RICHMOND, Va. -- The owner of Richmond-based No Limit Towing is accused of illegally towing cars from private lots and then demolishing or selling those vehicles, sometimes within one day of taking the car, according to Richmond Police.
Sheral Crawley, who was being sought for Grand Larceny-related charges, turned herself in to authorities on Thursday, Aug. 17, according to police.
"Based on the evidence collected, it appears that the theft began sometime in the summer of 2020 as citizens were impacted by the pandemic and continued until at least the beginning of this year," a Richmond Police spokesperson wrote in an email about the alleged crimes. "The investigation showed that No Limit Towing would tow vehicles from private lots and then demolish the vehicles or sell the vehicle to other parties without following Virginia Law in regards to Mechanics and Storage Lien and Abandoned Vehicle Processes. In some instances, No Limit Towing would possess the vehicle for a week before it was illegally disposed of, sometimes in less than a day."
Police began investigating after receiving multiple complaints from car owners who felt they were wronged.
Court documents showed there were at least 16 victims, but that number could go up.
“We believe there are probably many more, so we'd love them to call the Richmond Police Department and we can direct them in the right way," Richmond Police Chief Rick Edwards said. "This is something that is, I'm sure, very frustrating to those people who woke up in the morning and walked out and found their car missing, not knowing where it was."
Edwards called the case a challenge for police because typically when a vehicle is towed, it's a civil, not criminal, matter.
"Thanks to the investigation of the third precinct, as well as our partnership with DMV, we found that this crossed the border into a criminal territory where we could take action," he said.
No Limit Towing is located at 4505 Richmond Highway in South Richmond.
Anyone who thinks they were a victim should call Richmond Police Detective Sergeant Castrinos at 804-646-1144.
Anyone with questions about towing companies and overcharging fees should call the Office of the Attorney General at 804-786-2042.
Towing fees legal in the City of Richmond when towed from private property without the owner’s consent:
- Initial fees should not exceed $135 for weekdays and non-holidays during the day (8am-7pm)
- Initial fees should not exceed $160 for weekends and holidays, or during evening hours (7pm -8am)
- Fees for storage should not exceed $45 per day
- A $50 fee can be charged after a vehicle has been stored for more than 72 hours
- Drop fees should not exceed $40
- An after-hours release fee of $35 for retrieval of a vehicle during evening hours (7pm – 8am)
No other fees, to include: credit card charge fees, fuel fees, mileage fees or equipment fees are permitted.
Towing fees pursuant to Virginia code § 46.2-1233:
- No hookup and initial towing fees of any passenger car shall exceed $150.
- An additional fee of $30 may be charged during nights or weekends.
- Localities can set and enforce initial towing fees at a lower price, should they wish.
Concerned about being overcharged?
File a complaint with the Office of the Attorney General using this consumer protection complaint:
www.oag.state.va.us or call the Consumer Protection Hotline: 1-800-552-9963 or (804) 786-2042
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