We get calls all the time for cars in spots they shouldn’t be in, but you can’t just have someone’s car towed away. There are rules…
If you live in an apartment complex and you come home to find someone in your assigned parking spot, the first thing you should do is look around at any signage posted in the lot. Usually, the apartment complex will have a contract with a local towing service. You should contact either the complex office or the property manager about having the vehicle removed. If a sign for a towing company is posted, you can contact them for next steps.
If you live in a home and a vehicle is parked on your private property without your permission, you should call the police department or the sheriff’s office (depending on location). If the vehicle is on your property, they will likely tell you to call a tow service to have the vehicle removed. You will have to be present to sign the form stating that you had the vehicle removed from your property.
If the car is parked in front of your home, but is on the street, there is not a lot you can do unless the vehicle is blocking you from entering or exiting your property. That is public property. If you know who the car belongs to, kindly ask them to move their vehicle so that it is not blocking access to your property. If this doesn’t help, or if it’s a regular occurrence, it’s probably a good idea for everyone involved to reach out to law enforcement; it helps cover the bases and protects you from any wrongdoing.
This type of service is called Private Property Removal, or PPR. The first thing that happens when arriving to this type of haul, before the car is touched, the appropriate agency is contacted: Tucson Police Department, Marana Police Department, Pima County Sheriff. This is to make sure the vehicle hasn’t been reported as stolen. If it has, the appropriate agency will take over from there. If the vehicle is not stolen, I go through a few questions with the agency and I get a case number from the officer and badge number. I’ll pick up the vehicle and take it back to my yard. This company does not charge the homeowner or business where the vehicle was parked/abandoned. After 10 days the vehicle is inspected and the process for filing for an abandoned title begins, and takes roughly another 30 days. At any point prior to the state issuing an abandoned title, the vehicle owner can come forward and claim their vehicle. There will be both impound and storage fees to pay prior to the vehicles release.
If the owner of the vehicle never comes forward and a new title is issued by the state, the vehicle’s former owner will get a bit of a surprise the next time they register a vehicle. There will be a $500-$600 fee assessed by the state and presented at the DMV. It wouldn’t add up to much, but those who are considering ditching their vehicle somewhere should just take it down to one of the recycling yards. You’ll only get a couple hundred dollars, but that’s certainly better than being issued more fees at the DMV.
As always, I’m here to answer questions. (520) 578-5956 or (520) 279-2559.
Atomic Towing 