get AAA's to get my car, we can't give you any information you have to come down here and it has to be cash! OK. I try to get AAA and I get press one press two, singing dancing all different languages so I hung up and then getting into the car with my friend and crying I proceed to go down to where the car was towed.
When Bruno got there, the car wouldn't run. And she ended up shelling out even more money to tow it away from the impoundment lot.
The bill would reduce retrieval costs by about 30%.