Initial Business Response /* (1000, 10, 2016/06/02) */
To whom it may concern,
We were called to assist the Champaign police dept on an arrest involving this 2001 Pontiac Grand Am at 1:30am on March 18th. We were instructed to impound this vehicle in our impound lot. At the time we were not given...
any instructions from the police dept. as to why the vehicle was being towed except to take it to our lot and place a "hold" on the vehicle. This means the police will instruct us when we can release the vehicle, in writing, once the owner has satisfied any obligations that the police dept. requires. It turns out in this case; they needed valid insurance on the vehicle.
According to the Illinois vehicle code the police dept that impounded the vehicle is required to contact the vehicle owner and let them know of their responsibilities of retrieving their vehicle. However, we also send out a certified letter to the last known address filed with the Secretary of State, instructing them of their obligations with our company, and to let them know what we intend to do if they don't claim their vehicle. In this case we sent out the certified letter on March 22nd, 2016 (please see attached letter). We also received back from the post office a signed confirmation that the letter was received by Ms. [redacted]. We also received a letter from the Champaign police dept releasing their interest of the vehicle (please see attached letter). Also according to the Illinois vehicle code, if we have not heard from the owner of the vehicle that is seven years old or older we can dispose of the vehicle after holding on to the vehicle for 30 days. We obtained a junk title on the vehicle and sold it to the recycling company on April 28th, 2016. The Illinois vehicle also states that any items left in the vehicle at the time of impoundment by the police dept., those items then are subject to the same lean as the vehicle and will not be returned until the impoundment charges have been satisfied.
As far as the complaint, Ms. [redacted] calling back every couple of days and speaking to [redacted], That is not possible. [redacted] is only a weekend dispatcher, she only works on Saturday and Sundays, and does not processes vehicles to be disposed of, and would not know of the status of those vehicles. That is done by the staff working during normal working hours (Monday through Friday, 7am-4:30pm). [redacted] only has access to the vehicles that are on the lot, and the charges that are required to be paid at the time of pick up. [redacted] would have directed this individual to contact our office during normal business hour, which Ms. [redacted] did confirm in this complaint. If Ms. [redacted] would have contacted our office during normal business hours she would have been informed of all the information about her vehicle by either our General Manager, or the owner of our company. Neither one of us received a call nor a message from Ms. [redacted]. It is in the owner of the vehicle, as well as our company's best interest to get the vehicle back to the owner.
I believe we did everything in our control to contact Ms. [redacted]. I believe if Ms. [redacted] would have contacted our office as instructed by our weekend dispatcher, we would have had the opportunity to explain to her the process. We did send out the certified letter explaining this process, the police dept. sent Ms. [redacted] a letter stating this process, and we did everything within the legal process. I have personally spoken to [redacted] about this incident and I don't believe [redacted] was rude to Ms. [redacted]. I believe Ms. [redacted] was upset about not getting the answers to her questions when she spoke to [redacted].
If Ms. [redacted] still would like for me to talk with her, and explain this process, I would be happy to.
Thank you,
[redacted], Owner
Initial Business Response /* (1000, 10, 2016/06/02) */
To whom it may concern,
We were called to assist the Champaign police dept on an arrest involving this 2001 Pontiac Grand Am at 1:30am on March 18th. We were instructed to impound this vehicle in our impound lot. At the time we were not given...
any instructions from the police dept. as to why the vehicle was being towed except to take it to our lot and place a "hold" on the vehicle. This means the police will instruct us when we can release the vehicle, in writing, once the owner has satisfied any obligations that the police dept. requires. It turns out in this case; they needed valid insurance on the vehicle.
According to the Illinois vehicle code the police dept that impounded the vehicle is required to contact the vehicle owner and let them know of their responsibilities of retrieving their vehicle. However, we also send out a certified letter to the last known address filed with the Secretary of State, instructing them of their obligations with our company, and to let them know what we intend to do if they don't claim their vehicle. In this case we sent out the certified letter on March 22nd, 2016 (please see attached letter). We also received back from the post office a signed confirmation that the letter was received by Ms. [redacted]. We also received a letter from the Champaign police dept releasing their interest of the vehicle (please see attached letter). Also according to the Illinois vehicle code, if we have not heard from the owner of the vehicle that is seven years old or older we can dispose of the vehicle after holding on to the vehicle for 30 days. We obtained a junk title on the vehicle and sold it to the recycling company on April 28th, 2016. The Illinois vehicle also states that any items left in the vehicle at the time of impoundment by the police dept., those items then are subject to the same lean as the vehicle and will not be returned until the impoundment charges have been satisfied.
As far as the complaint, Ms. [redacted] calling back every couple of days and speaking to [redacted], That is not possible. [redacted] is only a weekend dispatcher, she only works on Saturday and Sundays, and does not processes vehicles to be disposed of, and would not know of the status of those vehicles. That is done by the staff working during normal working hours (Monday through Friday, 7am-4:30pm). [redacted] only has access to the vehicles that are on the lot, and the charges that are required to be paid at the time of pick up. [redacted] would have directed this individual to contact our office during normal business hour, which Ms. [redacted] did confirm in this complaint. If Ms. [redacted] would have contacted our office during normal business hours she would have been informed of all the information about her vehicle by either our General Manager, or the owner of our company. Neither one of us received a call nor a message from Ms. [redacted]. It is in the owner of the vehicle, as well as our company's best interest to get the vehicle back to the owner.
I believe we did everything in our control to contact Ms. [redacted]. I believe if Ms. [redacted] would have contacted our office as instructed by our weekend dispatcher, we would have had the opportunity to explain to her the process. We did send out the certified letter explaining this process, the police dept. sent Ms. [redacted] a letter stating this process, and we did everything within the legal process. I have personally spoken to [redacted] about this incident and I don't believe [redacted] was rude to Ms. [redacted]. I believe Ms. [redacted] was upset about not getting the answers to her questions when she spoke to [redacted].
If Ms. [redacted] still would like for me to talk with her, and explain this process, I would be happy to.
Thank you,
[redacted], Owner