A WOMAN has been left fuming after someone else’s mistake cost her $3,000 in fees to get her car back from a tow company.
Kenethia Dunning of Birmingham, Alabama, had her 2012 Hyundai Elantra stolen back in April, hours after she returned home from work.
Hyundai and Kia thefts surge nationwide, leaving victims like Kenethia Dunning struggling to recover their vehicles After a month without her car, a victim of a Hyundai theft finds support from a compassionate towing company The tow company owner waived fees to help a victim of the ‘Kia Challenge’It left her without her much-needed vehicle for nearly a month and worried she’d never see it returned.
As reported by WBRC, Dunning revealed thieves shattered her car’s window and used a simple USB charger – in a method known as the “Kia Challenge”, which takes advantage of a security flaw in certain Hyundai and Kia models – to drive off.
She said: “I didn’t know which way to turn, I didn’t know if I was going to get my car back or anything.”
Naturally, she reported the theft to the Birmingham Police, but weeks passed with no updates while her car, unknown to Dunning, was found by Midfield Police the same day it was stolen.
It was then towed to local tow company King Boyz Towing and Recovery, but failed to be entered into the state database as a recovered stolen vehicle until weeks later.
This meant that, when the car was finally located, Dunning was slapped with a bill of some $3,000 in storage fees.
Marcus King, owner of King Boyz Towing and Recovery, believes something fell through the cracks during the handoff between police and the state system.
He said“This has been an ordeal to say the least.
“This is just one of those things that fell through the crack for whatever reason but it wasn’t anything on King Boyz’s end and whatever it was it happened and King Boyz is trying to make it right.
“I think it was just a lot of balls dropped until it got to us, and when we picked it up, we have to put it in the system with Alabama and Alabama notifies the owner of the record.
“We believe in our folks, we’re going to take care of them if we can.
“We just looked at the situation. We talked with Birmingham, we talked with Midfield, and we just decided the best move was to just give it back to her because she’s a victim here.”
Legally, King had every right to collect the fee, but brilliantly, after learning the full story, he decided to waive the charges entirely.
“We believe in our folks, we’re going to take care of them if we can – we just got to make sure that our customers are happy,” he added.
Dunning says the act of kindness has lifted a weight off her shoulders.
She said: “Me catching rides back and forth with Uber and paying people to go here and there, it’s just been a hassle for me and I just feel good at the moment.”
King added: “It could have been a clerical error…it could have been a lot of different things, but I just know we’re holding it last, so I would much rather try and take care of our customer than try to worry about the money.”
A bigger problem is the seeming rise of Hyundai and Kia thefts across the country – with no signs of it slowing down.
Despite a software update to prevent theft, only 68% of affected Hyundai vehicles in the US have been updated.
It’s led to Birmingham Police distributing free steering wheel locks to local Kia and Hyundai owners as a temporary deterrent – urging owners of 2011-2022 models to check with dealerships about the anti-theft upgrade.
What to do if your car is towed
Wrongfully or not, retrieving a towed vehicle can be a hassle.
If your vehicle is towed after parking in a “No Parking” zone or other legitimate reason, there are a few steps to take to get it back.
Steps to take when your car is towed:
Try to figure out why your car was towed. Did you not see a posted “No Parking” sign? Did you miss a car payment? Did you return to a lot where you have unpaid citations? Finding the reason can narrow down the phone numbers to dial. Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities, or counties require towing companies to leave some form of contact information via a posted sign or sent by mail. Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but those times will be posted to the website or can be recited by a representative. Pay the fees. Be careful to be as prompt as possible, as some tow yards may charge storage fees by the day.If you feel your vehicle was wrongfully towed, contesting the action can be done with the following steps:
Be prompt – many states have a small window of time where it’s acceptable to file a complaint against a company that wrongfully towed the vehicle. Gather supporting documents: photos, emails, receipts, police reports, and witness statements if applicable. The more evidence, the better. Get familiar with your local laws, as laws for towing companies vary per state. Try speaking with the towing company. Sometimes it may have been a simple oversight, and the matter can be resolved quickly. Contact the Justice of the Peace in your area, as they may have more insight or resources to help. They are often utilized for towing cases. Talk to a lawyer. Many lawyers have free case consultations, and depending on the case, it may be worth it to utilize a lawyer.Source: Oregon Department of Justice, National General, Rak Law Firm
Read More Details
Finally We wish PressBee provided you with enough information of ( Driver charged $3,000 to get car back from tow company despite doing nothing wrong – it was someone else’s mistake )
Also on site :