Allentown police took a theft report and promised to help find the car. The car was found, on Saturday, by the Whitehall police, and this is where the system breaks down.
Whitehall police called APD and asked them to contact the victim so she could retrieve her vehicle. There would be a happy ending. But Allentown police failed to pass the word along for several hours, perhaps because they had more pressing matters. After waiting an hour by the car, Whitehall police had it towed. When word finally reached the victim, the car was already impounded.
When the victim asked whether her purse, money or credit cards were in the car, they did not know and told her she would have to wait until Monday to find out.
When she called impound, she learned that she'd have to pay to get her own car back. The tow would be $137. The storage fee, $35 per day, would be another $105. No matter how early she arrives on Monday, she'll have to pay a full day storage. She could not pick up the car Saturday because she was unable to get the title to the impound before it closed.
So after the indignity of a theft, there's the insult of spending $242 to get her own car back, without even knowing if it will roll off the lot. The storage operator did tell her he'd be happy to keep the car without charge, so long as she brought him the title.
The icing on the cake is a subsequent call from APD.
If she wants them to investigate who stole her car, she's told she'll have to let it stay in impound for a few more days until they can get their fingerprint team to go to work.
Never mind that a neighbor, just a few doors down from this single mother, actually saw the theft as it occurred and probably can provide a description.
This is similar to the situation that confronted an Easton single mother in May, when her car, set ablaze on a random act of criminal mindlessness, had to be towed. She faced a much higher towing fee - $365, which was ultimately paid by an anonymous benefactor.
Had this been a more wealthy person with a better car, there'd be insurance. Had this been a person with nothing, she'd need no car to get to work because she could rely on government handouts.
We have county governments that pays for a drunks' taxi ride home from the DUI processing center if they can't get a ride, but when an innocent crime victim's car is towed by police to an impound, she has to pay money she does not have to get a car back.
Our criminal justice system fails the working poor.
We'll see what happens today.
This is pathetic
ReplyDeleteIf the person(s) involved in the theft are caught, do you think taxpayers would provide a public defender at no charge to represent them? Assuming they are found guilty, another freebe for the bad guys.
ReplyDeleteThere is an expense the towing operator incurs by providing equipment, staff, and storage. I suspect most municipalities have multiple towing contracts that have a “first call” rotation that provides every operator an equal chance at towing and also provides the municipality backup should the first call not be available. Under these special circumstances and the hardship involved, maybe the tow operator can wave the charges, however, be granted the next two or three successive tow calls. The women, gets the car she owns without penalty. The operator covers his expenses with a successive “bonus run(s)” and taxpayer does not eat the cost for the tow. Almost like a “pay it forward” solution and win, win, win for the parties involved.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great idea!!
Deletethis is the price you pay for dumb ass. all her credit cards and cash left in the car?
ReplyDeleteThis is why people need to do the following:
ReplyDelete1. Do not keep important stuff in your car! 6:47 has it right.
2. Keep your insurance. This is an excellent example as to why full coverage is necessary, even for a beater car. It is much less expensive to continue paying for this coverage than suffering this woman's trials.
3. Keep a stash of cash on hand for emergencies like this.
I realize this woman is a victim. But expecting the APD to push this stolen vehicle case to the top of their workload is not reasonable. Have ya read the papers lately? The police are BUSY. Very busy.
Owning and operating a car is a serious responsibility, and shit happens. Be prepared.
THIS IS CLASSIC ALLENTOWN---------the place doesn't work !
ReplyDeleteAllentown is the county seat and just maybe this and above is were the injustices are a common practice¿
DeleteMonkey Momma,
ReplyDeleteI'd agree it is foolish to keep important stuff in a locked car. But people do foolish things, probably even you. As for your second and third points, I believe you do not have any understanding of what it is like to be of limited means, or how it is to live from paycheck to paycheck. There is no stash of cash for emergencies. That's the whole point. If you have to make a choice between collision and putting food on the table for your children, I am sure you would buy the food. You are penalizing this victim because she is poorer than you.
Just where do ya draw the line ? Life is not easy or fair. Seems many can not survive once leaving the nest not to mention those struck with horrible illnesses.Since ya cant sue the good Lord ya gotta just persevere with the gov only having limited responsibility.
ReplyDeleteLet the poor walk. Since when is driving a right? No $--no drive. No $--sleep under the bridges with the old leeches.
ReplyDeleteI don't work to support the lazy whatever age they are. I work hard and make a good living for my family.
Justice costs money to deliver. It's not like were already paying taxes for salaries and pensions for cops and staff. Oh wait. Yes we are.
ReplyDeleteOh well. If we don't pay sufficient money, we won't get quality servants and systems to frustrate and poorly serve us before costing additional money. These whiny poor types are starting to sound like anti-gubmint teabaggers.
Local governments are better than any airline at zapping the unsuspecting with hidden fees. Panto and Callahan have raises this meanness to an art. This is a story about the poor, yes. But it's really a story about the diahonesty of hidden government costs. Think about this the next time a politician like Panto says he hasn't raised taxes.
ReplyDeleteWe are making the poor pay for the crime of being poor.
ReplyDeleteWe ARE very good at this.
Hopefully the Jim Gregory show will spotlight this abuse.
ReplyDeleteYa Bernie, I paid her college coarse at NCCC from my own pocket so she could start a computer lab. . Additionally another Easton Fire Fighter ,also a combat veteran of the great USMC just walked up to her and GAVE her $ A COUPLE HUNDRED DOLLARS because she was a struggling veteran .What a guy!and a great Fire Fighter better than me.So- She has a nice child and her scumbag former husband , father of the nice little girl does not send the daughter a dime.Good thing for SOME people I'm not a dictator. Skumbags, would be made into SOY LAT GREEN.
ReplyDeleteWell, Peter, I have some good news for the Allentown story, too. And good for you.
ReplyDeleteThank you PC. Good job.
ReplyDeletePeter is a good guy. When he has to arrest me, he only tazes me.
ReplyDeletePC is a character, but a really good one.
ReplyDeletenot just the poor. the system fails everyone.
ReplyDeleteA few years back A truck slammed my fire escape.
My neighbor saw the hit, chased the truck down the road, took pics of the collateral damage to the truck (and paint), and got the license plate number.
I took the pictures, descriptions and paint chips to the apd and was told by a detective that they would certainly be able to solve this one..... I was told that the department was VERY busy and I would definitely get my problem looked at - when it was MY turn. I called every week for a year. Then the answer became that they did not have my information, and the detective supposedly assigned to the case was gone. truth was that there never was anyone assigned to my case. very likely hit the circular file immediately.
Now I use an attorney for parking tickets, sweep issues, and all else when dealing with city or APA employees. keeps the economy moving- right?
Yours is a sad indictment of APD, but one I've seen time and again.
ReplyDeleteThe price for collision and comp. is a very small price to pay actually. I own all of my cars outright. They are older cars which I always have full insurance on. I pay $42 extra every 6 months to have full coverage on my 1999 Ford Taurus. To me $8 a month is worth it. On an old Honda civic it can't be much and now look what has to be paid?
ReplyDeleteIf it's your ONLY car and it's old, suck it up and find the extra.
stupid to leave cash in a car, she gets what she deserves and nothing more, no sympathy here
ReplyDelete