Impounded car mystery. Anyone else had this happen?

**Django** · January-09-14, 06:44 PM

I woke up at my girls house, she went out to go get some breakfast and her car was gone. This is happening near McDougall X Warren. We assumed it was stolen. I was the last to drive it late last night, parked it out front of her house. She goes to the cop shop on Nevada and they tell her its been impounded and was taken from a driver who didnt have proper ID about a block and a half from her house. The ignition was not disturbed, nothing was taken from the car as far as we can tell.They said it happened at 3:30 am today but at that time we were in bed. She had her keys here at the house so no one used those. The police said the computer system was down so they couldnt bring up the police report although they could tell her where it was stopped and that the driver didnt have ID. This all seems very fishy to me. Curious if anyone else has had a problem like this. Curious if anyone has any advice. She had to pay over $200 to get her car back but they cant tell her why or who it was taken from.

**Meddle** · January-09-14, 07:01 PM

You don't say what kind of car, but there are some 'master keys' out there.

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · January-09-14, 07:12 PM

Very disturbing, but the outcome could have been a lot worse. Never had anything like that happen to me, thankfully. Django, are you suspicious that the cops may have been involved? Presumably there is an arrest recorded for the person who didn't have ID. That is public record. I would demand they press car-theft charges against that person; also, theft victims are not subject to paying fees to get their property back [[presuming the car's registration, insurance, and your girl's license are up to date). Did she get a receipt for the $200 fine? If so, it would presumably list the alleged infraction. If not, I suspect a corrupt cop just pocketed $200. Did she pay cash?

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · January-09-14, 07:20 PM

I forgot to mention that if I were your girlfriend I would write a letter stating what occurred, what you were told, and include any evidence [[receipt if given one, name or badge numbers of cops involved). I would ask for a written response describing what the actual infraction was and if what occurred is the sanctioned way of handling it. I would mail that letter to the precinct, with a note that copies were also being sent to DPD HQ, county & US attorney's office, and the state attorney general's office. I suspect you just got taken by a crooked cop. They need to be forced to root that cop out.

**Blueidone** · January-09-14, 07:23 PM

We had a vehicle stolen in Roseville some years back and called the Roseville police upon discovery that it was gone. We checked back often and they kept telling us there was no word on the car. After about 3 or 4 weeks, we got a call from a auto salvage yard in Detroit saying they had our car and we could come and get it if we paid the tow fee and storage which was over $800. They had had the car for 3 weeks or so after it was found in the City of Detroit. We had never heard from DPD or Roseville PD that the car was found. But the yard would not release the car unless we paid. What a scam that was!! It was an old car and not worth the $800, so we just let them junk it. This was many years ago...about 8-10...hopefully things have gotten better since then.

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · January-09-14, 07:35 PM

Blue, that is a scam. I think that the state should run an impounded car website, and any police or private impound yard should have to register a vehicle there for 48 hours before any storage fees can accrue. If your vehicle is missing, you could log on and find out if it is being stored anywhere in the state.

**Django** · January-09-14, 07:49 PM

Meddle, its a Honda Accord early 2000s.

Mike, good advice, thanks. Im big on taking names and numbers of any company Im having a problem dealing with so I can write the Better Business Bureau. Ive had really good luck using the BBB in the past but city Government probably could care less what they say since they are probably not technically a business.

I get the feeling this may be more of a scam of the tow company but I could see a cop being involved for a kickback. So many possibilities.

My woman is pretty sharp so I know she got a receipt and will be following up. As soon as I know anything Ill post it. I have a feeling it was towed right off the street in front of her house, I cannot imagine someone has a key, took the car and just happened to get pulled over a block and a half from her house.

**Meddle** · January-09-14, 08:34 PM

If I remember right, that's one of the most stolen cars out there.

If it's registered to that address though, they usually contact the owner and have them come and get it if they're that close.

**Django** · January-09-14, 08:58 PM

I have a feeling the car was simply towed from out front of our house. Too weird that they say they picked it up fom a block and a half away. It could have been the cop or tow driver just wrote down the nearest cross streets they could think of. The cop shop said the system was down so they didnt have any answers but I think they just wanted to get my girl out of their hair. Quite the mystery, cant wait to see what happens. I just dont want this to happen to anyone else.I know GF isnt going to get her $$ back but getting to the bottom of this would feel good.

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · January-09-14, 09:09 PM

She deserves to know why her car was taken originally: if it was in someone's possession [[a thief), there should be an arresti on file. If not, why was she lied to initially, and why was she fined? If there was a legit reason to fine her [[parked illegally, in the way of a snow plow, etc), it should have been cited immediately. There is definitely something wrong here. And she should get her money back.

**NickCharles** · January-09-14, 09:19 PM

Well yeah there's something wrong, but it isn't likely to be "a corrupt cop just pocketed $200."
I don't know what goes on in Brooklyn-- a fact for which I'm thankful-- but here, when one retrieves a vehicle from an impound lot, the payment goes to the [[civilian) guy at the lot

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · January-09-14, 09:34 PM

NickCharles, I do live in Detroit. And in my nearly dozen years in Brooklyn, I never knew what was going on there, either. In reading the original post, I thought she had paid the $200 to a cop. In rereading it, it is vague. I have never had to pick up a car from an impound lot; I am not sure whether or not they are always private or cop run. I know in NYC the NYPD does run some impound lots, but there are private ones, too. It seems logical to me that if the cops were aware of the car's location [[regardless of whether they ran the lot), and there was not a legit reason for it to be there, at least some cops are involved in wrongdoing.

