Prince George woman gets stolen car back without paying towing fee

PRINCE GEORGE COUNTY, Va. (WWBT) - A Prince George County woman got her stolen car back without paying a fee a towing company initially set at $1,000, after she contacted the 12 On Your Side Investigators.

Amanda Cox, 32, said a thief broke into her 2016 Hyundai Sonata and drove off in it. She bought the car less than a year ago.

“I was panicking,” Cox said.

According to the police report, Cox’s car was stolen from her Prince George apartment complex on Aug. 10.

She said it was found in Petersburg on Aug. 14 behind an abandoned house, with the bottom of the steering wheel ripped out.

“It’s disheartening to think about something that I work hard for. Somebody could just come in, you know, take advantage of you like that,” Cox said.

Cox said she pays about $400 a month for the car.

“I broke down crying, I was hyperventilating, I was I didn’t know what I was going to do or how I was going to navigate the rest of my week. I already ended up missing that day at work, and I have a young child, so it’s like, how am I supposed to navigate commuting her?” Cox said.

Cox said she relies on a 7 a.m. bus from Petersburg to get to work in Richmond. Without her car, she said missing that bus meant she could not make it to work. She said the last bus back to Petersburg leaves before she gets off work, so she has had to spend about $30 on Uber fees to get home.

“It’s disheartening in the least bit. I never thought that that was going to be me,” Cox said.

Police had Cox’s car towed to Nobles Towing on South Crater Road in Prince George. Cox said when she tried to have AAA pick it up, the towing business told her she could not get it back unless she paid a fee of $1,000.

“I’ve been done a disservice and I feel like I’ve been victimized in the first place with my car being stolen,” Cox said. “But then I’m being victimized again. Because why do I have to pay a $1,000 charge for a car that was stolen from me? It’s not like I parked somewhere illegally or anything like that. My car was stolen. So why do I have. Why is there a $1,000 fee for me to get my property back? Along with the fact that I still have to spend money on repairing the cost of my vehicle?”

Cox then called the 12 On Your Side Investigators.

According to Virginia law 46.2-1209, if a car is stolen and towed, the owner does not have to pay to get it back. The law states that if the owner picks up the car within five business days of receiving written notice from the tow company, no towing or storage fees are owed.

Cox said she never received that five-day notice because she tried to get her car the same day it was recovered.

When 12 On Your Side called Nobles Towing during an interview with Cox, a worker quoted a lower fee of $525, plus $75 a day for storage, and a 20% surcharge for paying with a Mastercard or Visa credit card.

When Cox questioned why the fee was so high, the man on the phone said, “It sounds like you’re looking for an argument.” Cox responded, “No, I’m not looking for an argument.”

The man went on to say, “I’m not the person you’re going to argue with. If you want your car, I’m trying to be nice to you.”

When 12 On Your Side went with Cox in person to get her car back with cameras rolling, a Nobles Towing employee said, “You coming to get your car? I’m so glad you made it here today.”

Cox brought her license, proof of ownership and the police report.

An employee asked that recording stop, so the crew left the property.

Nobles Towing then released the car and let AAA tow it to a repair shop without charging a fee.

12 On Your Side reached out one more time by phone to Nobles Towing and was told, “We follow the law.”

Cox said she now feels relieved and vindicated.

“I didn’t ask for any of this,” Cox said. “So I’m just happy that I’m able to get my car back and to deal with now having to deal with the repairs. But I don’t have to deal with this extra fee.”

If a car owner misses the five-day window after being notified a tow company has their stolen car, they must pay the towing, storage and recovery fees themselves.

Owners can still get reimbursed through the state treasury, which covers expenses in criminal cases. Tow companies can also recover money through the state treasury.

Anyone with an issue involving a towing company or tow truck driver can file a complaint with the Office of the Attorney General of Virginia. You can find that form here.