RICHMOND, Va. — An unnamed towing company may have been fraudulently towing vehicles in the third precinct area of Richmond, which includes neighborhoods like The Fan, Stony Point and Willow Lawn, according to Richmond Police.
Police said they're not naming the towing company yet because it's an ongoing investigation, but the business was served a warrant for their records after multiple reports of unauthorized towing and overcharging of fees.
Detectives began investigating the claims three months ago, police said.
Police have identified some potential victims from the company's records and said those individuals have been sent a letter to let them know about the possible fraud. But detectives don't have a complete list of victims.
Anyone in the Richmond region who believes they may have been the victim of illegal practices by a towing company based in Richmond can email towinginvestigation@rva.gov with details.
Police said some of those illegal practices could be:
- Towing from unauthorized areas
- Having been charged in excess of the maximum $135 for the initial tow
- Having been charged in excess of the drop fee of $40 when the vehicle has been hooked but not yet towed away
- Storage fees that accrued due to an illegal tow
“This has been a challenging investigation,” said Third Precinct Commander Faith Flippo via press release. “This case could involve hundreds of victims. I credit the steadfast and focused work by Third Precinct detectives in advancing this case in an effort to protect the public.”
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