Tow-truck wars in Detroit.

[Whitehouse]

A Detroit tow truck driver had the scare of his days when he was lured into a trap and his rig was jacked at gunpoint. The real news: The jackers worked at a rival towing company-slash-tow truck chop shop.
The tow truck thieves bungled by choosing a truck equipped with a GPS tracker, allowing police to follow it to its final destination in northeast Detroit — a competing towing company.

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[Johnnny5]

There's a lot of shady dealings going on in the towing business in Detroit. I've heard from a few people in the business that organized crime is involved. It just doesn't get the attention that it should.

[lilpup]

not organized crime in the traditional sense but, yeah, there are a lot of dirty dealings - city officials, cops, and one owner in particular

This theft by rivals behavior happens in other industries, too, though. Years ago the landscaper I worked for had big equipment swiped off his trailer while on the shoulder of I-94. The crew was at the top of the hill working and by the time they got down and back to the truck a rival had managed to grab one of the huge commercial riding mowers and a couple of weed whips. Our guys found their yard with our mower in it a few nights later. That's why you see lawn and landscape trailers with everything locked down now - never used to be that way.