Cortez Towing Stolen Property, Unprofessional Behavior, Pricing Scam Riverside California

My vehicle was towed at 10:00pm on 10/13/07 for being parked behind my garage door, which is deemed a tow zone according to my HOA. However, I had just finished unloading my vehicle and closed my garage door to use the facilities quickly before I moved my truck to the designated parking area. Knowing that I was going to be back out I left the windows down, doors unlocked and keys on the seat! Yes, keys on the seat. My community is a safe gated community so I never gave it a second thought. As I am on my way back out to move my truck I hear this absurdly load pop and dragging sound. I open my garage door and my truck is gone!

Three of my neighbors are outside in utter amazement at what they just witnessed. According to the three witnesses, a security guard pulled up to my truck, radioed to a tow truck that was waiting to be let into the security gate and within seconds my truck was gone. The witnesses state that tow truck backed up my vehicle and an electric arm came out and grabeed my truck from underneath the rear tires and sped away. The men never got out of the tow truck. Therefore, the popping and dragging sound I heard was my unsecured truck being pealed out of the community!

Please keep in mind, at this point I am not disputing the grounds of the tow. My complaint is with CORTEZ TOWING!

I call the Riverside Police department imediately and they give me the phone number to CORTEZ TOWING. I call and am informed that my vehicle is in their possesion but that was all I could be informed of, and that I had to wait 2 hours and call back at that point and she would then tell me their location! Yes, she would not give me the location of the tow yard! And then, she hung up! I wait 30mins and call back to find out what the fees are and ask if they would put my keys in a safe place. She tells me that the fees are $309!!!!And that she can will go to get my keys. I remain calm because I dont fault an individual like her for her lack of education or knowledge of customer service.

So, its time to pick up the truck. I call my sister who is a CHP officer to accompany me. I get my $320 out of the ATM as cash is all they accept.

We arrive at Cortez Towing to find that the previous customer is questioning damage to his vehicle. The receptionist(same one I dealt with) tells him he is SOL and can call Monday if he would like to speak to the manager. He seems to be fine with that and leaves.

I get to the window and question the fees. The sign posted states $157 towing, $39 storage, $78.50 afterhuors fee. Hmm how is that $309. She them proceeds to add $35 to the invoice for "special equipment". When I asked what that equpiment was she gets flustered and cannot answer my question. Fine. I give her my $320 cash for which she does not have change and I just want my truck and keys.

She opens the gate and there's my truck. No keys. Windows down. Doors unlocked. Thankfully I had the spare key. I pull out of the yard, in front of the office so I can view my truck in the light so I can search for the keys. I ask for a flashlight, of course they dont have one and is yelling at me to move my truck. Well I wasnt born yesterday.

Needless to say I dont find my keys and realize that the hitch to my truck is gone as well! So now they have the keys to my truck, my house, my mailbox, and my hitch is gone1

I inform the receptionist of the missing property and she basically tells me too bad! Call Monday! I take her copy of the invoice that was still on the counter and begin to write on it the missing property. I notice other customers behind me and take the invoice to my truck to allow them to be helped and check for additional items. The receptions runs after me yelling that I had better give back the invoice and tries ripping from my hands! I step back and tell her not to touch me. She proceeds to point her finger into my chest and demand it back, not wanting me to finish a thourogh search of my truck. I tell her that I will return it when I finish searching. She continues sreaming at me and trying to grab the invoice from my hands. Then instructs one of the drivers to move my truck, that I have already paid $320 for, back into the yard! I tell him not to touch my truck. My CHP sister who is witnessing the entire event tries to step in and calm her down. It is failed attemp. I am so fed up, it is 1230 am at this point that I walk to the counter and finish my documentation w/o thouroughly searching my truck.

This was the worst experience ever! I called the police department to file a report and am told to call Monday. I decide to leave and feel pretty SOL that I just paid to have the keys to my house stolen as well as the hitch to the truck! This is unacceptable and should not occur just because they can get away with this! I am hoping this will make a difference. I full well intend to get my property back and will continue to prosue this further!

April
riverside, California
U.S.A.