This past summer I posted about Whitey's Towing and their predatory practices. In that case they had towed a vehicle from the wrong property and when they realized their mistake, they still refused to give the woman her car back. To read that posting from April, click here.
Now Whitey's has shown once again the type of business they are according to police sources who wish to remain anonymous.
Earlier today, a Hartford resident from 777 Park Street had asked someone at the Hartford Fire Department's Engine 8 Firehouse on Park Street where she could park to be in compliance with the city's parking ban. She apparently was directed to the Maria Sanchez School on Babcock Street and told to park in their parking area. That was also the message put out to the general public by the Mayor's Office, Hartford School parking lots were to be utilized for off street parking during the storm.
Anyone without off street parking was encouraged to use the school lots to free up Hartford's streets and avoid a $100.00 ticket and potentially the cost of the tow.
The resident at 777 Park Street heeded the call to do the right thing and parked her vehicle in the parking area at the Sanchez School. Apparently someone at Sanchez School didn't receive word that residents were being encouraged to park at the schools. The Hartford School's system is not typically known for its communications skills internally.
So anyway, the person at Sanchez School proceeded to call Whitey's Towing and have the offending vehicle removed as a "trespass tow". Even though the resident was doing what the Mayor had asked every other resident to do, at 5:30 PM her vehicle was towed to Whitey's Towing.
Apparently when the resident realized what had happened she contacted the Hartford Police and the Hartford 911 dispatch center. They all agreed with the woman and went out of their way to get the car back. They realized the woman was doing what residents had been asked to do under the parking ban. Unfortunately though, with Whitey's it apparently is never an issue of right or wrong, it is all about "who's gonna pay the bill".
Even after the Hartford Police had offered to drive the woman to Whitey's to retrieve her car and have the City square it away tomorrow, Whitey's still refused to give the car back.
Whitey's did originally tow the car legitimately, somewhat,but once they realized it was a mistake the car should have been released. The resident trying to do the right thing should not have been inconvenienced, especially after the police promised to "make it right" tomorrow.
Maybe a 30 day suspension from Hartford's towing rotation would make Whitey's think twice about how they treat Hartford's residents and how they respond to the Hartford Police Department.
Mr. Mayor, I hope you make this right for a resident trying to work with you.
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