I am generally very pro-cop. And working in tough and violent circumstances, I give them the benefit of the doubt when things go wrong. But situations like this hurt all the good cops. I'd be willing to pay more money in taxes to pay cops more, but not if some are involved in a scheme to get innocent people to have to pay ransom to get their car back.

**Gannon** · January-09-14, 11:50 PM

They apparently didn't know who the fuck you ARE, Django, LOL!

This is going to be fun. It is a scam, for sure.

I bet some towing companies are going to be investigated soon. Perhaps their lucrative city contracts cancelled. It is a new day is a new city.

Rock it...

**Django** · January-10-14, 12:12 AM

I LOVE MY DETROIT COPS lets get that straight but the bad apple thing does exist.

GF was told it was taken from someone with no ID a block and a half from her house which I find fishy. The car was not broken into, ignition not messed with. If there was a police report there must have been a cop to write it and call the tow company but the cop shop said their system was down [[easy way to say "get out of my hair")

We are going to start with the tow company then see if the DPD system is online.

I love Detroit because speed limits are suggestions, drivers licenses and insurance papers are optional and weed is legal among other things under the table. This is the price paid, I can deal but Im still gonna make a stink. Detroit cops have better stuff to deal with than my petty crap but if one is involved in my girls car being illegally towed Ima gonna make some calls.

Im betting this is a tow agency scam. One friend suggested Ruth To The Rescue. I might send her an e mail, maybe she has had some other complaints.

**MikeyinBrooklyn** · January-10-14, 12:30 AM

Even if this is a tow-centered scam, the cops lied to cover it up. Also, if the car was not stolen by the [[made up) ID-less criminal, and the car was not cited for a violation, then the car WAS stolen. By the cops and/or tow company. Theft is theft, even if the cops are determined to look the other way. I would try to find out who towed the car, and have him arrested for the theft. I can see the headline now: TOW COMPANY STEALS WOMAN'S CAR, TO SELL IT BACK FOR $200. COPS KNEW, ASSISTED. This infuriates me.

**Wingnatic** · January-10-14, 06:49 AM

Some cars come with those plastic [[or other material) ignition keys meant for when you have someone park your car . I saw a special on TV where a car thief showed methods to steal a car and that was one of them , [[and the easiest) The key is usually with the cars manual .

**EastsideAl** · January-10-14, 12:37 PM

I've had this kind of thing happen twice to me, and several times to people I know, over the past few decades. The tow companies that run the city's vehicle towing and impounding services regularly come up with scams to make their business more lucrative.

One time it was in Highland Park, which towed away my disabled Ford pickup [[a radiator hose had burst). By the time I got to the impound lot the next morning, the entire engine was missing, along with the doors, seats, and the wheels. I was told that "sometimes people break in here and take things" by the person on duty [[who tried to charge me nearly $300 for towing and storage of what was now essentially a frame). After a multi-year struggle, HP paid me restitution near the book value of the truck, which was I'm pretty sure less than what the scammers got for the parts.

Another time, it was the City of Detroit, which towed away my van from in front of my house. They said this was due to an "abandoned vehicle complaint", despite the fact that the vehicle was driven every day. I went to the police impound lot where the precinct said it was, only to be told that it wasn't there, because the lot was "full" [[even though there seemed to be plenty of space). Like Django, I was told that "our computers are down right now" so that they couldn't tell me where it was taken. After some cajoling I was able to get the name of the tow company out of them though, and then spent the next day sitting on the phone trying to reach somebody there.

When I finally found the van, it was in a junkyard on Mack. By the time I got over there the battery was already gone, the van was sitting with its doors open and the engine cover off, and the "staff" was totally hostile to helping me at all [[or even acknowledging my existence). I called a friend of mine who was on the DPD, and he came over with his truck and a tow rope. He was certainly able to get their attention [[the sight of Mr. Glock on his hip may have helped), and we threw them some bucks and hauled my van out of there as fast as possible.

Given the fact that your girlfriend's car was a Honda Accord, which as Meddle noted above are very often stolen for their very lucrative parts, I would say that you're fortunate to have found the car and gotten it out of there in one piece.

**preserve** · January-10-14, 01:38 PM

Need to see the police report to determine if the car was being driven or pushed
thieves push the cars out and then strip them or whatever

**Richard** · January-10-14, 02:17 PM

I had a towing company,if a driver took a car like that he would have been arrested and felony charged with grand theft auto.

You seem to have done what you could,maybe skip the shuffle and file with the state attorney office,it may skip the local runaround,there is also a task force in town,maybe flip a email to the FBI and they will direct it to who can handle it.

**pgn421** · January-10-14, 05:40 PM

Keep an eye out, to see what towing companies are operating in the wee hours. Sounds like a scam

**Ray1936** · January-10-14, 07:54 PM

This whole thread sounds like it's coming from some third world country. I can't believe that the docile City of Detroit that I knew from fifty years ago has come to all this.

And there are those who belittle me for leaving Michigan. Humpf.

**jt1** · January-10-14, 09:10 PM

Originally Posted by Ray1936

This whole thread sounds like it's coming from some third world country. I can't believe that the docile City of Detroit that I knew from fifty years ago has come to all this.

And there are those who belittle me for leaving Michigan. Humpf.

Well, based upon the crime rates changes during your tenure, I would say that you and your fellow dpd officers failed in your core mission and are partially responsible for the state of the city.

But laugh all you want just don't look for sympathy if your pension is impacted.